Australian coach Tim Nielsen has bellowed a full-throated battle-cry to his troops to go for the kill in today's Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)
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The coach hailed the recent rapid improvement in the team's balance and performances, especially from the bowling attack, after the humiliating 2-1 home series defeat against South Africa last year.
At the same time, Nielsen urged his team on New Year's Eve to heed the lessons of their closely fought 2-0 score line against the West Indies last month.
Firm belief
In his belief that his side can rule the Test world again, Nielsen said it is ready to exploit the regained confidence after the crushing 170-run victory over Pakistan in Melbourne last week.
"We can't afford to rest on our laurels and just expect the results and the good things to keep happening," he said.
"It was a lot of hard work that went into the Melbourne Test match and we need to start from scratch now and do it all over again to make sure that they do not get off the floor."
Meanwhile captain Ricky Ponting has said he cannot get over last year's Ashes defeat to England in England "out of his mind" and that his main aim this year is to beat the old enemy.
In his newspaper column yesterday, Ponting wrote: "As we move into 2010, there's a back to the future feeling for me.
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Ricky Ponting shares a joke with Pakistan manager Intikhab Alam (centre) and captain Mohd Yousuf (left) in Sydney on Saturday. The second Test starts today. Pic/Getty Images |
"England arrives this year as the holder of the Ashes and every training or playing session we have is undertaken with the overriding aim of winning them back.
"It reminds me of when we lost the Ashes in 2005 and regrouped to take on all-comers before emphatically reclaiming the urn in 2006-07."
Saying "how tough it is to lose to England in England," the skipper went on to compare his team's progress to that of the other Test sides over the past 12 months.
"Australia sits comfortably at the top of the table with seven wins from 13 Tests, with Sri Lanka with five from 11 Tests and India three from six Tests," Ponting wrote.
The Australian captain lauded the "big breakthrough" achieved by important players Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz in the Boxing Day Melbourne Test. Watson scored his first Test hundred and Hauritz claimed his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
"I'm really looking forward to the Ashes," Ponting wrote, "and every step of the journey that gets us there, starting with the second Test against Pakistan."
Pakistan have lost 11 of their past 13 Tests against Australia, the last 10 in succession.
But the team's one-drop batsman Faisal Iqbal has promised an improved showing from his team.
Determined
"Definitely we can bounce back. Pakistan has always been like that," Faisal, nephew of the legendary Javed Miandad, said yesterday.
"Whenever we lose a Test, we go hard in the next Test and that is how the team works."
Meanwhile, Pakistan's off-spinner Danish Kaneria, who scalped seven Australian batsmen in the first inning at the SCG in 2005, is fit and likely to play today, possibly as part of a two-pronged spin attack along with Saeed Ajmal. Pace bowler Umar Gul, mysteriously left from the Melbourne Test team, is also reportedly fit and expected to play.
However, former captain Younis Khan, who relinquished captaincy twice recently, firstly following allegations of match-fixing in the World Twenty20 in England last year, and from the series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi recently saying he no longer commanded the respect of his team-mates, will, in any probability, miss out.
Provisional captain Mohammad Yousuf is on record as saying that he would love to have the experienced and accomplished batsman, who has an impressive Test average of 50, back in the team but it seems his cricket board is not yet willing to forgive Younis for his perceived insolence.
Watson factor
Whereas Australia have ample reason to rejoice over Watson and Hauritz finally realising their potential and Michael Hussey regaining his touch of old that earned him the sobriquet of "Mr Cricket", all eyes will again be on the visitors' exciting fast bowler Mohammad Aamer (17) and specialist batsman Umar Akmal (19), younger brother of wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal.
Umar Akmal has been hailed as a batting prodigy and Aamer was widely acclaimed for his hostility and ability to bowl consistently at speeds of up to 150 km/h. Left arm seamer Aamer proclaimed he has arrived when he sent back five of Australia's top order batsmen for 70 from 24 overs.
Australian opening batsman Shane Watson yesterday said he was looking forward to resuming his fiery Melbourne duel where the quick blew him a kiss after unleashing a vicious bouncer.
Watson said yesterday: "The only way you can knock his confidence around is to try and get him to bowl a lot of overs. It was amazing," he just kept coming," Watson said.
"Even in the second innings he was able to string together a number of spells together that were still very fast and very hostile. He is an amazingly talented young guy."
Meanwhile, opening batsman Phil Hughes has been asked to rush to Sydney as standby for Simon Katich, who is having trouble with his elbow which he injured in the first Test last week. A decision on Katich's fitness will be taken this morning.
This column was written before Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamer got ruled out of the second Test against Australia at Sydney due to a groin injury.
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