Michael Clarke is confident Australia won’t be caught unawares by New Zealand’s potent new-ball combo.

Blackcaps pacemen Tim Southee and Trent Boult will be one of the keys to Saturday’s trans-Tasman World Cup clash in Auckland.

Richard Hadlee, arguably New Zealand’s greatest ever cricketer, recently labelled Southee and Boult the nation’s best new-ball combination.

Southee, who is 26, snared seven wickets in England’s embarrassing loss last week.

Boult is 25 and Saturday’s World Cup clash will be the first time he faces Australia in a one-dayer.

Since meeting New Zealand in the 2011 World Cup, Australia have faced them only once in an ODI – and that match was a washout.

But Clarke says there will be no sense of the unknown on Saturday at Eden park.

“We’ve looked at a lot of footage, and they’re bowling really well. As an attack, I think they complement each other really well,” Clarke said.

“They’ve got a right-armer who can swing it away, a left-hander who swings it in to a right-handed batsman,.

“They’ve got a really strong attack. I think we’re going to have to be at our best with the bat.”

Southee was struck by a ball on Thursday, but New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum suggested he was a certain starter.

McCullum made light of Southee’s injury scare.

“It was just a ball to the shoulder. I asked him this morning if he got one in the leg as well,” McCullum said.

“Because he managed to go down, which I couldn’t quite work out.

“But he’s good – he bowled well today, managed to get through his work. I expect him to play.”