Rare clear forecast for SL-NZ finale

Match facts

Thursday, November 21, 2013
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)

Big Picture

Fans who have followed this series so far may want to sit down before reading the following sentence: rain is not expected to affect the second Twenty20.

By even Sri Lankan monsoon standards, New Zealand's tour has been a miserably soggy one. Fewer than half the scheduled overs have been played, and two of the four matches were washed out. Even the games that produced results did not avoid controversy. Sri Lanka were hampered by a wet ball in their loss in Hambantota, and a irrepressible Nathan McCullum was denied the chance to chase unlikely victory by bad light, in Dambulla.

So in many ways, the whole tour rests on this final match - as long as the weather forecast proves accurate. If Sri Lanka win it, they can claim to have had the better of their opposition, as they were expected to do. A New Zealand victory, meanwhile, will be a coup, and a substantial boost to their confidence ahead of their next subcontinent assignment: the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, four months hence.

The thorniest of the visitors' obstacles is perhaps Sri Lanka's bowling. Almost every member of the hosts' attack feels comfortable at Pallekele, and they have won all but one of their seven completed matches at the venue. In that time, Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis have taken five-wicket hauls, and Nuwan Kulasekara has carved out a bowling average better than his overall figures.

New Zealand will hope, though, that their own attack, which possesses the type of seam bowlers who have done well at Pallekele, can get through a daunting top four and into that less steady middle order. It is what they have talked about doing all tour, a plan that they have found difficult to put in practice, as many other sides have, in the recent past.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

 Sri Lanka: WLLWW
New Zealand: WWLWL



In the spotlight

Before the second match, New Zealand's acting captain talked of Ajantha Mendis as a particular threat to the inexperienced batsmen who have not seen him before. Although New Zealand are sure to have watched plenty of Mendis video in their preparation, in the past, Mendis' threat has only ever been dulled by actually having played him in a match. Almost pigeonholed as a Twenty20 player now, Mendis remains one of the best bowlers in the format, but he will want to impose himself again, with competition for spin bowlers' places in the team having heated up.

Terrific when he's good, but pretty poor on a bad day, Mitchell McClenaghan has done little to allay the notion that left-armers named Mitch are not pillars of consistency. He had a forgettable tour of Bangladesh, where he was expensive in every match, and was perhaps the worst of the New Zealand bowlers in the first ODI in Sri Lanka as well. After being dropped for the second ODI, though, he came back with what Mills said was his best performance of the tour, in Dambulla, taking 2 for 34 in seven overs. If he can keep that form up, he may be one of his side's best assets on one of the most seam-friendly surfaces in the subcontinent.

Team news

It is unlikely Sri Lanka will try anything fancy in this match, and will instead play its best XI, with eyes on that trophy. The major question is whether Kusal Perera will get a match, which Dinesh Chandimal suggested he is likely to do. If he does not play, Mahela Jayawardene is likely to open the innings and Lahiru Thirimanne will remain in the middle order.

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera/Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5. Angelo Mathews, 6. Dinesh Chandimal (capt), 7. Thisara Perera, 8. Nuwan Kulasekara, 9. Sachithra Senanayake, 10. Lasith Malinga, 11. Ajantha Mendis

An injury to allrounder James Neesham's finger means he is ruled out of this match, which may clear the path for fast bowler Adam Milne's return. Anton Devcich has not fired with the bat this tour, and Hamish Rutherford will be pushing for a place again, while Neil Broom will likely replace Rob Nicol in the top order.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Anton Devcich/Hamish Rutherford, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Neil Broom, 4 Grant Elliott, 5 Colin Munro, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 James Neesham, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Andrew Ellis, 10 Kyle Mills (capt), 11 Mitchell McClenaghan

Pitch and conditions

The Pallekele pitch has tended to provide assistance to seam bowling under lights, though it has also been a happy venue for spinners. There is a small chance of afternoon rain, which may mean the covers stay on during the day, which in turn may provide yet more assistance to the quick men.

