Ponting raised the possibility of a run spree in the match against South Africa at the weekend to match the remarkable game between them last year.
BASSETERRE: Australia captain Ricky Ponting raised on Thursday the possibility of a run spree in the final World Cup Group A match against South Africa at the weekend to match the remarkable game between them last year.
South Africa reached 438 for nine, the highest target reached in one-day internationals, after Australia had scored 434 for four in Johannesburg to clinch the one-day series 3-2.
Herschelle Gibbs, who hit six sixes in an over at Warner Park last week, scored 175 from 111 balls.
"I think if it's going to happen again it's probably going to happen in a venue like this one," Ponting told his final news conference before Saturday's game, where the points gained will be carried into the Super Eights.
"The wicket is pretty good. We have seen big scores being made on this ground. I have said that all week, big scores can be made on this ground."
"We have all taken that on board as well. I'm excited, I just think we're going to see a great game of one-day cricket. Whether 200 plays 200, you are going to see some of the best players in the world. Four hundred plays 400? Who knows? I think regardless of what way it goes you are going to see a very good spectacle. We are approaching this game as big a game in the tournament as a semi-final or final. We have been waiting for this game for quite a while," he said.
Ponting said the team had put the five consecutive losses to England and New Zealand behind them in their three weeks in the Caribbean, during which they have recorded wins over Zimbabwe and England in the warm-up games in St Vincent followed by victories over Scotland and the Netherlands in St Kitts.
"We didn't play anywhere near our best," he said. "I just sat down with the guys when we got here and I just had a talk about what happened. I think having five or six days between games has been a really good thing for us as well to really freshen up and really work on our skills to make sure we have all our plans sorted out as well as we possibly can."
Australia are still monitoring the fitness of all-rounder Andrew Symonds, a vital member of the one-day side who has not played since rupturing his right bicep against England last month.
"Percentage wise he's gone up quite a bit over the last couple of days," Ponting said.
"He did a lot of fielding yesterday, a lot of running and throwing in the field. We made him do a fair bit more today, he was throwing the ball a lot harder today than he did yesterday which is a very good sign. We have to give him as long as he needs or wants to be pretty much right for the game on Saturday."
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