BANGALORE: Australia head into its penultimate group match against Canada Wednesday knowing it is likely to be the last time in this World Cup it can tinker with its line-up. The reigning champion eased into the quarterfinals with an unconvincing 60-run win against Kenya at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium Sunday. Australia captain Ricky Ponting's decision to bat first and Kenya's spirited effort in making 264 for six in reply to the champion's 324-6 ensured the match went the full 100 overs. The game was Australia's first complete match in more than a fortnight following its no-result washout against co-host Sri Lanka. But several frontline batsmen, including Ponting himself, did not spend as much time in the middle as they would have liked, while all of Australia's spinners went wicketless. With tougher challenges ahead, Australia may decide to rest one of its pace trio of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and the injury-prone Shaun Tait for the Canada match, with back-up seamer John Hastings champing at the bit. Australia, bidding for a fourth straight World Cup title and fifth in all, may be the only unbeaten side in this tournament but it has yet to be tested ahead of its final Group A match against Pakistan in Colombo Saturday. The result of that match could have a major bearing on Australia's quarterfinal opponents, with the titleholder's net run-rate – damaged by Kenya's defiance with the bat – a potential factor. Australia may also alter its batting order against Canada to give the likes of Cameron White, out for just two against Kenya, another chance. One thing Ponting will want to see Wednesday is an improved display by his slow bowlers after leg-spinner Steven Smith, off-break bowler Jason Krejza and left-armer Michael Clarke's combined 19 wicketless overs against Kenya cost 93 runs on a pitch taking turn. “Through those middle overs in this tournament when the ball gets old, and the wicket starts to spin, we are going to need our spinners to strike for us, and that didn't happen against Kenya,” Ponting said. However, Australia did receive a big boost when Michael Hussey marked his first appearance of the tournament against Kenya with a typically composed fifty. It had seemed the veteran left-hander would miss the World Cup because of hamstring trouble but he was summoned to the subcontinent as a replacement for injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger. “It looked like he hadn't missed a beat,” Ponting said of Hussey, selected instead of younger brother David Hussey. “It's a great sign for us.” Canada, which beat Kenya by five wickets for its only win of the tournament, suffered a 97-run thrashing by New Zealand Sunday with the Black Caps piling up a huge total of 358 for six. Wednesday's match will mark Canada veteran John Davison's final game of international cricket before retirement. The 40-year-old off-spinner, born in Canada but brought up in Australia, knows the champion well. He has played against the likes of Ponting in state cricket and has worked with Krejza and Smith in his ongoing role as a coach at Australia's Center of Excellence in Brisbane. “I suppose it's pretty fitting it's against Australia,” Davison said of his international finale. “I've lived all my life there, never quite good enough to get a game for them but it will be a great experience to play against them.” Davison lit up the 2003 World Cup with a 67-ball century. “I know a lot about him as a cricketer,” Ponting said. “I went to the cricket academy with John 20 years ago. We had a few overseas tours together as part of that academy and we've played with and against each other for quite a period of time through different state competitions at home.” When it became clear that he wouldn't make the grade for Australia, Davison, born to Australian parents in Canada, spotted an opportunity to play international cricket for the country of his birth. He has since played 31 ODIs, including three World Cups. After limited success in spells with Western Australia and Victoria state teams, Davison is now back at the Australian academy as a coach. “I'm in a really fortunate position where I can be a coach and play against some guys that I've trained and then give them feedback, I suppose,” Davison said. “If I can manage to stay out in the middle for a while and face some balls from them, I can't imagine a better place for a coach to give feedback from.” – Agence France
