Date:09/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/09/stories/2007030904742000.htm

Sport - Cricket

Gilchrist puts warm-up matches in perspective

KINGSTOWN: Adam Gilchrist won't be overly concerned if Australia loses a fourth straight match against England — as long as there isn't a fifth during the World Cup.

Gilchrist said Australia's final warm-up match Friday will mainly be a chance to gauge the pace of the pitch against an opponent it has played 13 times in all forms of the game — winning 10 — since late October.

``We've seen a lot of them,'' he said on Wednesday. ``We've got to play them again, and hopefully again in the World Cup. You never look too closely at results in practice matches — it's just another opportunity to become accustomed to conditions and maybe get a hint as to what they'll be like for the rest of the tour.'' Having thrashed England 5-0 in the Ashes on the back of a win in the Champions Trophy, Australia won a Twenty20 game and three limited-overs internationals before England's resurgence.

Ed Joyce's 107 steered England to the best-of-three tri-series finals, which it won in two games. — AP