Australia wary of grassy mirage

THE shocking sight of a green oasis in the desert is likely to prove more of a mirage for Australia’s fast bowlers in Abu Dhabi.

Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle bowled in excruciating heat at yesterday’s main training session and Australia appears almost certain to stick with an unchanged line-up for the series-deciding Test against Pakistan.

But Australia did arrive to the mystery of a green, entirely grass-covered pitch, worlds apart from the dry, barren deck that confronted them two days out from the corresponding Test match against Pakistan in 2014.

The Abu Dhabi deck is known for being even flatter than Dubai and often turns more on days four and five, but the Australians are now intrigued to see what the picture looks like on match eve.

Back in 2013, in a Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the fast bowlers struck gold in the first session, but it didn’t last long and the surface soon flattened out for the typical runs-fest. The grass covering is unlikely to mean seam or swing but it might lessen the skiddy nature of the pitch that the Australians are used to seeing in these parts.

There was absolutely nothing in the first Test Dubai pitch for Starc, who battled his way through 40-odd overs for only one wicket.

Consideration may have been given to resting Starc had Pakistan won the first Test, but the prospect of winning in Asia for the first time since 2011 almost guarantees Australia will play its chief strike weapon.