Australia unchanged for Adelaide

Australia will play the same side that beat South Africa by 57 runs last Sunday in the first final against Sri Lanka at Adelaide on Friday. Ricky Ponting confirmed the squad at his pre-match press conference today and he will marshall a pace attack including Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke, Nathan Bracken and the Supersub James Hopes.

There is no room for the fast bowlers Brett Dorey or Mick Lewis, who has replaced Glenn McGrath as he spends time with his cancer-hit wife Jane. Adelaide will host its debut finals fixture as the MCG is prepared for the Commonwealth Games, but the match was still not a sell-out on Wednesday.

"It's a great opportunity for South Australians to get behind this match, the first final we've ever had in Adelaide," James Sutherland said in The Age. "I know that the SACA are very keen to make a success of it to prove that the Adelaide Oval is a venue worthy of more international cricket."

Australia 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Michael Clarke, 7 Michael Hussey, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Stuart Clark, 11 Nathan Bracken, James Hopes (Supersub).