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St. Lucia: Australia captain Michael Clarke has said meeting England in the final of the World Twenty20 would be an ideal way to set the stage for their upcoming Ashes series.
England face Sri Lanka in the first semifinal of the World Twenty20 at the Beausejour Stadium on Thursday, with Australia up against defending champions Pakistan at the same venue on Friday.
Australia beat the West Indies by six wickets Tuesday to maintain their unbeaten record in the tournament.
Asked after that match how he would feel about playing England in the final in Barbados on Sunday, Clarke replied: "I'd look forward to that, yeah."
England hold the Ashes after a 2-1 series win on home soil last year but in November will travel 'Down Under' where they haven't won a Test series since 1986/87.
"If we beat Pakistan and meet England in the final it would be a good start to what is going to be a very good and interesting summer back in Australia as with the Ashes," Clarke said.
For me right now I've got both eyes on Pakistan and I'll worry about everything else after that.
Australia haven't won either of the two previous World Twenty20s and last year's edition in England was considered by many of their fans to be a sideshow to the main business of the Ashes.
They were dumped out of that tournament in three days after defeats by the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
But it has been a different story in the West Indies with fast bowling trio Dirk Nannes, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait in the wickets and dynamic opener David Warner leading a powerful batting line-up.
"No doubt it has motivated every player, not just throughout this tournament but throughout the last 12 months," Clarke said of Australia's Twenty20 record.
England, too, have not won the World Twenty20 title, although they pioneered the format in professional senior cricket.
But with the likes of batsmen Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and all-rounder Tim Bresnan to the fore, England have emerged as serious contenders to win this edition in the Caribbean.
However, he said he thought the pitch at Beausejour, which has less pace than the one at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, which has also been used for Super Eights matches and the venue for the final, would favour Sri Lanka, last year's losing finalists.
Clarke remains wary of a Pakistan side who seem to be coming into form just at the right time, having been well beaten by 34 runs by Australia in a first round group match at Beausejour.
