Aussies ponder five-bowler option in Sharjah heat

SHARJAH - Australia is considering axing a batsman and playing five bowlers to cope with extreme conditions in the second cricket Test against Pakistan starting in Sharjah tomorrow.

Australian captain Steve Waugh acknowledged the tactic was a way of coping with the heat and humidity which marks this desert venue as one of the most toughest places to play Tests.

Waugh, while emphasising he was no longer a selector when on tour, said he would discuss the make-up of the side with chief selector Trevor Hohns.

The captain admitted the balance of the side had been upset by the calf muscle injury which ruled out paceman Jason Gillespie.

However, the extreme conditions had to be taken into consideration and Adam Gilchrist, with a Test average of over 60, was good enough to be used as a specialist batsman.

"Yeah, that's an option," Waugh said of moving the West Australian wicket-keeper up to No.6.

"Playing five bowlers in a Test match like this when it's going to be hard work for the bowlers in a lot heat - that's one option that's been talked about."

But he gave only a wry smile when asked if it was a likely outcome. If so it would mean Andy Bichel and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz coming into the side to replace Gillespie and at the expense of one of the batsmen, possibly Mark Waugh.

It would be a bold decision but it's one the selectors have contemplated in the past - notably in India last year when they wanted to play three pace bowlers but also wanted to use off-spinner Colin Miller.

The downside is that it puts a lot more pressure on wicketkeeper Gilchrist.

Waugh said playing two spinners and two pace bowlers was an equally tough decision.

"We've done it before but it's going to be a bit harder in these conditions.

"Obviously the part-time bowlers would have to do more work because you can't be bowling 10-over spells in this heat as a quick - you'd get carried off.

"The conditions make the side more difficult to pick than normal." In the end, there's every likelihood Australia will stay conservative and bring in Bichel for Gillespie, whose absence is the biggest problem.

"It's going to be a big loss without him.

"He's a strike bowler and as a captain I can always rely on him to bowl in the tough stages, he always puts his hand up - he always thinks of the team, he's a big loss.

"But we've got excellent people to cover - Andy Bichel is great team man and we've got Brad Williams flying in.

"We've got plenty of options - I just don't know how we're going to line-up on Friday morning."

Pakistan's team was more obvious, he said, with legspinner Danish Kaneria certain to come in for Mohammad Sami after Pakistan took a lopsided attack into the first Test, which Australia won by 41 runs in Colombo.

Waugh said the biggest threat came from paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who took 5-5 in 15 balls during Australia's second innings to give his side an outside chance of victory.

"We have to come up with a plan to nullify Shoaib Akhtar and his reverse swing," Waugh said.

"We think there is a way but we're going to keep that to ourselves.

"We've tossed around a few ideas and there's one or two plans we've come up with."

He said Shoaib's ability to swing the ball severely at speeds of 150kph and land it in the right spot was "pretty unique stuff".

"The spells he bowls - I can't imagine anyone else bowling them."

Shoaib has already proved himself at the venue, taking 10 wickets in the two-match series against the West Indies here in January which Pakistan won convincingly.

Waugh warned "there was nothing neutral" about Sharjah, which he considered as a home away from home for Pakistan.

Australia: Steve Waugh (capt), Justin Langer, Matt Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, Nathan Hauritz, Glenn McGrath (12th man TBA)

Pakistan: Waqar Younis (capt), Taufeeq Umar, Imran Nazir, Abdur Razzaq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faifal Iqbal, Rashid Latif, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria.