The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Boxing Day Test: Australia seeking 300th win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 26, 2004

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Boxing Day Test: Australia seeking 300th win

MELBOURNE, DEC. 25. Australia will start its bid for a 300th Test win when it takes on Pakistan on Sunday, a special day in the national sports calendar Down Under when the Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts the annual Boxing Day match.

Ricky Ponting's Australians thrashed Pakistan by 491 runs in Perth last week and lead the three-Test series 1-0.

The only problem for the Australians will be the possible absence of opener Justin Langer.

He injured his back during fielding practice and is likely to be replaced by Simon Katich, who has been overlooked for the starting XI since returning from the 2-1 series win in India.

If Langer doesn't play, it will end a 42-match sequence with opening partner Matthew Hayden that has dominated international cricket.

``I'm still a bit sore but I have not given up hope and I guess we'll know what the form is tomorrow morning,'' Langer said on Saturday.

Coach John Buchanan said Langer would be given every chance to play. ``There's still, I guess, doubt — definite doubt,'' Buchanan said of Langer. ``But he's certainly improving so we'll keep monitoring that and hopefully make a decision as early as possible — one for his sake, but also for Simon Katich as well.''

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was confident his players would produce a better showing in Melbourne, where they're more familiar with the conditions.

``They're not down, they're very hurt,'' Woolmer said. But, ``I've seen them rebound from situations like this.''

``The game doesn't change, it was just on a particular situation in Perth we played loosely outside off stump and paid dearly for it and that was the difference,'' Woolmer said. The teams:

Australia (from): Justin Langer or Simon Katich, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (captain), Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee.

Pakistan (from): Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Khalil, Danish Kaneria. — Agencies

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