Captain, Coach see Australia as strong opposition

LAHORE—Pakistan cricket A team captain, Faisal Iqbal and coach, Aaqib Javed anticipate strong opposition from visiting Australia A team to contest the series on a higher level of competition.
“ We want a higher level of competition when both the teams play in the series because it will help us in knowing the real potential and prospect of players “,they said at a news briefing on the eve of the first one-day here on Tuesday at Gadaffi stadium.
Australia will play three one-day matches and two four-day games during their tour.The second one-day will be played on September 7 at Sheikhupura and third on September 9 at Lahore.The four-day match will be played from September 12-15 at Faisalabad and second from September 19-22 at Lahore.
Faisal said Pak A team has sufficient practice and preparations to throw a tough challenge to an equally good Australian side which has high quality players in their ranks.
“ At the same time we have refined players in Toufeeq Umer, Yasir Hameed and Naved Latif and it is going to be a tough series, equally tough for both the sides with good quality of cricket to be played “,he added.
Pak A captain said the aim ahead of the team is to win both events in the series, one day matches and four-day games adding “ task is definitely difficult as Australians will be putting up every hurdle but we will be doing our best for a better show “.
Answering a question,he said,home conditions are an added advantage for them as the touring team is coming from winter to hot and humid conditions which will be difficult for them.
“Just playing conditions cannot help us win, we have to be there at our best and I know we have experienced batsmen and good bowlers to make the task easy for us “,he said.
Aaqib said it would be unfair if Pak A team fails to produce good results despite having some test and international players among them.
“ We have a good combination, an in-depth batting where Toufeeq,Faisal, Yasir and Naved would be supporting us but relatively weak pace battery in Najaf Shah,Muhammad Arshad and Junaid Zia and it is time for them (pace bowlers) to exhibit prime form to prove that they are best “,he said adding “ there should not be any excuse if case we lose because we have best batting “.
He said his expectations from the team is to win the one day series but he cannot predict outcome of four-day games. “ In four day matches we have to purely rely on individual talent of players and it would be a good chance to see how much these players (A team squad) have made progress in recent months after not considered for the test matches “,he asserted.
Answering a question he said off spinner Tahir Khan and leg spinner and all rounder Mansoor Amjad will be on trial during this series.
“We have only one reliable spinner in Danish Kaernia and there must be two or three quality spinner in line and we believe these two spinner (Tahir and Mansoor) will be justifying their inclusion”,he said.
Australian Cricket A team captain Adam Voges said Pakistan holds the edge against them because of home conditions advantage but promised to outshine the might of their opponents by putting up good performance in the series.
Speaking at a news conference in the presence of coach Daryl Foster,here on Tuesday, the touring captain said certainly the home team has advantage of playing conditions but efforts would be made to overcome this factor with collective team efforts.
“Both the team are even but we have talented boys and confidence capable to win, therefore, keenly contested series is ahead”,he added.
Voges a middle-order batsman praised the efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Government of Pakistan for making excellent security arrangements.
Australian captain said his team would be boosted with the arrival of test fast bowler Jason Gillespie who is reaching here tonight (Tuesday) but a decision whether he would play in the first One-day would be taken before the start of the match.—Agencies