Time for the real battle to begin

[vishvas]

Show heart and save face, says Smith

Australia and the World XI will employ opposite policies for the Super Test after Graeme Smith dismissed the idea of bonding a team successfully in less than a week. Collective spirit and a pack mentality are Australian hallmarks, but Smith believes focussing on his side's brilliant individualism is the way to beat the world champions.


Telling his players to take greater responsibility than they did during the one-day losses in Melbourne, Smith said it was time to "show a bit of heart" to "save a bit of face". "I'm concentrating on the individual and trying to build up the individual," he said. "I don't think you can have the team environment you have with South Africa, Australia, England or whatever. It's very different because you grow up wanting to play for your country, but when you're thrown into this situation it's very hard to build up."


Apart from his South African underlings, Smith does not know what makes his team-mates tick, but his leadership has been aimed at getting their games in top shape. "I haven't tried to make things rosy," he said. "I want to see the right intensity and the right level, if they are giving 100% that is individual enough. We know they have the skills, it's about getting the heart in the right place."


A lack of squad organisation during the Ashes was identified as an Australian problem by Ricky Ponting and he said the changes in approach had worked over the past two weeks. "The individuals prepared very well in England, but the team preparation was slightly off and that's the main area we've been looking at," he said.


Despite the ease of Australia's one-day Super Series success, Ponting painted the World XI as favourites and then highlighted their concerns as a unit. "They have quality players all down the list, but if we play our best cricket we will challenge them," he said. "Listening to them before the one-day series they said they were having fun and gelling, but it's a bit harder than that. To build a team culture you need to work on that for a long time."


In the Ashes aftermath Ponting was criticised heavily for his performance as leader and he hoped a strong Super Test win would silence his detractors. "As a captain you want to do everything right but you can't do that," he said. "I know that I'm not going to keep everybody happy 100% of the time but as long as I'm keeping the players happy then I'm doing the right job. Last week in the one-dayers everything I tried worked when right through the Ashes it didn't work."


Smith's appointment was also challenged but he was in no doubt about the importance of his task. When asked what was the point of the Super Test he said: "To beat Australia. That's what we've come here for. We haven't done so well so far and in the next six days we're looking for a better performance and a win. I said to the guys I haven't come all this way to play one Test and lose."

[vishvas]

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was on Thursday left out of the World XI twelve for the Super Test against Australia starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
World skipper Graeme Smith said Shoaib, who was a big disappointment in last week's 3-0 loss to Australia in the one-day Super Series in Melbourne, had been omitted from the 12.

Smith will finalise his starting team before the start of play in the one-off six-day Test.

The Australian team will name its team on match morning with captain Ricky Ponting to decide whether to play three seamers or two leg-spinners, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill.

Ponting, who has had only one look at the SCG pitch this week, said he wanted to have a more detailed inspection of the Test pitch on Thursday before deciding with selectors about the possible makeup of his team.

Showers are forecast throughout all six scheduled days of the one-off Test.

[wmc26]

My vote goes to Australia.