New Zealand opening batsman Lou Vincent has branded Australia's one-day cricket side a bunch of egomaniacs who think they are bigger than the game. Vincent went on the offensive after being sledged relentlessly when he had to temerity to smash Australia's bowlers all over the park and score 66 last Sunday as New Zealand narrowly failed to chase down their opponent's total. Vincent contrasted the Australians' behaviour to Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who won his 10th Grand Slam at the Australian Open last Sunday in Melbourne. "I watched Federer the other day and thought 'what a true champion'," Vincent told New Zealand radio. "He's the sort of guy you want to watch because he plays the game very well and he's humble about it. You watch Australia and just their egos, you know what I mean? Sure, you're talented, you've got great players and you win most of the time, but as blokes they've got no time for you. So to take them on and stick it to them a bit is my motivation." Vincent said the Australian sledging was relentless and it was a pleasure to "just to keep them quiet for a while" during his innings on Sunday. "It's never-ending," he said. "They're very close-knit. They hunt like a pack of dogs. There's not just one guy going at you, there's a little bit here, a little bit there. I mean, I love that part of the game. I think it's brilliant but as soon as they start calling you all sorts of stuff it gets a bit tiring. I personally think that they think they're bigger than the game. It's all about standing up to them." Vincent said he would not be intimidated by the Australians, who have crushed England's touring side in all their Test and one-day meetings in recent months and now appear set to meet New Zealand in the finals of the triangular one-day series. "If you're intimidated by Australia, you're beaten. You've got to stand up to them," he said. "You might not be their friends, but at the end of the day I don't care if I'm not friends with those guys. They're the enemy."

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