Hussey wants improvement in New Zealand

Michael Hussey, the stand-in captain, says Australia will look to regain confidence for the World Cup in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after their shock CB Series finals loss to England. Hussey is leading the team for the three matches starting in Wellington on Friday after Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist were rested from the week-long tour.

"I just want us to focus on playing well in this Chappell-Hadlee series and we're looking to win the series," Hussey told reporters before the team left Melbourne. "We don't want to focus on the World Cup and look too far ahead.

"The team is excited, we've had a huge summer here in Australia, but we're looking forward to getting away and playing some good cricket. We're trying to change the momentum a little bit and get our confidence back a little bit, but I'm sure we'll put in an excellent showing over there."

With Ponting and Gilchrist absent and Michael Clarke nursing a hip injury, Matthew Hayden is the only certainty out of Australia's first-choice top four. Hussey batted at No. 6 throughout the CB Series and said team balance would dictate where he would slot into the order in New Zealand.

"As captain you've got the luxury of getting to choose where you would like to bat," he said. "I'll sit down with John Buchanan and we'll try to work out what the best balance for the team is and then I'll fit in there.

"If my role is best for the team coming in and playing that finishing role then that's what I'll do. If the team thinks I need to go up the order and try and bolster the middle-order in that way, or the team thinks I need to open the batting, then I'll do whatever is best for the team."

Hussey, who averages 68.65 in one-day internationals, said he was in good shape despite two failures in the finals against England, when he fell to Andrew Flintoff for 17 and 0. "I still think I'm hitting the ball well in the nets but obviously my results haven't been as I would have liked in the last couple of games," he said. "I'm sure if I stick to my plans I can still be successful and consistent for Australia for a while yet."