Cairns -  As Pakistan gears up to face Australia, that too in their den, head coach Mickey Arthur believes his team has the capability and the pace artillery to trouble the Aussies’ fresh-batting line-up. Pakistan is currently in Australia to play a three-Test series beginning from December 15 at the Gabba in Brisbane.

After making drastic changes for the third and the final Test against South Africa a fortnight ago, the Australian selectors are likely to go for a much needed stability when they would name their squad for the Brisbane Test starting next week. On the other hand, Pakistan, which have produced bowling legends like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, doesn’t have similar kind of names. But Arthur believes his side has the bowling attack which can create serious pressure on the Aussie batsman and can cause a lot of trouble.

 “Our attack is good enough to get 20 wickets, we just have to get enough runs and that’s something we’re working extremely hard at,” stated Arthur. “There’s a lot of obstacles to get over for us. This is like Australia playing in India, conditions are totally opposite for us. If we can master the conditions, which we’re working very hard at, and have belief to play well in these conditions we’re as good a chance as any. We have wonderfully skilled players but they’re out of their comfort zone now, just like Australia are when they go to India,” he insisted.

Pinpointing tainted fast bowler M Aamer, the head coach said, “He’s not the pace of Mitchell Starc but his control is very, very good and when he gets the ball to swing he’s as good as any going around. He’s quick enough as well, he’ll be a handful,” he added. The left-arm pacer has served his time- both in the eyes of the game, which gave him a five-year ban, and that of the law after being released three months into a six-month jail term.

Aamer, along with fast bowler Mohammad Asif and former skipper Salman Butt were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behaviour relating to the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal in February 2011. Pakistan, who are coming from a 0-2 lost against New Zealand in two-Test series, have traditionally struggled Down Under, having managed to clinch only four wins from 29 Tests. The Gabba Test will be followed by the second and third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (December 26-30) and Sydney Cricket Ground (January 3-7, 2017) respectively.

Pakistan preparing

for swing and speed

Pakistan batsman Asad Shafiq says the local knowledge of coach Mickey Arthur is proving invaluable as the tourists prepare for a trial by pace in the upcoming three-Test series against Australia.

The Pakistanis are in Cairns for a three-day pink-ball match against a Cricket Australia XI beginning Thursday, with the first Commonwealth Bank Test starting a week later in Brisbane, on December 15.

"Test cricket is always difficult cricket. The challenges over here are different and the challenges in the UAE are different, so we are looking forward to playing good, positive cricket," Shafiq said. "You have to tackle the fast bowlers here, which is a totally different challenge (to the UAE). (Arthur is) giving us all advice because he knows the conditions, he knows everything about here, so he's helping us out a lot," he added.

Shafiq said he was working with Arthur on particular points as he looks to adapt to the bouncier, faster wickets. "About batting, he discusses two or three points with me," Shafiq said. "You have to stick on your cut shot here, because you will get good bounce to cut the ball here, so I am focusing on that. We all are very determined, because we didn't have a very good series in New Zealand, we have to play hard and we have to bounce back. It's my first time in Australia and we are really excited, and we're really hopeful to get a good result," he added.

"That was a very good experience, my first experience (with the pink ball)," he said. "Once I played with it, things got a bit better and clearer – there was not a problem with the visibility of the ball or something like this. The ball wasn't swinging in the UAE when we played a Test there, but we're now expecting some good swing bowling here. So we're preparing ourselves for that swing bowling," Shafiq concluded.