Bastard
01-21-2010, 05:14 AM
We'll be here..
The Big Picture
After the three Tests come the five ODIs and a Twenty20 to complete Pakistan's tour. While the opening segment of the trip ended in a 3-0 victory for Australia, the limited-overs arrangements will be much more competitive.
Despite the result, Pakistan's squad became more united as the tour went on and they have received some key reinforcements, with Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi added to the unit. The tourists have also troubled Australia in their most recent engagements and their fast-bowling unit, which includes Mohammad Aamer, will worry the hosts at times. Australia won a tight series in the UAE 3-2 last year and the teams also ran into each other at the Champions Trophy, when Australia sneaked home by two wickets.
This series will be an important gauge of the popularity of the 50-over game. Twenty20 crowds have been huge for the domestic Big Bash and five-match head-to-head series against Pakistan and West Indies will test Australia's love affair with the format that began here in the 1970s.
Watch out for...
Younis Khan is back after resigning the captaincy and Pakistan are glad to have his services. One of the game's finest batsmen, Younis averages 33.12 over 197 ODIs and will bring some much-needed experience to the young line-up. He won't be captain - that job is still Mohammad Yousuf's - but he will be leading from the front.
Shane Watson has just come off the best Test campaign of his career, with 609 runs in six Tests, and it will be interesting to see whether that form translates back to the one-day arena. It was his performances at the Champions Trophy and in India that set up his fine summer. He will be a main man with bat and ball as he returns to an old home ground.
Team news
The Australians have picked their 12 and the only tricky decision is whether to leave out a batsman or the allrounder James Hopes, who is only in the squad for the first game. Ricky Ponting is keen for Nathan Hauritz to continue to build on the momentum he picked up during the Test summer and with Mitchell Johnson resting, there are only three front-line fast men in Clint McKay, Peter Siddle and Doug Bollinger. Despite Shane Watson's heavy five-day campaign, Ponting expects him to deliver 10 overs as well as open the batting with Shaun Marsh.
Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Cameron White, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Nathan Hauritz, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Doug Bollinger, 12 James Hopes.
Things are less clear for Pakistan, who are lugging around a 17-man squad. Expect Kamran Akmal to return, more for his power hitting as an opener than his glovework, after he was dropped for the third Test in Hobart. The final bowling place appears to be between Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has been playing for Tasmania in the Big Bash, and Umar Gul. Younis and Afridi come back to offer some serious strike power.
Pakistan (possible) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Umar Gul, 9 Mohammad Asif, 10 Mohammed Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan more threatening in ODI arena | Cricket News | Australia v Pakistan 2009/10 | Cricinfo.com (http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvpak09/content/current/story/445222.html)
2nd ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Sydney
Jan 24 (14:25 local, 03:25 GMT)
A treat for our wedding anniversary for me and the wife. A long weekend in Sydney, surely one of the world's great cities, and platinum tickets for a day/night test match.
Oh and on Monday it's Australia day, just to round the weekend off.. Australia Day (http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/)
Bliss..
The Big Picture
After the three Tests come the five ODIs and a Twenty20 to complete Pakistan's tour. While the opening segment of the trip ended in a 3-0 victory for Australia, the limited-overs arrangements will be much more competitive.
Despite the result, Pakistan's squad became more united as the tour went on and they have received some key reinforcements, with Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi added to the unit. The tourists have also troubled Australia in their most recent engagements and their fast-bowling unit, which includes Mohammad Aamer, will worry the hosts at times. Australia won a tight series in the UAE 3-2 last year and the teams also ran into each other at the Champions Trophy, when Australia sneaked home by two wickets.
This series will be an important gauge of the popularity of the 50-over game. Twenty20 crowds have been huge for the domestic Big Bash and five-match head-to-head series against Pakistan and West Indies will test Australia's love affair with the format that began here in the 1970s.
Watch out for...
Younis Khan is back after resigning the captaincy and Pakistan are glad to have his services. One of the game's finest batsmen, Younis averages 33.12 over 197 ODIs and will bring some much-needed experience to the young line-up. He won't be captain - that job is still Mohammad Yousuf's - but he will be leading from the front.
Shane Watson has just come off the best Test campaign of his career, with 609 runs in six Tests, and it will be interesting to see whether that form translates back to the one-day arena. It was his performances at the Champions Trophy and in India that set up his fine summer. He will be a main man with bat and ball as he returns to an old home ground.
Team news
The Australians have picked their 12 and the only tricky decision is whether to leave out a batsman or the allrounder James Hopes, who is only in the squad for the first game. Ricky Ponting is keen for Nathan Hauritz to continue to build on the momentum he picked up during the Test summer and with Mitchell Johnson resting, there are only three front-line fast men in Clint McKay, Peter Siddle and Doug Bollinger. Despite Shane Watson's heavy five-day campaign, Ponting expects him to deliver 10 overs as well as open the batting with Shaun Marsh.
Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Cameron White, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Nathan Hauritz, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Doug Bollinger, 12 James Hopes.
Things are less clear for Pakistan, who are lugging around a 17-man squad. Expect Kamran Akmal to return, more for his power hitting as an opener than his glovework, after he was dropped for the third Test in Hobart. The final bowling place appears to be between Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has been playing for Tasmania in the Big Bash, and Umar Gul. Younis and Afridi come back to offer some serious strike power.
Pakistan (possible) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Umar Gul, 9 Mohammad Asif, 10 Mohammed Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan more threatening in ODI arena | Cricket News | Australia v Pakistan 2009/10 | Cricinfo.com (http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvpak09/content/current/story/445222.html)
2nd ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Sydney
Jan 24 (14:25 local, 03:25 GMT)
A treat for our wedding anniversary for me and the wife. A long weekend in Sydney, surely one of the world's great cities, and platinum tickets for a day/night test match.
Oh and on Monday it's Australia day, just to round the weekend off.. Australia Day (http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/)
Bliss..