Spin bowler Nathan Hauritz says the hostile barracking of Kiwi cricket fans has given the Australian team further motivation to finish off their one-day series with another crushing win.
After losing the first game in Napier by two wickets in a fiery clash which resulted in Australia’s Mitchell Johnson and New Zealand’s Scott Styris being fined by the ICC, the tourists edged home by 12 runs in game two and cruised to victory by six wickets in the past two matches.
Thursday’s triumph with 17 balls to spare in Auckland allowed Australia to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ahead of the fifth game in Wellington.
But Hauritz says the treatment handed out to Johnson and some of his team-mates by the home fans helped ensure there’ll be no easing off the gas for Ricky Ponting’s side on Saturday.
“Yeah definitely. All games are the same virtually, no matter if they’re dead rubber or the series is on the line,” Hauritz said at Wellington airport on Friday.
“The motivation is always there playing for your country, especially against New Zealand.
“We’ve copped some stick since we’ve been out here so the boys will be pretty keen to wrap it up four-one.”
Ryan Harris is in doubt for Saturday’s game with a toe injury, which could give Clint McKay his first opportunity for the series. Both pace bowlers are part of the 14-man squad for the two-Test series starting in Wellington on March 19.
“A couple of guys are a little bit sore. We’ll look at probably giving Clint McKay a game in particular,” skipper Ponting said after Thursday’s series-clinching win.
“We have to start looking at the Test matches now. We’ll see who we need to give a break, if any.”
Hauritz was enthusiastic about the chances of McKay doing well in game five after the 194cm Victorian picked up 17 wickets in seven ODI games this summer including 14 at 12.50 against West Indies.
“C-Mac has played unbelievable in Australia,” Hauritz said.
“It has been pretty tough for him having to watch the last four games.
“He has been training really well and I think he’ll be fine.”
Uncapped Tasmania captain George Bailey is also pushing for a game on Saturday if a batsman is rested.
Hauritz emerged from a quiet start to the Chappell-Hadlee series to dominate the fourth game.
His 3-46 came off eight overs and the NSW tweaker didn’t have it all his own way, conceding 22 runs in his last over including three successive sixes to tailender Daryl Tuffey.
“I’d like to get him out in the last game,” Hauritz grinned.
“But he definitely had the better of me in that last over.”
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