Stats and trivia

• Of New Zealand's last five scheduled Twenty20s in Pallekele, they have lost one, tied two (both of which they lost in the Super Over) and had two abandoned due to rain
• In six innings, Mahela Jayawardene has hit the most runs in Pallekele, making 274 at 54.80, with a strike rate of 133

Quotes

"Kusal Perera is immensely talented. He can win a game on his own, but he needs to get more experience. He had done well in domestic cricket and for the A team. If he is up there when we get closer to the World T20, he will be on one of our key match-winners."
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal backs Kusal Perera to overcome his international slump

"Mendis is a quality player. We expected him to play in the one-day series, so we did a bit of research and scouting - especially for the new guys that haven't seen him before. We're anticipating he'll play on Thursday night."
New Zealand acting captain Kyle Mills

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TN batsmen face UP bowling test

Meerut may have a reputation as a crowded industrial place, but the sprawling Victoria Park adds a much-needed expanse of green to the town. It houses the Bhamashah Stadium, which is surrounded by more open spaces for Meerut's young cricketers to train in, much like the city's two most famous cricketers, Praveen Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, did over the past few years.

Several knots of cricketers - in full whites and with proper equipment - are practising there on the day before the Ranji match between Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A short walk past them takes you to the main ground, where next to a whitewashed wall that serves as one of the sightscreens, several dozen spectators are watching the two Ranji teams train.

This is the biggest match of the year for Meerut, and signs of that are all around. The ground itself is surrounded by temporary billboards, advertising everything from real estate to fertilisers, and also includes tributes to Sachin Tendulkar as well as notable Meerut cricketers. The boards denoting the scorers box, the media enclosure and the teams' dressing rooms, all sport a distinctive logo with the words 'Ranji Trophy cricket match'.

A wide, white, single-storeyed building - the O'Donnell pavilion, named after a former principal of Meerut College, which owns the ground - is a hub of activity as the organisers try to ensure everything is in order for the match.

Just ahead of the pavilion, some of the UP players are practising taking high catches. It's a nippy, winter morning and the cold isn't making training easy. "Lag rahi hain yaar (it's stinging)," says one of the fielders, wringing his hands after snaffling a skier. The weather will take even more adjusting to for the visitors, with maximum temperatures in Tamil Nadu still well above 30 degrees.

The match itself is being billed as a clash between UP's strong bowling and Tamil Nadu's formidable batting. Tamil Nadu have scored in excess of 450 in the first innings of both their matches this season, with B Aparajith and S Badrinath both having scored double-hundreds, and UP captain Piyush Chawla knew what his side was up against. "They have got one of the best batting sides and we have got one of the better bowling sides in Ranji Trophy circuit," Chawla said. "It should be a good contest."

It doesn't help UP, though, that both of Meerut's finest bowlers are not available for this game. Praveen is out with a shoulder injury and Bhuvneshwar is away on national duty.

Chawla and his bowlers are coming off a rough game in Rajkot, where Saurashtra piled up a mammoth total. Chawla bowled 51.5 overs in one innings. Little wonder then that the only time he got animated, during a short press conference, was when he spoke about the state of pitches in the country.

"Wickets are quite flat these days, and if it is not flat, then it is seaming, so it becomes really difficult for the spin bowlers. Even if you see the list of highest wicket-takers in the last few years in Ranji Trophy, you won't find many spinners in that, hardly one in top 10 or something. So that is a challenge, for a spinner to come on these sort of wickets and bowl your best and try to pick up something out of these nothing tracks."

Neither captain wanted to elaborate on how they thought the Meerut track would behave, but the surface generally favoured quick bowlers in the three matches held here over the past four years.

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Leadership curbing Chandimal's spirit

While Dinesh Chandimal has shown the aptitude to captain Sri Lanka, he seems to be shackled by it, and this has badly affected in his limited-overs batting of late

When Sri Lanka appointed Tillakaratne Dilshan captain in 2011, he rushed back mid-IPL to accept the post. The man that appeared before the press shortly after was unlike any Dilshan that had been seen before. The designer beard had been replaced by a plain goatee, the earring had vanished, and he spoke and behaved in a manner he felt was fitting for an international captain.

