Border tells Aussies to embrace the pressure

Host nations have a poor record in Cricket World Cups, with India's victory in 2011 only the second time in 10 tournaments the host or co-host has emerged victorious.

The only previous occasion was when co-hosts Sri Lanka triumphed in 1996, but that result comes with a disclaimer; the Sri Lankans played only two of their group matches at home after Australia and West Indies abandoned their fixtures due to terrorism fears, and the tournament's knockout matches were played in Pakistan and India.

England (1979) and Sri Lanka (2011) were both losing finalists in events they hosted or co-hosted, while three host nations – Border's 1992 Australian side, England in 1999 and South Africa in 2003 – failed to progress past the group stages.

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India are the only team to win a CWC final on home soil

Border, who says poor preparation rather than the pressure of playing at home was the reason for his side's dismal result in 1992, has urged Michael Clarke's men to embrace the expectation of the home fans.

"Everyone's talking about playing at home – that it's a very difficult situation, the extra pressure and expectation," Border said.

"My advice would be to really go out of your way to embrace the fact you're playing at home in front of your own crowd.

"Because it will help you in tight situations, when the crowd's in your corner it will make a difference.

"Don't let it worry you – you know that expectation will be there, really embrace the challenge."

Border said Australia's 1992 campaign, when they lost four out of eight matches as their title defence ended before the knockout stages, was one of the lowest points of his decorated career.

Having led his unfancied side to the 1987 title, Australia were one of the favourites going into the 1992 event before they suffered heavy defeats to New Zealand, South Africa, England and Pakistan in the round robin stage.

A member of both the 1987 and 1992 Cup squads was Bupa Support Team Fast Bowling Coach Craig McDermott, who says the current group must be wary of the over-confidence that he believes undermined their 1992 campaign.

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Border led his unfancied side to the title in 1987

"A home series brings one more thing, and that's pressure," McDermott told cricket.com.au.

"Whether we're ranked one or two, whatever it happens to be at the time, will bring extra pressure like we had in 92.

"We might have been a little bit complacent thinking we were a good side and had been successful for that period from 87 to 92, both home and away.

"We'd just won a one-day series in England ... we probably just started off thinking we could beat the Kiwis.

"Playing them in Eden Park on a low, slow wicket with Chris Harris who was just impossible to get away on a wicket like that, it was a real eye-opener for us.

"South Africa in the second ODI at the SCG, they were so pumped up they caught us off-guard. 

"We didn't recover from that. So from our side of it we have to be very prepared from ball one. 

"We've got England in the first game and that will be a massive crowd and we'll have to be up for it, because I'm sure they will be."

In his exclusive column for cricket.com.au last week, Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann said his side was focused on "enjoying the pressure of expectation" that comes with playing the majority of their matches on home soil.

The two-time World Cup-winner repeated that mantra this week ahead of Saturday's clash against England at the MCG, when a crowd of 90,000 predominantly Australian fans is expected to pack into the MCG.

"We don't look any further ahead than England and looking forward to great crowd support and putting on a good show," Lehmann said.

"There's pressure on every team in any World Cup, wherever you're playing.

"For us it's about embracing our own country and getting the support from the crowd, entertaining them and playing the brand of cricket we have over the last 18 months."

Darren Lehmann urges Australia to #GoGold

Border says a lead-up to the 1992 tournament that consisted mainly of Test cricket contributed to his side's early exit, adding the home pressure didn't have a negative impact on his side's performances.

And he expects it won't be any different for the current Australian side, who have lost just nine of their 36 ODIs at home since the 2011 World Cup.

"I can't remember picking up the papers in the morning and saying 'oh no, we've lost another game, the pressure's building'," Border said of the 1992 campaign.

"You could look at it that way, that it's a double edged sword because you've got the crowd support yet the crowd expectation is that you're going to win.

"You know that's going to be the case, so embrace it (and) welcome that challenge.

"I think this Australian side has been up to those challenges over the past couple of years and returned some great performances so I don't think it's going to be any different in this World Cup."