Taylor hopes to sew up some loose ends

“On my last tour here in 1994-95, I had just taken over the captaincy of Australia and started in a new role with a pair in the Karachi Test which Pakistan won, the memory of which is fresh in my mind and I want to erase that,” he said.

It was in 1959-60 when, under Richie Benaud, the Aussies last won a three-match series in Pakistan with victories in two Tests but none in 13 subsequent Tests.

But Taylor has grown in stature as a batsman and captain with victories against West Indies, South Africa and England with 22 wins from 42 tests.

“We hope to play as well as on the last tour here but we would need a lot of luckon this tour. Pakistan is a very strong side and we realise that they are even stronger at home but we are here to play exciting and entertaining cricket,” he said.

“Although Shane Warne is not with us, we do have stuart MaCgill who has done well in the opening game of the tour and he could be useful,” he said.

Asked about the probe into allegations of match-fixing and betting in Pakistan cricket, Taylor said, “we are here to play cricket and keep ourselves focused on that. Our main job here is to play Test cricket.”

Tim May, Shane Warne and Mark Waugh alleged that captain Salim Malik offered a bribe to throw a game during the last tour. The Australian board has refused to let its players testify before the commission — only Waugh has travelled here.

Australia is expected to play more or less the same team which beat Karachi by 333 runs in the opening game this week.

The pitch is likely to help spinners rather than pace bowlers and will thrill spinners on the last three days, said MohammadBashir, chief curator of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“There is not enough grass on the track and I think it will help the slow bowlers,” Taylor said.

Australia have included rookie leg-spinner Stuart MaCgill to fill the gap of Warne. MaCgill took nine wickets in the four-day tour opener at Karachi and Taylor said he hoped the 27-year-old spinner would enjoy bowling at Rawalpindi.

The series could also bring a personal accomplishment for Australia’s 34-year-old wicketkeeper Ian Healy. Veteran of 103 Test matches, Healy needs three more dismissals to surpass his predecessor Rodney Marsh’s record of 355. Healy has taken 328 catches and made 25 stumpings since making his debut against Pakistan in 1988-89 series at Karachi.

Australia’s batting line-up looks solid with Taylor and Michael Slater opening and Steve and Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer backing them up.

Pakistan will name their eleven on the morning of the match, captain Aamir Sohail, leading Pakistan in a full series forthe first time, said. “I am looking foward to the series and after our win in the Sahara Cup in Toronto we have our confidence restored,” he said.

Coach Javed Miandad concurred: “We have the best bowling combination in the world and with Wasim Akram back and Saqlain Mushtaq available we can bowl any batting side out twice.”

Fast bowler Waqar Younis is still not fully fit and Akram and Azhar Mehmood will open the attack with Shoaib Akhtar to partner them. Leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed is also in the frame if Pakistan decide to play two spinners.

The teams (from):

Pakistan
: Aamir Sohail (captain), Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Wasim, Salim Malik, Inzamam-ul Haq, Azhar Mehmood, Moin Khan (WK), Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Hussain, Waqar Younis, Aaquib Javed & Yousuf Yohanna.

Australia
: Mark Taylor (captain), Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Ian Healy, Stuart MaCgill, Gavin Robertson, Glenn McGrath, DamienFleming, Michael Kasprowicz, Darren Lehman & Collin Miller.

Umpires

:Peter Willey (England) and Javed Akhtar (Pakistan). Third umpire: Azhar Hussain (Pakistan).

Match Referee

:Peter van der Merve (South Africa).