March Timings
3am US EST
9am GMT
**Kiwis excited by Aussie challenge
**
Australia and New Zealand resume their heated one-day rivalry in Wednesday’s first Champions Trophy semi-final.
Australia have won 15 of their last 17 matches against their neighbours but lost the most recent one last December.
“Not only in cricket, it’s in every sport, there is a great rivalry,” said Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Kiwi Stephen Fleming said: “Australia will say we place more emphasis on it than they do but there’s every reason to be excited about this clash.”
The Kiwis beat world number two South Africa and Pakistan in the group stage while Australia disposed of England and India, at the same Mohali ground.
Ponting believes the extra time his side have spent at the venue will benefit them but Fleming argued: "I’m not sure it’s going to be the same pitch conditions. It’s a few days on.
World Cup holders Australia have not progressed beyond the Champions Trophy semi-finals in four such tournaments.
They lost their opening match here against West Indies but Ponting believes the pressure has been good preparation for the knockout stage.
“We expect to win every game but we’re not always going to do that,” he said.
“We’ve had our backs to the wall and we’ve enjoyed that. This game is a great challenge but no more than the last couple of weeks.”
Australia (from): R Ponting (capt), A Gilchrist, N Bracken, D Cullen, M Clarke, G Hogg, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, D Martyn, G McGrath, S Watson, A Symonds.
New Zealand (from): S Fleming (capt), N Astle, S Bond, J Franklin, P Fulton, M Gillespie, B McCullum, H Marshall, K Mills, J Oram, J Patel, D Vettori, L Vincent.
SOURCE: BBC SPORT | Cricket | Aussies clinch Trophy final spot
