Australia's Adam Gilchrist at a press conference in St George’s. (AP)

St George’s: Adam Gilchrist believes there is no danger of New Zealand easing up against Australia in their World Cup Super Eight match at the Grenada National Stadium on Friday.

Both sides have already qualified for the semi-finals and, with New Zealand currently second to reigning champions and table-toppers Australia, the teams are on course to avoiding each other in the last four. If New Zealand beat Australia, they can move to the top of the standings.

Sri Lanka, also through to the semi-finals, controversially rested star bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralidharan during Monday’s seven-wicket defeat to Australia in Grenada.

But with New Zealand having beaten Australia 3-0 on home soil in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in February, Gilchrist — who missed the series after being given a break by the selectors — said the Black Caps wouldn’t reduce their chances of another win by resting the likes of fast bowler Shane Bond.

“I wouldn’t suspect so. I’m sure all their players will be keen to play. We go out to win every game we play and I think New Zealand are of the same mindset,” said Gilchrist.

“They’ll acknowledge the Chappell-Hadlee games were played in different circumstances, different conditions.

“But they’ll take great confidence from beating us and they played some really impressive cricket in that series. It’s a good chance for us to shape up again as we may meet each other again in this competition down the track.”

The left-handed opener, a World Cup-winner in 1999 and 2003, said he’d been impressed by New Zealand’s improvement since they finished third in the triangular one-day series won by England in Australia in February, before the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy campaign.

And he was particularly impressed with the batting form of New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris, fit again after a back problem, who has scored 435 runs at an average of 108.75 at this World Cup to lie fourth in the list of the tournament’s leading run-scorers.

“They’ve got their game well and truly down pat,” said Gilchrist. “They continue to be well led, they’ve got a fully fit Scott Styris...

“They’ve got that winning mentality,” said the Western Australia wicketkeeper of a New Zealand side whose only defeat during this tournament to date has been against Sri Lanka.

“They’ve got a stranglehold on that at the moment so they don’t want to let that go.”

Australia, who’ve gone 26 games unbeaten at the World Cup — a run stretching back to 1999 — have looked a cut above their opponents in the Caribbean.

But Gilchrist said there was still room for improvement, citing Sri Lanka’s recovery from 27 for three to 167 for three as an example.

“We had Sri Lanka on the back foot at three for 27 and then we allowed them almost back in the driving seat.

“I’m not for a moment saying our bowling is a worry because we’ve bowled out every opposition bar Bangladesh in what was pretty much a Twenty20 game.

“We’re thrilled with our bowlers but that’s an example of the type of thing we can keep improving on.”

Gilchrist also hailed Matthew Hayden’s return to one-day International cricket as inspirational. “I guess when he came back in, a lot of people would have been looking at it like it’s make-or-break time,” said Gilchrist.

“He identified that and I think he’s said that was a bit of a breakthrough innings for him in regards to allowing him more time to express himself. He’s taken it with both hands and inspired everyone to keep improving.”

Gilchrist said he felt proud to have batted alongside Hayden. “It’s been a wonderful partnership at the top of the order and statistically we’re there or thereabouts so that’s a huge thrill.

“Fortunately we’ve been doing that well in this World Cup and obviously a number of times over the years so it’s really pleasing. Matty is in a good place at the moment, he’s hitting the ball so well, it’s allowing me a bit more time to try to occupy the crease and settle in.

“We’ve identified that initial period as a time we want to just get through. And the way Matty’s going we’re not just getting through, we’re getting through at a pretty decent scoring rate as well. It’s worked well for us. Some teams have found it difficult and that’s why we wanted to target that period and establish a foundation.” (AFP)