{
    "id": "8557",
    "author": "13",
    "cnmid": "0",
    "title": "We have to be at our best to beat New Zealand: Clarke",
    "lang": "en",
    "series": "0",
    "cup_year": "2015",
    "article_type": "General",
    "excerpt": "Australia captain Michael Clarke on Thursday said that even though they have outclassed India in the semi-final",
    "subtype": "",
    "editor1": "<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Sydney, March 26 (IANS) Australia captain Michael Clarke on Thursday said that even though they have outclassed India in the semi-final, their task isn&#39;t over yet as they have to be at their best to beat a spirited New Zealand side in the World Cup final on Sunday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I think we have to play our best cricket. There&#39;s no doubt about it. I said that before this game that we have to play our best to beat very good opposition,&quot; Clarke said at the post match press conference on Thursday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;New Zealand has been the form team of the competition, certainly deserve to be in the final, and yeah, we&#39;re going to have to, like I say, be at our best to beat them.&quot;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Opting to bat against India, Australia posted a massive score of 328\/7 in 50 overs with Steven Smith scoring a quickfire 93-ball 105. He was well supported by opener Aaron Finch (81).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Chasing a big total, India were off to a good start. But after losing opener Shikhar Dhawan (45), wickets started to fall. The defending champions were eventually bowled out for 233, losing the game by 95 runs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni&#39;s 65 later in the innings didn&#39;t help much.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Clarke praised Smith&#39;s performance saying he has shown class and is getting better with every game.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I think he&#39;s made the most of his opportunity. I can&#39;t speak highly enough for the way he&#39;s batting at the moment. He&#39;s showing his class,&quot; he said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;He&#39;s still training extremely hard, still getting there early, still doing the work even though he&#39;s batting so well, and I can&#39;t say I&#39;m surprised he&#39;s getting the results he&#39;s getting.&quot;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">The skipper said Mitchell Johnson played a crucial part on Thursday scoring a quickfire 27 off 9 balls and claiming two crucial Indian wickets of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;Two crucial wickets, two big prize wickets, aren&#39;t they? I&#39;ve always said Mitchell making runs gives him confidence with the ball. I think tonight was a good example of that. He&#39;s a class performer,&quot; Clarke said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">The 33-year-old also appreciated the fielding effort of the team. Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith were electric on the field on Thursday running Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja out.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I&#39;ve said that my whole career. Fielding is massive in any form of the game. At the moment our fielding is exceptional. We dropped a couple of catches tonight,&quot; he said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">With just two days to go for the big final on Sunday, Clarke said the Aussies will be physically confident, fit and ready to take on the Kiwis.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I&#39;ll be fine. Obviously we haven&#39;t got much time, and recovery will be our goal and our focus over the next two days. I think mentally the team is ready for this final,&quot; he said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">The right-hand batsman also praised Kohli for his consistent performance throughout the Australian summer, but also pointed out that India have got more than one really good player.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I think India have got more than one really good player. Kohli is obviously a big player, extremely successful One Day record. There&#39;s no doubt about it. His record is phenomenal, and it takes a big player to get him out,&quot; Clarke concluded.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n",
    "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2015\/03\/michael-clarke97.jpg",
    "alt_img": "michael clarke",
    "alt_title": "michael clarke",
    "image1": "",
    "video": "",
    "seo_title": "We have to be at our best to beat New Zealand: Clarke",
    "seo_desc": "Australia captain Michael Clarke on Thursday said that even though they have outclassed India in the semi-final",
    "seo_keywords": "We have to be at our best to beat New Zealand: Clarke",
    "tag": "",
    "tagging": "",
    "status": "1",
    "img_rpt": "0",
    "google": "0",
    "standout": "0",
    "edapps": "0",
    "pulse": "0",
    "no_index": "0",
    "feed": "0",
    "fixture": "0",
    "slug": "we-have-to-be-at-our-best-to-beat-new-zealand-clarke",
    "user_id": "0",
    "read_count": "0",
    "ians_date": "0000-00-00",
    "ians_time": "00:00:00",
    "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00",
    "trash": "0",
    "view_count": "1425",
    "page_break": "0",
    "instant_articles": "0",
    "auto_link": "0",
    "created": "2015-03-27 05:36:00",
    "updated": "2015-03-27 05:36:00",
    "img_from": "",
    "img_source": "",
    "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00",
    "news_keywords": null,
    "livescore_text": null,
    "livescore_link": null,
    "btn_text": null,
    "resend_feed": "0",
    "google_feed": "0",
    "read_more": "0",
    "posted_by": "1",
    "jio_date": "2015-03-27 05:36:00",
    "scheduled": "0",
    "news_now": "1",
    "breaking_news": "0",
    "google_date": "2015-03-27 05:36:00",
    "featured": "0",
    "pred_match_id": null,
    "article_content_type": null,
    "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/we-have-to-be-at-our-best-to-beat-new-zealand-clarke-8557"
}