Australia play for pride against England

LONDON: Australia will look for more “pace and fire” from fast bowler Shaun Tait when they face England in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) at Lord’s today. World champions Australia may have lost the series but they have been a transformed side since Tait, playing for county side Glamorgan, was drafted in after the second one-dayer following an injury to off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.

Australia came to the series without several injured quicks in Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus. Thoughts that England had only gone 3-0 up because they were facing an under-strength and under-prepared side were strengthened when they crashed to a 78-run defeat against Australia in the fourth ODI on Wednesday.

And while England hopes of a 5-0 whitewash may have disappeared, captain Andrew Strauss said, “To win a series against the number one team in the world 4-1 would be an outstanding achievement.”

Meanwhile, Nielsen said pulling the series back to 3-2 would be significant for a new-look Australia side.

“None of our selected bowlers attack had played any cricket in England previously and they’ve improved as the series has gone on. It would be nice to finish 3-2,” added Nielsen.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2010.