Australia heavy favourites for 'fast bowler's dream' pink-ball Test

Image
AFP Adelaide
Last Updated : Nov 27 2019 | 9:35 AM IST

Australia will not be complacent in the second Test against Pakistan this week despite the odds being stacked heavily in their favour, they said, insisting day-night cricket is a "completely different beast".

The home team went one up in the two-Test series with a crushing innings-and-five-run victory inside four days at the Gabba in Brisbane last weekend.

But the match starting Friday at Adelaide Oval is a pink-ball affair, which Australian captain Tim Paine said would produce different conditions with generous grass on the pitch and outfield.

"Certainly there's going to be times during the game where tactics might be slightly different -- day-night," he said.

"We'll wait and see on the wicket and how the ball handles it, whether it goes soft or if it'll nip around for the whole game.

"Everyone's looking forward to it but we do know it's a completely different beast," he added.

Australia are overwhelming favourites. They have won all five pink-ball Tests they have played since the concept was launched four years ago, with three of them coming in Adelaide and quick bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins all excelling under lights.

Cummins said the Adelaide Oval at night was "a fast bowler's dream".

"Our record there is really good, we know the conditions well, it'll be a bit of a different game (to Brisbane), I think," Cummins told cricket.com.au.

"We've all spent quite a few long days in the dirt on flat MCG or SCG wickets, so a bit of grass on the wicket, the pink ball zipping around at night -- it's a fast-bowler's dream." Add into the mix that Pakistan have now lost 13 consecutive Tests in Australia and Paine's men will be disappointed if they do not wrap up the series 2-0.

They are expected to stick with the same XI from Brisbane, although fast bowler James Pattinson is in the squad and available again after being suspended from the Gabba for player abuse in a domestic match.

- Come back hard -
==================

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 27 2019 | 9:35 AM IST

Next Story