Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
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Australia captain Tim Paine is backing Australia to win their first Test series in Asia since 2011 if they play their best cricket, especially after scripting a great escape in Dubai in the first Test against Pakistan.
Australia batted for nearly five sessions and 139.5 overs – their longest second-innings outing in Asia – to salvage a draw from the jaws of defeat in Dubai as Usman Khawaja (141), Travis Head (72) and Paine (61*) batted out time on the fifth and final day.
Chasing an improbable 462 for victory, Australia finished on 362/8, and Paine was the batsman on strike to face the final ball of the match, which he duly kept out.
"I am certainly proud of what we have achieved in the last Test and we can certainly play a lot better this Test," Paine said ahead of the second Test in Abu Dhabi, starting Tuesday, 16 October.
While Dubai served up a flat pitch with little assistance for bowlers – spinners or pacers – Abu Dhabi, at first glance, had a grass covering on the wicket, leading to a possibility of Australia fielding an extra pacer.
"Looking at it now, yeah (we may play three pacers)," he said. "If you were in Australia, you'd be playing three fast bowlers. But with the heat in the next 24 hours, I am sure it will change pretty quickly."
Who could be the ones to get lucky should Australia go with a three-man pace battery? Paine said that while both Brendan Dogget and Michael Neser have been impressive so far on the tour, their services will be required only if one of the main pacers – Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle – do not play.
"They have both been pretty impressive," Paine said. "They've both done what we have asked. They both play different sort of roles. Brendan is a replacement for Starcy if that's to happen and Ness (Neser) for Siddle." Mitchell Marsh, not to forget, is the fast-bowling all-rounder in the side.
Starc, who returned a solitary wicket in Dubai and slogged for 42.2 overs in the heat, was seen cramping on a few occasions leading to speculations that he may be rested for the second Test in order to efficiently manage his workload. However, Starc is in no mood to sit out.
"Hope not! Don’t know what the team is like. But I won’t be putting my hand up for rest," Starc said. "It’s only my first game back for a while (after injury) as well so I’m feeling pretty good, pretty fresh, and I’m happy with how the ball is coming out."
While the bowlers did a decent job in Dubai, there were a few stutters in the batting, with both Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, returning ducks in the second innings and debutant Marnus Labuschagne struggling against spin at No.6.
Going into the second Test, the batting order may change, Paine hinted.
"The guys had a meeting yesterday and all that stuff was discussed. We'll come tomorrow and make a call on the team and batting order and stuff," he said.
However, despite the minor glitches, Paine acknowledged the team has taken a lot of confidence from their big second-innings effort in Dubai. "I think the guys in the second innings saw that their plans worked over here," he said.
"You never know ... you may have the greatest plans in the world but unless you get out in the middle under that sort of pressure, you never know. So for guys to actually go out and do it – we will take a lot of confidence out of that.
"We will take a lot of momentum out of it but we spoke again this morning that we need to turn up here in the next couple of days and get around the fact that it's going to be a real battle again for five days."
The opening partnership, in particular, came out as one of the big positives for the visitors as debutant Aaron Finch and Khawaja put up a 142-run stand in the first innings and added 87 in the second to get Australia strong starts.
"It's great for a team to have a strong opening partnership," Paine said. "In the last few years, we have had a number of them. So we'd like to get to a stage where we are settling it down.
"They certainly started really well. They had a really good rapport and looked relaxed in the middle and know each other very well. So it's a really good start and hopefully it continues well."
2011 was the last time Australia won a Test series in Asia when they beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in a three-match series. While Pakistan have challenged them in every department, Paine believes that Australia are capable of improving on that record if they play their best cricket.
"Yeah, it (winning a series in Asia) will be a massive thing for any Australian team and for this one in particular," he said.
"We touched on it at the start of last week – not many people gave us a chance over here which a great opportunity to prove people wrong. It's a great thing to keep driving us. We are trying to get better every day and if we manage to play our best next week, then maybe that's possible."
https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/878433
Australia batted for nearly five sessions and 139.5 overs – their longest second-innings outing in Asia – to salvage a draw from the jaws of defeat in Dubai as Usman Khawaja (141), Travis Head (72) and Paine (61*) batted out time on the fifth and final day.
Chasing an improbable 462 for victory, Australia finished on 362/8, and Paine was the batsman on strike to face the final ball of the match, which he duly kept out.
"I am certainly proud of what we have achieved in the last Test and we can certainly play a lot better this Test," Paine said ahead of the second Test in Abu Dhabi, starting Tuesday, 16 October.
While Dubai served up a flat pitch with little assistance for bowlers – spinners or pacers – Abu Dhabi, at first glance, had a grass covering on the wicket, leading to a possibility of Australia fielding an extra pacer.
"Looking at it now, yeah (we may play three pacers)," he said. "If you were in Australia, you'd be playing three fast bowlers. But with the heat in the next 24 hours, I am sure it will change pretty quickly."
Who could be the ones to get lucky should Australia go with a three-man pace battery? Paine said that while both Brendan Dogget and Michael Neser have been impressive so far on the tour, their services will be required only if one of the main pacers – Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle – do not play.
"They have both been pretty impressive," Paine said. "They've both done what we have asked. They both play different sort of roles. Brendan is a replacement for Starcy if that's to happen and Ness (Neser) for Siddle." Mitchell Marsh, not to forget, is the fast-bowling all-rounder in the side.
Starc, who returned a solitary wicket in Dubai and slogged for 42.2 overs in the heat, was seen cramping on a few occasions leading to speculations that he may be rested for the second Test in order to efficiently manage his workload. However, Starc is in no mood to sit out.
"Hope not! Don’t know what the team is like. But I won’t be putting my hand up for rest," Starc said. "It’s only my first game back for a while (after injury) as well so I’m feeling pretty good, pretty fresh, and I’m happy with how the ball is coming out."
While the bowlers did a decent job in Dubai, there were a few stutters in the batting, with both Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, returning ducks in the second innings and debutant Marnus Labuschagne struggling against spin at No.6.
Going into the second Test, the batting order may change, Paine hinted.
"The guys had a meeting yesterday and all that stuff was discussed. We'll come tomorrow and make a call on the team and batting order and stuff," he said.
However, despite the minor glitches, Paine acknowledged the team has taken a lot of confidence from their big second-innings effort in Dubai. "I think the guys in the second innings saw that their plans worked over here," he said.
"You never know ... you may have the greatest plans in the world but unless you get out in the middle under that sort of pressure, you never know. So for guys to actually go out and do it – we will take a lot of confidence out of that.
"We will take a lot of momentum out of it but we spoke again this morning that we need to turn up here in the next couple of days and get around the fact that it's going to be a real battle again for five days."
The opening partnership, in particular, came out as one of the big positives for the visitors as debutant Aaron Finch and Khawaja put up a 142-run stand in the first innings and added 87 in the second to get Australia strong starts.
"It's great for a team to have a strong opening partnership," Paine said. "In the last few years, we have had a number of them. So we'd like to get to a stage where we are settling it down.
"They certainly started really well. They had a really good rapport and looked relaxed in the middle and know each other very well. So it's a really good start and hopefully it continues well."
2011 was the last time Australia won a Test series in Asia when they beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in a three-match series. While Pakistan have challenged them in every department, Paine believes that Australia are capable of improving on that record if they play their best cricket.
"Yeah, it (winning a series in Asia) will be a massive thing for any Australian team and for this one in particular," he said.
"We touched on it at the start of last week – not many people gave us a chance over here which a great opportunity to prove people wrong. It's a great thing to keep driving us. We are trying to get better every day and if we manage to play our best next week, then maybe that's possible."
https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/878433
