DHARAMSALA, India, Oct 27, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - New Zealand captain Tom Latham 
said Australia had reverted to type following a shaky start as the trans-
Tasman rivals geared up for a World Cup clash in Dharamsala on Saturday.

Five-times champions Australia started this edition with consecutive defeats, 
by unbeaten hosts India and title contenders South Africa.

But they have since won three games in a row and head into this weekend's 
encounter following a World Cup record 309-run rout of the Netherlands, which 
included Glenn Maxwell's 40-ball century -- the quickest at any World Cup.

New Zealand, by contrast, started with four straight wins before their 
perfect record ended with a four-wicket loss to India, the only side in the 
10-team tournament still to lose after five rounds of matches.

Australia have had the better of New Zealand at the World Cup, winning eight 
of 11 matches, including the 2015 final and also triumphing by seven wickets 
four years earlier in Nagpur when India last staged the showpiece event.

"The trans-Tasman rivalry is really special and I think that's not just 
cricket, that's obviously for all sports," Latham told a pre-match press 
conference on Friday.

"Even in the World Cup and over here in India obviously a long way from home 
it's another special occasion," he said.

As for the form of Pat Cummins's men, he added: "They're obviously playing 
some fantastic cricket at the moment. They didn't probably start as well as 
they would have liked, but I think the form they've shown in probably the 
last three games -- that's obviously the Australia that we know." 

New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner is one of the tournament's leading 
bowlers, with 12 wickets at an average of under 17.
"Obviously conditions back home obviously don't suit spin as much," said 
Latham. "It's another great opportunity for him tomorrow and hopefully he can 
stand up again."

Kane Williamson, New Zealand's regular captain, has featured just once at 
this World Cup, retiring hurt on 78 against Bangladesh when struck by a throw 
while running between the wickets that left him with a broken thumb.

That was Williamson's first match in seven months following a serious knee 
injury, with Latham saying Friday that the star batsman remained "a work in 
progress".

New Zealand are about to finish a five-day break between games with the squad 
using some of that time to visit the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual 
leader, at his Dharamsala base.

Asked what had been discussed with the Buddhist monk, Latham replied: "Not 
field placements!" 

He added: "It was obviously a really special time heading up there and having 
a look around the monastery...I think everyone that went, I'm sure in years 
to come they'll think this was an amazing experience."