Sports lovers always connect Sydney Cricket Ground with cricket matches. This time, the crowds will see touchdown as LA Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks are getting ready to play their first game in Aussie soil.

Australia paid a warm welcome as both the teams reached the country. However, Clayton Kershaw, who is the star of the match to look out for, earlier showed discontent with the outfield of SCG. He also turned 26 on Wednesday and received a warm celebration with a birthday cake at the ground.

Meanwhile, the local sporting luminaries Adam Goodes, Sonny Boy Williams and Alessandro Del Piero also joined the visitors for a promotional photo shoot.

Arizona Diamondbacks is always the favourite team to the Aussies. But the star of the upcoming match will surely be Clayton Kershaw.

His stature as a player in baseball can be easily measured with the amount of pay out he receives when signing a contract.

In January, Kershaw signed a seven-year contract worth $215 million with the Dodgers. This was the largest ever deal in baseball, making him one of the most expensive player.

LA Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly also confirmed in this instance that it is impossible to justify baseball salaries to the "everyday working man." But if there is anyone to get such exorbitant money, "I'm glad that it is (Kershaw)."

Mark Trumbo, who is a part of Arizona Diamondbacks, was given a deal of $4.8 million for one year and will face charismatic Kershaw on Saturday.

When asked whether he feels intimidated by Kershaw's reputation, he said, "Intimidated is a tough word."

"You respect his talent. But you want to avoid being intimidated."

"He has a lot of weapons at his disposal. He's a big guy. He's just a bulldog, a bulldog competitor who's going to give it everything he's got. He's very dependable. That's evidence by the numbers he puts up every year."

Asked if Kershaw's hefty salary reflects his ability, Trumbo added, "You could view it that ways."

"But there are a lot of guys making a lot of money in this league though. Sure, the guys making the most are generally the best. But we go more off the numbers and they're up there every year."

The Texan pitcher Kershaw is also involved in charity work as he established a foundation named Kershaw's Challenge with wife Ellen. The charity is for Africa as they are raising fund to build an orphanage in Zambia.