Yet, despite his efforts, there was something amiss about his new public avatar. Beneath the weight of all that responsibility, Dilshan had lost something of himself. A man who struggles to get his point across in any language was suddenly wading through scores of interviews in his second language, stumbling over rote-learned lines, slipping on generic phrases.

There were occasional outbursts of mirth, like when Sri Lanka won their first Test in South Africa, but Dilshan mostly caged his mischief, and the team and his own form could not wear his feigned virtues well. It was not until he was relieved of the reins that he truly regained himself. The two years since have been among the most productive of his career, in limited-overs cricket in particular.

Dilshan's tale should inspire caution in Sri Lanka's selectors and the young men they are grooming for leadership. Angelo Mathews had two years as vice-captain before he was placed in charge, and perhaps thanks to that incubation period, there has been no serious slip in his cricket - though there have been no substantial gains either.

Dinesh Chandimal has not been so fortunate. In 23 limited-overs innings since March, Chandimal has not hit one fifty. In ODIs he averages 16.81 and has scored his runs at a strike rate of 62. In four Twenty20 knocks, his average is in the single figures.

There is no doubt that he is batting woefully out of position, and is often tasked with finishing the innings - a job which his cricket is patently not suited to. But even so, his returns have been appalling. Worse, he must now seek to build a side for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, where he, ostensibly, will lead the campaign.

There can equally be no doubt in Chandimal's ability. On Test debut, he withstood Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Marchant de Lange, to produce two half-centuries that were vital for Sri Lanka's innings, and their eventual, famous win. In his first ODI at Lord's he arrived at No. 3 to lead the chase, and hit a hundred in what he feels is still his best cricketing moment. In Sydney this year, and in Colombo, he has played Test innings that have required considerable fortitude in tough situations. In the longest format, he still averages 58.

But, like Dilshan, there is something clearly amiss with Chandimal now. He has allowed leadership to curb his spirit. The big, extravagant strokes replete with the high follow-through, the deft trips down the pitch, the exuberance - even in defence - have all given way to cautious prods and unsteady footwork. He had quickly gained a reputation as team mischief-maker soon after he arrived at the top level, but now he is fretful and afraid, at the crease and in public.

After Tuesday's washout, a journalist had jovially asked him what he did on wet, miserable nights. Conceding a smile, but turning around to the team manager to confirm that he should answer, Chandimal launched into a 90-second description on how he and his young team-mates spend their time extracting nuggets of cricketing wisdom from the older men, on how to face certain balls and particular bowlers.

Not only that, he said, they cluster together and go from senior player to senior player, like ascetics learning at the feet of learned gurus. It was the most correct thing to say, perhaps, and exceptionally uncontroversial, but unless Sri Lanka's youngsters are the most hideously boring 20-something-year-olds on the planet, it probably wasn't completely true either.

Unlike Dilshan, Chandimal has already proven to be a gifted captain. He is rarely short of ideas, thinks laterally and has the makings of a fine record. Accordingly, Sri Lanka's selectors are unlikely to strip him of the captaincy, particularly considering the potential for damage to Chandimal's confidence.

As a leader, though, he has not learnt to feel comfortable in his own skin. Unless he rediscovers the verve that once propelled his cricket and made him such a joy to watch, his batting may continue to be a poor reflection of his personality and his talent.

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Broad silences early boos

Lunch Australia 71 for 2 (Warner 42*, Clarke 0*) v England
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Stuart Broad received the hostile welcome he knew was inevitable at the Gabba but, at lunch on the first morning of the Ashes series, he left the field with an air of satisfaction. He carried England's challenge with wickets at both ends of the session, Chris Rogers in his second over and Shane Watson in the last over before the break, as England curbed a confident Australia start.

Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, found himself resisting an attacking field from Broad for the last three balls of the session when he might have anticipated taking lunch in more relaxed circumstances. David Warner was at his most dependable in reaching the interval with 42 to his name but Watson did not quite accompany him to the end of the session, deceived by a hint of late movement to edge to Graeme Swann at second slip.

