Basseterre: After South Africa reached 353 from just 40 overs against the Netherlands, Ricky Ponting forecast that any total smaller at tiny Warner Park is certain to be run down.

Ponting was talking about the key Group A match versus South Africa on March 24, but first Australia has to play a demoralised Dutch team on Sunday and attempt to match South Africa’s benchmark.

“I think 350 is very much a par score out there, it’s just so small a ground,” the Australia captain said. “The straight boundaries are really small. If we bat first then we are going to have to make a really good score to be competitive.”

Herschelle Gibbs became the first player in 130 years of international cricket to hit six sixes in one over and make a mockery of Warner Park’s dimensions. “It doesn’t actually surprise me,” Ponting said. “It’s a fairly rare type of feat to happen in a game of cricket, but having played out there the other day, the boundaries are very, very small.”

Ponting said that Australia was likely to retain the same team that beat Scotland by 203 runs on Wednesday, meaning Andrew Symonds has not yet proved his fitness from his biceps injury.

The Netherlands’ team is hard to predict after it was beaten by 221 runs on Friday. Netherlands captain Luuk van Troost will surely rest leg-spinner Daan van Bunge, who was the unfortunate bowler on the end of Gibbs’ onslaught, so as to save him from Australia’s big-hitters.

TEAMS

Australia: Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Brad Hodge, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait, Glenn McGrath.

Netherlands (likely): Darron Reekers, Baz Zuiderent, Alexei Kervezee, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Eric Szwarczynski, Adeel Raja, Tim de Leede, Luuk van Troost (captain), Peter Borren, Billy Stelling, Jeroen Smits.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor, West Indies, and Tony Hill, New Zealand. TV: Asoka de Silva, Sri Lanka

Match Referee: Jawagal Srinath, India.

Match starts at 7 pm. (Agencies)