Australia ponder playing four quicks

Australia have left open the possibility of playing four fast men and leaving out offspinner Nathan Lyon at the Gabba, choosing not to name their XI on the eve of the match.

South Australia swing bowler Chadd Sayers would be in line for a Test debut if the selectors went down that path, and he has recent pink-ball form on his side, having claimed eight wickets in his most recent Shield game against New South Wales in Adelaide.

"We want to have another look at the wicket today and determine which way we want to go from there," captain Steven Smith said on Wednesday. Asked if that meant four fast bowlers could be included, Smith replied: "It's possible, yes."

On Tuesday, Lyon had said he was confident of being part of the XI at the Gabba, which is second only to Adelaide Oval on his list of most productive Test venues.

"I'll tell you one thing, this is my sixth [Gabba] Test and every year you guys seem to write that," Lyon said on Tuesday. "So I'll leave you guys to write that, that there's going to be four quicks and stuff. I'm confident of playing, I'll put it that way."

Not only has Lyon been successful at the Gabba, he has also had plenty of bowling to do, averaging nearly 19 overs per innings there in his five Tests at the venue. The Gabba was also the ground at which Shane Warne took more Test wickets than any other.

But Smith said the preponderance of right-handers in Pakistan's line-up - opener Sami Aslam is the only left-hander in their top seven - could also play a part in Australia's selection decision.

"I need to have another look at the wicket to determine how much grass there is on the wicket," Smith said. "It's obviously a different opposition, Pakistan have a lot of right-hand batters, which might come into the equation. But we'll wait and see."

However, one thing that does not appear to be on the cards is the inclusion of Sayers in place of Jackson Bird. Bird picked up three wickets against South Africa at Adelaide Oval and looks set to retain his spot for another pink-ball Test.

"I daresay Jackson will probably play," Smith said. "He played the last game and played pretty well, so I daresay he'll be in."

Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell jnr said on Wednesday that he would be cutting the grass down to a height of two millimetres for this Test, well down on the six millimetres left on for the Adelaide Test but a standard height for the Gabba. He did not expect the pitch to perform especially differently to a day Gabba Test.

"I'm expecting there will be some life in it early but in saying that it's out under the elements till one o'clock so maybe not as lively, maybe it will dry out a touch more before the start of play," Mitchell said. "But it won't behave too much differently to our normal Test deck."