A battle of nerves in the offing as contender take on defender

It is going to be a battle of nerves as title contender Sri Lanka takes on defending champion Australia in the Super Eight league match of Cricket World Cup here tommorrow.

With both the teams already in the semis, a win will boost the morale of the team that wins before a likely meeting in the semi-finals again.

New Zealand's win against South Africa yesterday at Grenada has assured the Islanders of a place in the semi-finals.

Australia already have 10 points, an all-win record and a net run rate so far ahead of everyone else that even a defeat at Sri Lanka’s hands is not likely to remove them from the top of the table.

But then defending champions are known for not resting on their laurels, and are likely to go all out for two more points.

''It’s the business end of the World Cup for us now, and we’ll get a better measure of where we’re at after the next two games.

We’ve got two very big matches against Sri Lanka and New Zealand before the semis in very different conditions to Barbados, and we’ll have to adapt quickly,'' remarked Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

''After those two matches, we will know where we are at. We’ll also know where these two teams are at,'' he said.

Australia play New Zealand in their final super league game here next Friday.

''We’ve got a good record down the years of stringing together consecutive wins, whether it’s in Test matches or one-dayers, and we’re on a very good run at the moment,'' the Punter added.

That good run has seen the Aussies thrash all opposition in this tournament so far and by big margins.

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