Australia v Pakistan: build-up

[Zainub]

I don't think Kaneria will be droped, he is an automatic choice in my opinion, considering his performances of late. The WACA traditionally favors fast bowling, but the bounce should also help Kaneria. I think he'll play, and he will have a big role to play. I also don't think Afridi has a chance of playing, Woolmer has been quoted as saying that the innnings will be opened by Butt and Farhat/Hameed, who ever the eventually decide on. Malik is no longer injuried though you are right about his place in the side not being confirmed. There might be a temptation amongst the Pakistani think tank after his repeated failures with the bat to drop Malik, the all rounder, in favor of a specialist bat like Kamal or specialist seamer like Khalil, who I think right now is above Asif in the pecking order.

[Milo]

RE: Youhana. I'm not interested in the statistics book Zainub. Some undefeated centuries against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe inflating his average has absolutely no place in this discussion.

In my opinion he is wasted at 5. He is the last specialised batsman in the team, if he had a good 6 and a better batting keeper than Akmal coming in at 7/8 then he may be better suited at 5 - but my opinion is that he is wasted there. Actually pay attention to the matches that matter, like the series in Australia.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Andrew Ramsey, The Australian

AT last, some potential good news for Pakistan's embattled touring team. Should their fragile top order batting somehow manage to survive the pace onslaught during the first Test which begins in Perth the day after tomorrow, they may never have a better opportunity to quell their nemesis of recent times, Shane Warne.

Full story Pitch too Green for Warne

Originally Posted by Malcolm Conn, The Australian

MYSTERY surrounds the fitness and well-being of Matthew Hayden just two days before the Perth Test, where little more than a year ago he was on top of the world after becoming the first Australian since Don Bradman to hold the world record score. The brutal Queenslander smashed a Zimbabwean attack to all parts of the WACA Ground to bludgeon 380, but it is a very different Hayden who is preparing to confront Pakistani pace pair Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami in the first Test, beginning on Thursday. Out of sorts and under a fitness cloud with a slight hamstring strain, Hayden was the only member of the Australian squad not to attend a lengthy net session yesterday after fielding training.

Full story Fitness, form hurts Hayden

Originally Posted by Robert Craddock and Michael Crutcher, The Courier-Mail

FAST bowler Glenn McGrath has batting trumps Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana in his sights and he has warned Pakistan to expect a rough ride on an old-style Perth pitch this week. McGrath, who traditionally picks out a personal target in the opposition batting line-up, believes if he can conquer the Pakistani pair, Australia will be almost assured of victory in Thursday's first Test.

Full story Pigeon targets top order

[Shaka]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

I don't think Kaneria will be droped, he is an automatic choice in my opinion, considering his performances of late. The WACA traditionally favors fast bowling, but the bounce should also help Kaneria. I think he'll play, and he will have a big role to play. I also don't think Afridi has a chance of playing, Woolmer has been quoted as saying that the innnings will be opened by Butt and Farhat/Hameed, who ever the eventually decide on. Malik is no longer injuried though you are right about his place in the side not being confirmed. There might be a temptation amongst the Pakistani think tank after his repeated failures with the bat to drop Malik, the all rounder, in favor of a specialist bat like Kamal or specialist seamer like Khalil, who I think right now is above Asif in the pecking order.

Malik shouldn't be dropped on account of being a failure (he very evidently isn't) but he does need to sit this one out on account of picking the right team for this pitch and this match. His off spin is unlikely to be of much use here and as a specialist batsman is he good enough to warrant a place ahead of Younis Khan? Debatable, but Younis has scored more runs in Australia.

IMO he should be left out so we can play a genuine 3rd seamer Mohammed Khalil, as he reputedly gets decent bounce and on a fast track I wouldn't want to have only Sami, Shoaib and Razzaq to call on. I don't hold out much hope for the batting so I would rather put my eggs in an all out attacking policy of trying to blast the Aussies out with an attacking bowling line up. Another reason why Kaneria must play ahead of Afridi who has no chance in hell of making runs at the WACA.

I'm a bit concerned that Woolmer's bits and pieces defensive approach which works fine in ODI's might make him field a defensive team at Perth. I just can't see it working!

[Realcharm]

Hayden: it's him or me

MATTHEW Hayden has braced himself for one of the most ferocious battles of his career when he stands up to another Shoaib Akhtar speed blitz in tomorrow's First Test against Pakistan in Perth.

Hayden rates the challenge of facing Shoaib's fast bowling among the most exciting in world cricket and says he is ready after overcoming weeks of unexplained fatigue.

"You'll see it from ball one. It's a great challenge and if you haven't got a prickle under your skin you may as well walk off or get hurt," Hayden said.

"Fast bowling is all about that physical challenge. You stand there, you look him in the eye and you say 'it's you or me, one or the other'.

"You are in a fight."

Both players have had victories in the past: Shoaib has struck Hayden in the chest and on the back of the head, although he has only taken his wicket once in Tests and one-day internationals.

Hayden has the better record, highlighted by a Test century in Sharjah two years ago when he egged on Shoaib with the taunts of "is that as quick as you can bowl?"

Shoaib has been wary of stirring up Hayden this week but he has said: "I have lots of respect for him, but not when I'm bowling. When I'm out there, it's my show."

Shoaib responded to claims he is a one-trick pony yesterday, saying he has moved on from his quest for all-out speed from the last time he bowled at Perth.

"I don't want to hurt people – I want to get wickets and I will not bowl too short this time," he said.

"Now it's about being a more mature bowler. I plan to take some of the pace off the ball and put it in the right areas.

"That way I can surprise the batsmen with my quicker ball. I think you will see me bowling around the 155kph mark."

Hayden had an abrupt warm-up yesterday when he was struck on the hand during a lightning Brett Lee spell in the WACA Ground nets.

He immediately iced the hand, adding to the hamstring niggle that has affected him for 10 days, but physiotherapist Errol Alcott said the powerhouse opener would be ready to play after a few worrying weeks.

The Queenslander had started feeling tired in October during the Indian Test tour and he wasn't able to shake the fatigue before taking on New Zealand at home last month.

"Going into the first game in Brisbane, I felt like I was almost sick," Hayden said.

"I was concerned physically. I had blood tests. It had been that way for a few weeks."

Hayden said he was certain his hamstring twinge, which ruled him out of selection for last Friday's washed-out clash with New Zealand, would not ruin his chances of playing.

But he admitted feeling the twinge again on Monday before deciding to opt out of a net session.

The Australians have an optional training session today ahead of the match on a wicket that has impressed fast bowlers.

[Zainub]

Oh deary me, I'm so nervous/excited/enthusiastic, can't wait for the first test to start....

[Shaka]

Hayden: it's him or me

Round 1 to Shoaib pretty comprehensively

[adeel_r]

i told u so...............this team won't be able to cope with the perth conditons.the last 3 days must have finally made u realise whats in a pitch afterall and why i made such a huge fuss about it.As for Razzaq being the 3rd seamer look at the mess langer and gilly made out of him and that too when he was the 4th seamer.This is australia we are talking about and not any c grade team.Razzaq's carefree attitude cost us the match after shoaib and sami delivered it to us on a golden platter.