Pakistan take on weary Aussies
Melbourne, Dec 26, 2016, AFP
Hosts name unchanged 11 for Boxing Day Test
Pakistan say they have the momentum heading into the Boxing Day Melbourne Test after giving Australia a mighty fright during an epic run-chase in the opening clash of the series.
The tourists fell just 39 short of a mammoth 490-run target on the fifth and final day of the Gabba Test, led by a magnificent 137 from Asad Shafiq.
Steve Smith was a relieved captain as his Australia team fell over the line after the last five Pakistan wickets piled on 230 runs to get within sight of a world-record Test run chase.
The tourists’ batting coach and former Zimbabwe batsman, Grant Flower, said the Australians can expect another hard slog on an abrasive drop-in Melbourne Cricket Ground wicket in expected sweltering conditions as Pakistan fight to level the three-match series.
Australia dominated the first day-night Brisbane Test up until late on the fourth day, when signs of anxiety crept in as Pakistan edged closer to a miraculous victory before Shafiq was dismissed.
“I saw a lot of very nervous campers all of a sudden for the first time,” Pakistan assistant coach Steve Rixon said.
“I would have thought they would have turned up thinking, ‘We’re just going to win this, it’s only going to take two good balls and that’s it’. Well guess what? It wasn’t.”
Pakistan have lost their last 10 Tests in Australia and last won at the MCG in 1981 in the era of their greats Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Zaheer Abbas.
The Australians are confident crack pace pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will back up to bowl at the showpiece event despite each sending down 56 overs in the Brisbane heat with just a week’s recuperation.
Team vice-captain David Warner is also overdue and has not posted a Test century since his 122 against the West Indies in Sydney in January for an average of 35 this year, well below his career average of 47.58.
Out-of-form Australia batsman Nic Maddinson, meanwhile, has been granted a reprieve with his captain Smith confirming his side would be unchanged for the match.
Maddinson has scored 0, one and four in his three Test innings since making his debut against South Africa in Adelaide and his place in the team had been in question following the decision to call all-rounder Hilton Cartwright into the squad.
The tourists fell just 39 short of a mammoth 490-run target on the fifth and final day of the Gabba Test, led by a magnificent 137 from Asad Shafiq.
Steve Smith was a relieved captain as his Australia team fell over the line after the last five Pakistan wickets piled on 230 runs to get within sight of a world-record Test run chase.
The tourists’ batting coach and former Zimbabwe batsman, Grant Flower, said the Australians can expect another hard slog on an abrasive drop-in Melbourne Cricket Ground wicket in expected sweltering conditions as Pakistan fight to level the three-match series.
Australia dominated the first day-night Brisbane Test up until late on the fourth day, when signs of anxiety crept in as Pakistan edged closer to a miraculous victory before Shafiq was dismissed.
“I saw a lot of very nervous campers all of a sudden for the first time,” Pakistan assistant coach Steve Rixon said.
“I would have thought they would have turned up thinking, ‘We’re just going to win this, it’s only going to take two good balls and that’s it’. Well guess what? It wasn’t.”
Pakistan have lost their last 10 Tests in Australia and last won at the MCG in 1981 in the era of their greats Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Zaheer Abbas.
The Australians are confident crack pace pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will back up to bowl at the showpiece event despite each sending down 56 overs in the Brisbane heat with just a week’s recuperation.
Team vice-captain David Warner is also overdue and has not posted a Test century since his 122 against the West Indies in Sydney in January for an average of 35 this year, well below his career average of 47.58.
Out-of-form Australia batsman Nic Maddinson, meanwhile, has been granted a reprieve with his captain Smith confirming his side would be unchanged for the match.
Maddinson has scored 0, one and four in his three Test innings since making his debut against South Africa in Adelaide and his place in the team had been in question following the decision to call all-rounder Hilton Cartwright into the squad.
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