Langer doesn't want World XI's excuses

Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, Australia's Test openers, have slammed the World XI's attitude ahead of the Super Test that begins at the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 14.

"We don't want to hear any excuses about it [World XI] not being a team, they have less to play for, that sort of stuff. It is a Test match. They are playing the best team in the world over four years, and we [Australia] are playing against the best players in the world," Langer was quoted as saying by sportinglife.com. "There are no excuses and hopefully the best team will win this Test match, and I think the best team won the three one-day games. I hope the World XI are not making excuses about not being galvanized."

Langer's salvo came in response to Andrew Flintoff's comments that the World XI struggled in the one-day series because the players had to play different roles from the ones they were used to in their national teams.

Matthew Hayden too believed that Australia were still far ahead of any other team. "This side [World XI] is as good a side as we have ever seen, perhaps, in cricket for me. If we [Australia] play well then I think we will beat anyone. And I think the last few days have really proven that. I think from our point of view it is important that we just play our game. We have come off a big series, but we have had good strategies against all of these players over a number of years, and I think in a lot of ways if we do put that together, we are unbeatable."