Lara puts reputation at stake

MELBOURNE: The Super Series cricket concept and the reputations of players like Brian Lara and Jacques Kallis are on the line when the World XI lines up today against Australia. The Australians responded to questions marks over their status as cricket’s No 1-ranked nation after the Ashes loss to England with two resounding wins over the World XI this week to secure the limited-overs section of the Super Series with a match to spare. World XI coach John Wright, a former New Zealand batsman who coached India to the World Cup final in 2003, says there’s too much professional pride at stake to treat today’s one-dayer as a dead rubber. As individuals, most members of the World combination have lost to Australia, and most think being part of a combined force is their best way to avenge that, Wright said.

“They’ve seen this as another opportunity to turn the tables. We haven’t done it (yet) —  we don’t enjoy that,” he said. “If you ask anyone who is laying cricket, they want to beat Australia in Australia. “That’s a huge incentive ... and that’s healthy.” West Indian Lara has scored 0 and 5 in two innings and Kallis has struggled with the bat —  and was crucially involved in a mix-up that resulted in batsman Kumar Sangakkara being run out on Friday. Sangakkara was on 61 and flaying the Australian attack as the World XI chased an unlikely 329 to win, and his dismissal sparked the demise. The World XI lost by 55 runs, an improvement on the 93-run defeat in the series-opener two nights earlier. Wright and World XI skipper Shaun Pollock predicted Lara and Kallis were “only two or three shots” off producing a big innings that could swing the momentum. After the final one-dayer today, the series will switch into Test mode, with a six-day match due to start on October 14 in Sydney.

Wright said a lack of cohesion contributed to two costly run-outs on Friday night, but the combinations were still coming together. He said the concept of picking a World XI to challenge the top-ranked team was worth advancing, regardless of the lopsided results so far. “I think the concept is very good, there was some outstanding cricket yesterday,” he said. “It does give a platform for something a bit unique and a bit different, providing it’s not overdone —  we’d just like to get some results out of it ... the losses are hard to take.” His more immediate concern is with the condition of England’s Kevin Pietersen, who strained his right hamstring on Friday night in the field and needed a runner when he went out to bat.

Wright said scans showed the injury wasn’t too serious and a decision on Pietersen’s match fitness would be made Sunday. South Africa paceman Makhaya Ntini, the only player in the 14-man World squad who hasn’t played so far in the series, is a chance to come into the starting line-up. Australia is expected to recall pace spearhead Glenn McGrath, who was rested for the second match, while team medical staff were monitoring opener Simon Katich, who has a groin strain. Katich has been a revelation since being elevated to the top of the order, sharing two big opening stands with Adam Gilchrist, whose hundred off 73 balls on Friday night was an Australian record for one-dayers.

Paceman Stuart Clark marked his international debut with two wickets in game two, but is likely to make way for McGrath’s return. Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds said having fresh faces in the squad had been a tonic for any Test players jaded after the Ashes. The Test team’s “pride was wounded and they were obviously disappointed,” Symonds said. “But they had all to me looked like it had soaked in and they’d thought about it and it was time to do something about it: get chests out again and don’t be ashamed of it.” Before this series, “there was the sense of a new challenge for us all. That’s what has driven us. We’re a very proud side —  we don’t like to be beaten.” (AP)