Should Australia be resting their stars?
A couple of decades ago, it would have been unfathomable for Australia to rest five of its best players for an ODI decider on home soil.
That’s exactly what selectors have done here, with an eye to prioritising the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series that begins on November 22.
Could Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood have sent down 10 overs each today before a 12-day break ahead of the Perth Test? Probably. Would it be worth it? Not if they got injured in what is – if we’re being fair dinkum – a bit of a meaningless ODI.
Australia certainly has the depth to take out today’s match and the series – they’re $1.50 favourites with the bookies – but if they get pipped in this decider, what does it say about the team and taking the 50-over format seriously? Hard to ask fans for their hard-earned money when half the side is having a rest.
Haris Rauf of Pakistan celebrates the wicket of Josh Inglis in Adelaide. Credit: Getty Images
Pakistan win the toss and elect to bowl
For the third time in this series, the team who’s won the toss has sent their opponents in.
Josh Inglis flicks the coin for the first time for Australia, replacing Pat Cummins as skipper, but has no luck as Pakistan win the toss and send the home side in.
Five changes for the Aussies. All the Test boys out (Cummins, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood) with five newbies to come in (Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson). Inglis, to his credit, rattles off all the changes without any dramas.
Interesting to see Aaron Hardie bumped up from No.6 to No.3.
The batting order will be as follows:
- Matt Short
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Aaron Hardie
- Josh Inglis
- Cooper Connolly
- Marcus Stoinis
- Glenn Maxwell
- Sean Abbott
- Adam Zampa
- Spencer Johnson
- Lance Morris
In case you missed it, Inglis was named in Australia’s Test squad this morning. He’ll be taken to Perth as the spare batter, with Nathan McSweeney set to open alongside Usman Khawaja.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind few days,” Inglis said on Fox. “It’s something I’m really looking forward to and excited by.”
Josh Inglis will captain Australia’s white-ball sides.Credit: Getty Images
How does this match play out?
It’s been 22 years since Pakistan beat Australia in an ODI series in Australia.
Could they get it done? Are the Aussies about to be served some humble pie?
Hello and welcome
G’day cricket fans.
It’s Tom Decent in the blogging chair today, ready to take you through this third and final ODI match between Australia and Pakistan.
We’re locked at 1-1. Australia got the upper hand at the MCG before Pakistan inflicted a major blow on the home side in Adelaide. Brutal stuff and certainly not a game the Aussies were proud of.
It all comes down to this.
First ball at 2:30pm (AEDT). Get your Sunday jobs done and park the bus for the afternoon and night.
Marnus Labuschagne walks off the Adelaide Oval after being dismissed on Friday. Credit: Getty Images
