We're fully focussed, playing our best cricket: Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke and Mitchell Starc during a press conference

Hobart, March 14 (IANS) Australian skipper Michael Clarke on Saturday said that his side was now fully focussed on the World Cup knockout matches, with all players mentally ready to go all out to win the big battles ahead. The baggy greens would now move on to Adelaide Oval where they take on the winner of Sunday's Ireland-Pakistan match.

"It is a real positive for us going into the quarter-final having another win. One little hiccup against New Zealand, that is in the front of our minds, and we make sure that no matter who we play against now we're fully focused and playing our best cricket," he said after his team finished second in Pool A.

Having won five games in the group matches, with the only defeat coming against co-hosts new Zealand, Clarke said the team was now well placed for the last eight round.

"Obviously it's a knockout stage now. Who we play against we're still unsure. We know we're playing in Adelaide and we know we've finished second in our draw. That's a positive.”

"I would have liked to have not lost a game. But as you know, once you get to the quarter-finals, that's the most important part, getting there firstly and then having success in that first quarter-final," he said.

Clarke said the change in batting order against Scotland, which saw Shane Watson promoted to three and James Faulkner to four, was meant to give the guys sometime in the middle.

"I changed the order a little bit to give guys a hit and I am happy it clicked, but our main goal was to try to win the game. As we saw, with rain throughout the night, guys had to sacrifice themselves for the team to score as quickly as possible, especially at the end there," the 33-year-old said.