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| November 22, 2001 | Thursday | Ramazan 6, 1422 |
HOBART (Australia), Nov 21: New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming will approach the second test against Australia starting Thursday with the aim of ruffling the feathers of Steve Waugh’s world champions.
“We’re a pretty cocky bunch,” Fleming told a news conference in Hobart in the island state of Tasmania Wednesday.
“If we can ruffle feathers, which I think we’ve done a little bit, our development will improve a lot quicker.”
New Zealand were forced to select a new-look bowling attack following injuries to seamers Dion Nash (stomach) and Shayne O’Connor (knee).
Daryl Tuffey and the uncapped Shane Bond were included in the New Zealand team to partner paceman Chris Cairns and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori in an attack which may struggle to take 20 wickets on a pitch traditionally yielding big scores.
Australia selected a side unchanged from the first Test, with fast bowler Andrew Bichel likely to be 12th man again.
Waugh won’t be so forgiving this time and as long as rain does not intervene again he is expected to go for a comprehensive win over New Zealand with only the Perth Test left, starting Nov 30.
The Bellerive Oval curator has predicted a lively pitch for the second Test — manna from heaven for Australia’s new-ball trio of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.
Bellerive has traditionally favoured batsmen and has in the past been likened to a “road” that is of scant help to bowlers.
TEAMS:
Australia (probable): Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.
New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Matthew Bell, Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Shane Bond.—Reuters/AFP
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