Colombo: Australian skipper Ricky Ponting predicted a tough and fiery contest in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final match against host Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium here on Friday, saying his team would not succumb to adverse conditions or hostile crowds.

Indeed the match to decide who will meet India in Sunday's final will be bitterly fought as the two sides have a history of acrimony ever since Muthiah Muralitharan's bowling action was questioned in Australia.

"I think it's going to be a tough game tomorrow for both sides. It's going to be a fiery contest," Ponting told reporters on Thursday.

Ponting conceded that Sri Lanka had the home advantage, but said his experienced side had played all over the world in different conditions. "We are used to the hostility of the crowd in some parts of the world."

Sri Lanka and Australia had beaten Pakistan and New Zealand respectively on way to the semi-final, making short work of their opponents in games that did not rise to competitive heights. Their other rivals were tournament minnows Holland and Bangladesh, and Friday's semi-final will mean their return to top grade cricket after a lull of more than 10 days.

A peculiar feature of the tournament's scheduling is the long gap between matches. Ponting said it was quite different from One-day tournaments he was used to. The Aussies took a break to spend a few days in the Maldives, and were back for practice three days ago. "Our preparations so far have been very good," he said.

If both Aussie pace and Lankan spin match expectations, it will be the batting that will make the difference between winner and loser on Friday.

Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya made a brilliant hundred against Pakistan even while recovering from a shoulder dislocation. He and Aravinda de Silva will be the batting pivots for the host.

Australia's pace bowling battery is in sound form this season, with Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee forming a formidable trio which has often put the top order of opponents in trouble. Its batting, led by openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, has also been going great guns.

Sri Lanka's coach Dav Whatmore believes the key phase of either innings in a One- dayer against Australia will be the first 15 overs, during which the pace trio and the left-handed batting duo will be calling the shots.

Ponting identified Jayasuriya and Muralitharan as the danger men for his side, and said individual players would have their own respective game plan to counter Muralitharan.

"He's a top class bowler, and is going to be the hardest to score off. He's also a wicket-taking bowler. Individually, we should work out a game plan for him," the Aussie skipper said.

Extras:
The key was we never gave up till the end: Ganguly
Thatscricket Special: ICC Champions Trophy