da brwin： COLOMBO – Steve Waugh lashed out at Pakistan counterpart Waqar Younis’pitch-doctoring talk on the eve of the three Test series starting inColombo tomorrow.
Michael Donaldson02-Oct-2002COLOMBO – Steve Waugh lashed out at Pakistan counterpart Waqar Younis’pitch-doctoring talk on the eve of the three Test series starting inColombo tomorrow.Pakistan brought its own staff to supervise preparation of the pitch forthe first Test, which is being played at a neutral venue after Australiadeclined to tour Pakistan for security fears.And Waqar’s comment suggested his team hoped to enjoy the advantage ofPakistan-style conditions at Colombo Oval, the oldest ground in SriLanka, in what’s officially a home series.”We’ve got our management here preparing the wicket so hopefully they’llprepare a wicket that suits us,” Waqar told a press conference.The remark stunned Australian captain Waugh who suggested some actionshould be taken against the Pakistan skipper.”I think it’s a little bit strange when the captain’s made thesecomments and nothing’s said about it,” Waugh said.”I know if I said that it would raise a few eyebrows and create a fewheadlines.”Home teams in cricket – like host nations in Davis Cup tennis -invariably get conditions to suit themselves but often that’s a productof the soil conditions and climate.For a side to go out of its way to prepare a surface which favoured itwas abhorrent to Waugh.”I don’t agree with it. I think you should play cricket on the bestpossible pitch.”I’ve never, ever asked for a pitch to suit us and I don’t know anyAustralian in my time who’s done that and I don’t see why it should bedone overseas.”Waugh rejected the notion of unspoken acceptance that the home side getswhat it wants.”If it is, it’s wrong because you’re supposed to play Test cricket onthe best pitch available.”If they’re going to make pitches to suit the home team then theopposition should have a choice of what to do at the toss.”Waqar’s comments implied Pakistan wanted a spin-friendly deck -especially after it saw Australia’s struggles against spin in India lastyear and again in the Champions Trophy semifinal against Sri Lanka here.Waugh said an ideal Test wicket would suit fast bowling early thenflatten out to a good batting strip before taking spin and creating lowbounce on the last day.”That way everyone gets an opportunity. Test cricket is about givingeveryone a chance to do well at that level rather than one certain typeof player.”Pakistan will likely play both off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and21-year-old legspinner Danish Kaneria, who has an impressive 38 wicketsin eight Tests at an average of 21.42.”Kaneria bowled very well against the West Indies in a practice game andSaqlain is back so we have our spinning force going good,” Waqar said.Waugh indicated Australia would stick to its proven arsenal of quickbowlers, with Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee expected tojoin Shane Warne in the attack.”I think we can do some damage with the quicks,” Waugh said.Australia’s batting is settled, with Darren Lehmann to be omitted.However, the South Australian will be waiting in the wings if eitherSteve or Mark Waugh have another bad series.The brothers, having been axed from the one-day side and failing toproduce big scores last summer, are under pressure to make runs orrelinquish their place in the side.”Nothing’s guaranteed, we realise that after last season,” Steve Waughsaid.”Things can be very final and can happen very quickly.”The brothers, who have played 105 Tests together and 273 between them,admitted they needed to score runs after historically going without acentury between them in last summer’s nine Tests.The likely teams for the match, which starts at 10.30am (2.30pm AEST)are:Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, RickyPonting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, BrettLee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.Pakistan: Waqar Younis (captain), Imran Nazir, Taufeeq Umar, FaisalIqbal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdur Razzaq, Rashid Latif, SaqlainMushtaq, Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Akhtar.