SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 SPORTS New Zealand weigh workload worries ahead of ODI series CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand’s desire tion but coach Mike Hesson is wary Only six players remain from the last played an ODI for New Zealand, but Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur took for a confidence-boosting limited overs about the possibility of burnout with squad of 15 who took New Zealand to at domestic level “he has an impressive two wickets in his first competitive series against Bangladesh, starting home series against Australia and South the World Cup final last year and strike-rate and obviously fills the num- match in five months following shoulder tomorrow, has been tempered by the Africa to follow. “It’s always a balancing although the side is rebuilding, selector ber four role with Ross out injured”, surgery while all-rounder Shakib Al need to ease the workloads of Tim act with guys that play all three forms, Gavin Larsen said “it’s very important Larsen said. Ronchi, who did play in the Hasan chimed in with 3-41. Test captain Southee and Trent Boult. especially the bowlers,” Hesson said that we do see improvements during 2015 World Cup, is recalled after a string Mushfiqur Rahim also showed himself in From the high of winning a Test series Saturday, confirming Boult will sit out the home summer”. of low scores saw him dropped from the form with the bat, scoring 45 off 41 against Pakistan in November the switch the last ODI, Southee will miss the three With Ross Taylor sidelined following recent Australia series. deliveries while Soumya Sarkar added to the shorter game brought the New T20s that follow, and other players may eye surgery, and Test gloveman BJ Bangladesh, at seven in the ODI rank- 40 to Bangladesh’s 245-8 off 43 overs. Zealanders sharply back to earth early also be rested. Following the Australia Watling not performing as expected in ings and three places below New Following the first ODI in Christchurch this month when hammered 3-0 by drubbing, New Zealand resisted the Australia, the selectors are looking to the Zealand, lost their rain-affected warm up on Monday, the second and third match- Australia. The three ODIs against urge for wholesale changes but did experienced 33-year-old Broom and game to a New Zealand XI by three wick- es will be played in Nelson on December Bangladesh, which begin in Christchurch recall veterans Neil Broom and Luke Ronchi, 35, to shore up the side. ets, but did find inspiration in the per- 29 and 31 with three T20s and two Tests on Boxing Day, offer a shot at redemp- Ronchi. It is nearly seven years since Broom formance of 21-year-old pace bowler to follow. — AFP Pakistan looks forward to red ball, hard MCG pitch MELBOURNE: Pakistan batting coach ning to attack Melbourne’s Flinders Street Grant Flower says his side is looking for- train station, nearby Federation Square and ward to a return of the red ball and a hard St. Paul’s Cathedral on Christmas Day. Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the Chief police commissioner Graham second Test against Australia beginning Ashton said while they are confident the tomorrow. terror plot had been contained, extra police The visitors lost the day-night first test will be deployed at major events. at the Gabba by 39 runs, having made a “We know there’s lot of events on over bold bid at a come-from-behind victory. the next several days right across our state, Former Zimbabwe star Flower believes including the Boxing Day test, Christmas the Melbourne conditions will give his side carols, other events that are on,” he said. a better chance of taking early wickets and “There is no intelligence to suggest there is exposing Australia’s middle-order with any threat whatsoever in relation to any of reverse swing. those events. However we’re just making “(The pitch) looks good. It looks hard. It’s sure we’re taking those extra precautions.” going to have good carry,” he said this Victoria Police and Cricket Australia week. “It’s going to be hard work for the were liaising over the appropriate security bowlers, but if we can get into them early level. “Our security team is in contact with and if the ball starts reversing then I’m sure the relevant authorities to ensure we have we’ve got a good chance of making some the appropriate level of security at the things happen.” Boxing Day test and other cricket matches Flower also expects the MCG pitch to being held around the country,” Cricket benefit legspinner Yasir Shah, who was crit- Australia chief executive James Sutherland icized by commentator and former legspin said in a statement. great Shane Warne for bowling too defen- In a security-related move late in 2015, sively in Brisbane. the MCG erected a new perimeter fence “Hopefully towards the end of the about 20 to 25 meters (65 to 80 feet) away match, Yasir can come into it a bit more,” from the stadium where spectators queue Flower said. “I’m sure if the ball is turning a to pass through security before entering bit more, there will be more attacking lines the ground. bowled.” Australian batsman Usman South Africa’s Faf du Plessis cuts a high ball. — AP Khawaja doubts that Pakistan has the Teams: momentum after its fourth-inning perform- Australia (one to be omitted): Steve ance in Brisbane, nearly chasing down 490 Smith (captain), David Warner, Matt runs. “I don’t think that matters - it’s a differ- Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter ent ground, different conditions, and you Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew S Lanka underdogs in can’t really measure momentum, can you? Wade, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan I’m not sure if it exists,” Khawaja said. “There Lyon, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers are always things we can do better, no mat- Pakistan (from): Misbah-ul-Haq (cap- ter what game, but ... we still won.” tain), Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan, South Africa series Security has been increased at the MCG, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, where a crowd of 60,000 is expected on Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Monday, following the arrest of seven peo- Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad ple over a terror-related plot in the city. Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, PORT ELIZABETH: Sri Lanka will be underdogs Those charged Friday were allegedly plan- Imran Khan. —AP when they challenge a resurgent South Africa in a three-Test series starting at St George’s Park Criticism of team, captain tomorrow - but will hope that the traditionally slow pitch in Port Elizabeth will negate South Smith just bizarre: Warner Africa’s strong fast bowling attack. Even without the injured Dale Steyn and MELBOURNE: Australia vice-captain David Melbourne Cricket Ground. “At the end of the Morne Morkel, South Africa’s pace trio of Vernon Warner has found it “bizarre” that pundits and day we did win the game. There would be a Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott is like- fans continue to criticise the team despite lot more talk if we didn’t.” ly to provide a stiff examination of a Sri Lankan winning their last two test matches after a The victory was the second for a batting line-up which has minimal experience of run of five losses. revamped side after selectors swung the axe coping with the kind of pitches that are found Australia beat Pakistan by 39 runs in a following a run of five successive test losses outside Asia. St George’s Park, though, usually thrilling finish in the first test in Brisbane last and Warner dismissed any notion the visitors’ has less pace and bounce than South Africa’s week. Misbah-ul-Haq’s side were dismissed fifth-day performance had given them the other Test venues and the hosts have a relatively for 450 on the final day at the Gabba, chasing momentum heading into the test. modest record there of six wins, four losses and a victory target of 490, having counter- “Pakistan played very well,” Warner said. four draws since returning to Test cricket in 1992. attacked late on the fourth evening of the “They backed themselves and played their It could also provide some assistance for day-night Test. shots. They got into a fantastic position to Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka’s veteran left-arm They were within sight of the world’s win the game. But we know that test match spinner who is likely to be the biggest threat to largest successful run chase when Mitchell cricket comes down to that last day, that last the South African batsmen. Herath took nine Starc ended a 71-run ninth wicket stand hour ... and that delivery from Starcy was wickets and was man of the match when Sri between Asad Shafiq and Yasir Shah that right on the money. Lanka gained their only previous Test win in effectively ended the game. “But if they can take confidence out of los- South Africa, in Durban in 2011/12. South Africa, Critics, however, suggested that Australia ing I don’t know. We won the game.” meanwhile, will be seeking a strong finish to a captain Steve Smith was not ruthless enough Warner did not give any hints as to the year in which there have been three different when he failed to impose the follow on when make-up of the side, with suggestions that captains of the Test team. The year started badly Pakistan were skittled for 142 in their first all-rounder Hilton Cartwright could come with Hashim Amla resigning as captain midway innings, 287 runs short of Australia’s total.