AUCKLAND: Australia captain Michael Clarke describes it as “a local derby” and suggests it will be infused with all of the qualities that term implies, of long-standing and spirited rivalry played out in front of passionate fans.

New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum says Saturday’s Pool A match at Eden Park between the Cricket World Cup co-hosts, hugely anticipated and possibly offering a glimpse of the tournament final, is not “life or death — just a game of cricket.”

The respective attitudes of the captains may provide an insight not only into their natures as individuals but, more deeply, into the psychology that drives both teams.

Clarke speaks for the go-getter Australians, energized and aggressive; McCullum for a New Zealand team confident of its own form and striving hard to avoid emotional peaks and troughs.

McCullum doesn’t want to minimize the importance of Saturday’s match, which will be played in front of a sellout crowd of 40,000 at Eden Park, a towering rugby stadium nestled in the shadow of a dormant volcano.

The winner will almost certainly top Pool A, though that likelihood now more strongly favors New Zealand because Australia’s most-recent World Cup match against Bangladesh was washed out. The winner may also take a substantial psychological advantage into the knockout rounds, which could include a re-match in an Eden Park semifinal.

But McCullum stresses the importance of not letting hype take control in a tournament that still has a month to run.

“Both teams, I’m sure are desperate to win tomorrow,” McCullum said. “I think midway through a tournament to get a significant victory over a very strong team is a huge confidence-booster.

“This tournament has got a long way to go and still a lot of pressure games coming. Tomorrow is one of those but I guess it’s nothing more than that.”

New Zealand is inclined to position itself as underdog in such matches, feeling more comfortable in approaching big occasions without the unfamiliar burden of favoritism. McCullum doesn’t pay any attention to that.

“It’s all irrelevant when the game gets underway,” he said. “We’re very respectful of how good this opposition is ... This Australian team has performed well for a number of years and they’ve been exceptional in World Cups as well.

“Under (coach) Darren Lehmann they’ve become a very strong team with a lot of match-winners. That’s what we’re up against but our focus is very much on how we try to execute the game that has served us so well over the last little while. If we do that we’ll be hard to beat.”

Clarke developed the analogy of a local derby as he addressed a news conference Friday on the eve of his return to the Australia team after a nine-week absence through injury. As he spoke, heavy rain streaked the windows of conference room high up in Eden Park’s southern grandstand. Showers are also forecast for late Saturday afternoon.

Clarke’s return at the expense of George Bailey has forced one of two changes to the Australia lineup for the match; Pat Cummins replaces fellow New South Wales paceman Josh Hazlewood in the bowling attack. New Zealand has retained the same lineup that has won its first three matches.

“New Zealand are always a tough opposition,” Clarke said. “I can’t remember an easy game against New Zealand, whether you played them in Australia or play them over here.

“They are a really tough opposition. It’s a local derby for Australia, New Zealand, and has that rivalry that I know both teams really enjoy in this and all sports.”

New Zealand may have the advantage over Australia in that it has played and won three matches, while the Aussies haven’t played in two weeks since their opening win over England.

“We were ready to play against Bangladesh; that got washed out. We are ready to play here. If this game was to get washed out, we would be ready for the next game in Perth,” Clarke said.

“I never read anything into who is favorite. New Zealand are playing in their own backyard, Australia are playing in their own backyard for the rest of the competition, it’s about having success no matter where you play.

“To win the World Cup, you’ve got to beat the best opposition. This is going to be a great challenge for us tomorrow. We are excited by that.”