Consistency key to Auss yet another WC quest: Clarke

Australian vice-captain said consistency would be the key when his team begins chasing a fourth consecutive WC victory.

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Their confidence sky high after drubbing England,Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke today said consistency would be the key when his team begins chasing a record fourth consecutive World Cup starting February 19.

Clarke,who returned to form in the seven-match One-day series against England after a disappointing Ashes campaign,said to win ICCs showpiece event,Australia need to play as a unit.

Our ODI form has been pretty consistent over the last 12 months. We have really played some pretty good cricket and it was great to win the ODI series against England. We can take a lot of confidence out of that especially after the tough start to the summer we had, Clarke said during an open media session here today.

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Our team is a lot different to what was there in 2007 but the guys are playing some good one-day cricket off late and we are confident that if we can continue to play the way we did throughout the summer,we can have a really good crack in this tournament, he said.

We have got very good individual players in our side. We have got lot of talent in our side but to win the World Cup the team must play together. Its not individual brilliance,its about the team performing consistently throughout the tournament.

To win such a tournament you have to be at your best all throughout and it will decide the winner of this World Cup, the 29-year-old right-hander added.

Conceding that conditions will favour slower bowlers in the World Cup,Clarke said Australia has a fair amount of experience of playing in the sub-continent.

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I think the wickets are going to be pretty slow,similar to what was there in the West Indies. One good thing is that we are playing this tournament in the sub-continent as many guys in our team are experienced of playing in these conditions because of IPL,Champions League Twenty20 and international duties, he said.

He also said that Australia has very good slow bowling options if not a quality attack and if required,he will chip in with his left-arm spinners.

We have got a few good spinners in Jason Krejza,Steven Smith. Jason has had a lot of success in the sub-continent.

But if I am required to bowl I will look forward to that. I enjoy bowling anywhere in the world especially in these conditions, Clarke said.

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He also said that inspite of some injury setbacks -¿ Mike Hussey and Nathan Hauritz — Australia came into the tournament with a well-balanced side.

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