England v New Zealand
Match starts 2300 GMT Monday
England meet New Zealand in Hobart for the first time in their one-day series, knowing a place against Australia in the finals could be on the line.
Both teams lost their opening matches against the hosts, although each team plays the others four times in all.
"It is a big game because obviously one of us will be in the final," said England captain Michael Vaughan.
"New Zealand have got a few injuries and like us are hoping to get all their players back for the World Cup."
The match in the Tasmanian capital is England's only fixture in the series that will not finish under floodlights.
England have gone over two months in Australia without a win and New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is well aware they could take their Ashes frustration out on his side.
"England will be dangerous because they are wounded. They will be pouring so much into this game but this is our chance to keep them down," he said.
"This match will be important in terms of momentum for the rest of the series.
"Australia have beaten us 5-0 in one-day series and that's pretty demoralising. So I know exactly how Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff are feeling.
"We got out of that rut by playing another team. You get away from Australia, take a deep breath and put into practice what you've learned."
"It's just a matter of getting into gear and I'm sure that will happen some time in this tournament"
New Zealand's Shane Bond
Fast bowler Shane Bond, who took a hat-trick against Australia on Sunday, pinpointed the Black Caps' batting as their weak point at the moment.
"We've struggled with the bat mainly. It hasn't quite clicked into gear for us. We've tried a couple of combinations and things haven't quite worked," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"We've got the talent in our squad. It's just a matter of getting into gear and I'm sure that will happen some time in this tournament."
England should take advantage of a weakened New Zealand side now because all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris are expected back from injury in time for the next meeting between the two sides, in Adelaide on 23 January.
Young batsman Ross Taylor has been declared fit despite suffering cramp during his sparkling 84 against Australia on Sunday.
Ed Joyce is set to play in the England middle order for the first time after Kevin Pietersen was ruled out with a fractured rib.
Squad replacement Ravi Bopara will join the squad in Brisbane later in the week.
England (from): MP Vaughan (capt), AJ Strauss, IR Bell, A Flintoff, PD Collingwood, JWM Dalrymple, PA Nixon (wkt), JM Anderson, J Lewis, MS Panesar, CT Tremlett, EC Joyce, SI Mahmood, LE Plunkett, CMW Read (wkt).
New Zealand (from): SP Fleming (capt), AR Adams, NJ Astle, SE Bond, JEC Franklin, PG Fulton, MR Gillespie, BB McCullum (wkt), CD McMillan, HJH Marshall, MJ Mason, JS Patel, RL Taylor, DL Vettori.
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1 comment:
Why is New Zealand not included in your poll of who will win the icc world cup ? We are not done yet !
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