Skipper Michael Clarke on Thursday warned the Perth Test against England will not be won by raw pace alone, with bowlers needing to be smart in the forecast searing heat as Australia close in on the Ashes.
|Last Updated: Dec 12, 2013, 11:18 AM IST|Source: AFP
Perth: Skipper Michael Clarke on Thursday warned the Perth Test against England will not be won by raw pace alone, with bowlers needing to be smart in the forecast searing heat as Australia close in on the Ashes.
A win for the home side in the match starting tomorrow would give Australia an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series after their pacemen, led by left-armer Mitchell Johnson, blitzed the tourists in Brisbane and Adelaide. Clarke, who will be playing his 100th Test on the WACA`s famously fast pitch, said he could feel "a great sense of anticipation around the country" about winning the Ashes, but said it was far from a foregone conclusion.
"This is going to be a tough Test match," he said in a column for News Limited tabloids. "History says we have a fabulous record here and we have certainly taken a lot of confidence out of winning the first two Tests.
"But history won`t mean a thing when the third Test starts on Friday. It`s about us creating our own history.
"And it won`t be simply a matter of bombing away with our fast bowlers." Clarke delayed naming his team Thursday to see how bowling linchpin Ryan Harris pulls up after training with a sore knee.
Fellow quicks Doug Bollinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile and all-rounder James Faulkner are on standby. "I`m going to wait until the toss and see how everybody pulls up after training and it gives us another opportunity to have a look at the wicket," the captain told reporters, adding that if he wins the toss he will likely bat first.
While Perth, where England have only won one Test, will have more pace and bounce than Adelaide, Clarke said in his column that batsmen could prosper on the WACA track. "Starting your innings in Perth can be harder than most other places because of the extra pace and bounce, but once you get in it can be a great place to bat because the surface is so even and the pace and bounce so consistent."
"Likewise, fast bowlers need to be smart. It`s one thing thinking you`re going to terrorise batsmen because the ball is flying around, and quite another getting them out," Clarke said. "Life can be uncomfortable at times, that`s Test cricket, but most wickets in Perth are taken in the slips with batsmen driving at full deliveries."
Adding to the mix in Perth will be temperatures that are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) over the weekend, a factor that is expected to see coach Darren Lehmann stick with spinner Nathan Lyon instead of going into the game with a four-pronged pace attack.
Clarke said the weather would pose challenges. "They can be long days in the field so you have to find ways of staying sharp and alert," he said.
"This is where all the hard physical work we do preparing for series comes fully into focus. "That physical fitness also brings with it a mental fitness which helps you concentrate for long periods whether batting or in the field."
Despite Australia`s emphatic victories in the first two Tests, Clarke has been keen to keep his side firmly grounded, with the 3-0 Ashes defeat on English soil earlier this year still fresh in his mind. But he is quietly confident. "Now we have grabbed the momentum in this series we want to run with it, and there is no better place to do that than Perth," he said.
"If you take the initiative in Perth it can be a very hard place for the other side to drag it back. Things can happen quickly here, whether it is wickets falling or runs being scored."
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.