CARDIFF, Wales – Shrugging and rolling his eyes, Steve Waugh admits he doesnot have the faintest idea how Australia will perform in the one-dayinternational against Pakistan tomorrow
Will Swanton08-Jun-2001CARDIFF, Wales – Shrugging and rolling his eyes, Steve Waugh admits he doesnot have the faintest idea how Australia will perform in the one-dayinternational against Pakistan tomorrow.Australia is vulnerable after losing to Middlesex and snatching a tie fromrun-of-the-mill Northamptonshire this week while Pakistan is flying highfollowing Test and limited-over triumphs over England.Damien Martyn, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Ian Harvey are in good touchbut most of the tourists are still short of a gallop because of an extendedbreak between the Indian and England tours.A three-and-half-hour drive from Northampton to Cardiff last night was anuisance and Nathan Bracken (shoulder), Damien Fleming (calf) and Ponting(hip) are carrying niggling injuries.All Waugh could do was hope that playing by memory would be enough to gethis World Cup-winning side through against Pakistan in a game which startshere at 8pm (AEST).The Aussies then play England at Bristol on Sunday.”I’ve got to say our form’s been scratchy so far,” he said ahead ofAustralia’s back-to-back introduction to the tri-series.”It hasn’t been an easy preparation – we had to have some time off cricketand away from the game, which everyone needed really badly – but thedownside of that was that when we got back on tour we didn’t have much timeto get it right.”I must admit we’re going into our first game a fraction apprehensive.”We’re relying on what we’ve done before to get us there – our knowledge andexperience and know-how and obviously our talent – but we haven’t spent alot of time in the middle.”Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist was more upbeat, saying little should be readinto the Middlesex and Northants results because the team’s trademarksharpness and enthusiasm would return when needed.”We’re happy, settling in well, it’s very exciting now the real games arestarting – the competition games where the points are up for grabs,” hesaid.”The guys are very pumped up.”The Pakistan match should be a cracker and early psychological points forthe Ashes are up for grabs at Bristol.England’s batsmen crumbled twice to Pakistan this week and Australianpacemen Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie will be intent on kicking themwhile they’re down.Waugh rejected a suggestion that watching England crash and burn ontelevision would have given him great pleasure, but he did not soundthoroughly convincing.”It’s hard to be too harsh because they could say the same about the lasttwo Tests that we’ve lost to India,” he said.”We’ve collapsed under pressure as well.”Pakistan were always a chance if they could get one or two wickets becausethey have bowlers who can take wickets with reverse swing and all that sortof stuff.”I wouldn’t like to say the old signs were there because I think any sideput under that pressure on the last day is going to struggle to come up withthe goods.”Damien Martyn’s untouchable form – 108 against Worcester and 101 not outagainst Northampton – is tempting Waugh to leave him as an opener, where heaverages 232.5 in six starts for Australia.A possible XI to play Pakistan is: Stephen Waugh (c), Adam Gilchrist (vc),Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, Matthew Hayden, IanHarvey, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.Changes will be made against England under the Australian system of rotatingplayers in one-day tournaments to ease the workload on each individual.”I don’t like the word rotation – I’ve got to think of another word,” saidWaugh who, as an author, should be able to come up with one soon.