Pakistan return to good health

Pakistan have waited more than two months to bare their teeth to Australia. Inzamam-ul-Haq's men were broken and battered through the Test series, but their health has returned and the change in Adbul Razzaq reflects their revival.

Exhausted and hospitalised during the Melbourne Test thrashing, Razzaq's diet of fields of spinach has bulged into lower-order runs and useful wickets. When `Popeye', who almost single-handedly beat Australia at Perth with four wickets and 63 not out, walks back on to the MCG for Friday's first VB Series final his biceps will be ready for the game's Brutus. That Pakistan have a chance of stealing the best-of-three conculsion from Australia, who haven't lost a home tri-series finals competition since 1992-93, is a relief to an ailing concept.

The game's most unpredictable squad suddenly has something resembling a game plan. And, most surprisingly, it's started to work as consecutive victories propelled them into the finals. The openers are sent in and any runs are bonuses as the dominating cavalry sand their bats and oil their free-swinging joints as they wait. Inzamam is the commander, and was central to the side's three wins in the preliminary games with 313 runs at 62.6.

Flanked on one side by Yousuf Youhana, whose brilliant hundred helped seal safe passage at their last opportunity against West Indies, Inzaman stands above a lower order of Razzaq, Shahid Afridi - his strike-rate is a whopping 170 - and, maybe, Azhar Mahmood. The prospect of bowling to them is as scary as Amen Corner at the US Masters, and Australia's safest tactic would be to let Salman Butt and his partner bat and bat.

Submitting is an option Ricky Ponting will not consider and his world champions stare down opponents rather than step backwards. Australia were scared twice during the preliminary rounds; West Indies had them 5 for 43 at the Gabba washout and Pakistan toppled them at the WACA. The second result was more damaging and Afridi and Razzaq were their main tormentors. While Australia's worries revolve around the opening position - Matthew Hayden's 42 runs versus Michael Clarke's 364 - and whether to pick Michael Kasprowicz or Brett Lee, Pakistan's biggest problem will be making sure their muscle men receive enough overs to lift the run-rate.

The tournament needed a boost after Australia's dominance in the early stages and there are predictions that this could be the 26th and final tri-series as Cricket Australia consider all of their sponsorship, television rights and scheduling arrangements. Four-game head-to-head contests appear to be the preferred option and will save tired touring teams from two months of cross-countrying.

A three-match finals series would not be a huge loss as it is usually a soporific anti-climax. The last time a decider was needed, Steve Waugh's Australians climbed past South Africa in 1997-98, and Adelaide will know after Sunday's second final at Sydney if it gets an invitation for Tuesday.

After a month of rotating and resting, Australia will at last pick their A-list, and if they sing at full voice, Pakistan deserve a standing ovation merely for taking them to a third stage. However, if Inzamam's glowing army can muffle their opponents, a rare finals shock could be a possibility. Whatever the result, Pakistan's better health is something to toast.