Australia balance different demands

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, Mar 8 (Reuters) World champions Australia will balance an ingrained hunger to defeat their oldest opponents against the wider demands of the World Cup campaign in tomorrow's final warm-up match against England.

''It's a game we want to win,'' captain Ricky Ponting told reporters. ''Obviously I want to win every game that I can.

Hopefully, we can go through winning every game, that's what we want to do as a team.'' Ponting, whose side lost five games in a row this year, including both matches in the tri-series final against England after the visitors appeared down and out, said it was important to start winning again.

Australia defeated Zimbabwe by 106 runs in the first of their two warm-up matches on Tuesday after England had crushed Bermuda by 241 runs on the previous day.

''We have got one win under our belt,'' Ponting said. ''Now, hopefully, there's another good win tomorrow. But we have to keep the bigger picture in mind as well.

''If we are not completely convinced of what our best 11 is, we might have to give five, or six, or seven bowlers seven or eight overs rather than five bowlers 10 overs each.'' EIGHT BOWLERS Australia used eight bowlers on Tuesday without succeeding in dismissing Zimbabwe after England had disposed of Bermuda for 45 in 22.2 overs.

In common with all the other teams in the warm-up stages they have been forced to reshape their strategy after witnessing first hand just how slow the pitches are likely to be in the Caribbean.

Accordingly Australia will be looking for some overs from part-time off-spinner Brad Hodge while Ponting suggested Mike Hussey's occasional slow-medium could even be used while Australia wait for all-rounder Andrew Symonds to recover from a torn right bicep.

''We have got a lot of options, which says something about the flexibility of our side,'' he said.

Symonds and opening batsman Matthew Hayden, who is recovering from a broken right toe, will miss tomorrow's 13-a-side match while England will field the same 13 who disposed of Bermuda so comfortably, with Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara again missing out.

Captain Michael Vaughan, who fielded for 10 overs in the Bermuda match, will continue his rehabilitation from the hamstring injury which curtailed his tri-series by remaining in the field for 20 to 30 overs tomorrow.

''England versus Australia, it's always a big occasion,'' Vaughan said. ''You want to win and that's what we will be trying to do tomorrow.'' REUTERS SP RAI2340