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| Thursday, 13 January 2005 |
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Windies, Pakistan out to topple Aussies MELBOURNE, Australia, Wednesday (AFP) Rising Australian batting star Michael Clarke Wednesday played down suggestions his team would breeze through the upcoming tri-nations one-day international series here. A potentially-depleted Australia will square-up to the West Indies in the opening match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday to kick-start the series that also features Pakistan. In all, the teams will play each other three times before the top two meet in a best of three finals series. But Clarke dismissed any suggestion that his world-champion team would breeze past two of cricket's more unpredictable sides, despite their recent 3-0 Test series win over Pakistan. "I can only look back at the West Indies in the ICC (Champions) Trophy and they won that and they played great cricket throughout the whole tournament," Clarke said. "I think it's going to be a great series, and Pakistan will be a real tough team to beat in the one-dayers." Australia may take on the West Indies missing at least two key batsmen, including Clarke, who has a mysterious foot injury, and Simon Katich, the replacement for regular opener Matthew Hayden who is being rested. Katich has an acute throat infection which has seen him isolated from his teammates while a decision on Clarke's availability will be made on Thursday. Scans on his injured right foot Wednesday did not reveal the source of the soreness. Should the pair be forced out, in-form Test opener Justin Langer, who has not been considered for one-day cricket for eight years, could be called into the side. |
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