The Gabba has been noisier, it has certainly been more impassioned, but as the morning progressed a sense of quiet satisfaction permeated the ground. The vilification, predictably, was reserved for Broad but even that abuse was restricted to boos as his name was announced and a couple of desultory and unimaginative chants.

Brisbane's regional paper, in a fake show of disgust, is refusing to refer to Broad by name throughout the Test. Suitably, Broad, appointed as the Man With No Name, went about his work with the stony expression of Clint Eastwood in the film so titled, communicating that there was serious business to attend to.

England would have been grateful for a ball change a few overs earlier. It was Broad who pursued it, and won it. Another low trick, one wonders?

Broad accounted for Rogers in his second over; Rogers had only made a single when he was caught off the splice by Ian Bell in the gully.

The weather in Brisbane was set fair and so, almost but not quite, were Australia. They had not been short of confident predictions ahead of the return series and they sorely needed to back it up with a confident start.

It was a good toss for Clarke, to win. A few lonely clouds hung around blue skies to no great purpose and, although the pitch had decent bounce and carry, and enough moisture to give England hope, there was not the sideways movement they might have anticipated.

It was a tight contest, with England restoring control after an initial flurry by Warner. The restructuring of Warner's game is central to Australia's challenge and, with four centuries to his name this season, he was at his most orderly. He did allow himself a more aggressive opening statement, responding to Broad's first delivery - perhaps unintentionally short as his front foot slipped in the crease - by pulling it resoundingly in front of square. Battle was joined, too, with James Anderson as he drove him fulsomely then edged short of gully.

England opted for Chris Tremlett as their third seamer, a show of faith after an indifferent county season and Matt Prior was fit to resume his wicketkeeping role after a calf injury. Tremlett was cut to the boards by Watson in his first over, but although he did not carry much threat both he and Graeme Swann succeeded in giving England the control they craved.

England's biggest scare came for Anderson 20 minutes before lunch. It is a new outfield and Anderson's attempts to slide on it to deny Warner a boundary through midwicket resulted in a huge divot tearing from the turf. Memories of Simon Jones' injury when his knee dug into the Brisbane turf on the opening day of the 2002-03 tour briefly flared, but whereas Jones' tour - and almost his career - ended in an instant, Anderson brushed the mud from his trousers and rose to his feet, relieved to have suffered no permanent damage. That "no diving" orders would go out to the bowlers at lunch seemed inevitable.

Earlier, George Bailey became Australia's 436th Test cap and was presented with the Baggy Green before start of play by a former captain, Mark Taylor. Only four players remained from Australia's first Test of last summer against South Africa. There was enough for Australia in the session to bring hopes among home supporters that this rebuilt XI can make it a contest.

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Injured Neesham out of final T20

New Zealand allrounder James Neesham has been ruled out of the second T20 against Sri Lanka to be held on November 21 in Pallekele. The injury that ruled him out was a result of a sprain he sustained on the little finger of his left hand in the third ODI in Dambulla.

Neesham had injured the finger while fielding a return hit by Nuwan Kulasekara off his own bowling. The following day, an x-ray revealed no fracture to the bone, but a subsequent ultrasound showed there was moderate damage to the tendon. If the first T20 had gone ahead, without rain intervening, then Neesham would not have played in it either, as he had been ruled out of both T20 matches.

Paul Close, the New Zealand physiotherapist, believed Neesham would need at least a month to recover. "It's important we allow Jimmy's finger sufficient time to heal in order to achieve a full recovery. We expect Jimmy to be back playing again in around four to six weeks."

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RCA poll glitch stalls Modi comeback

Lalit Modi's plan of returning as a cricket administrator in India, via the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) elections, has been put on hold because of confusion over the election dates. The association is split into two factions, each of which has announced an election date, and the dispute over who controls the RCA is now being contested in various courts across Rajasthan.

Modi had been banned for life by the BCCI from all cricket matters in India but the ban was stayed by the Rajasthan High Court in October, following which he announced his intention to run for the RCA president's post. His appeal before the court exploited a technicality - since the RCA is governed by the Rajasthan Sports Act, the BCCI ban cannot be applied to him - and the court agreed with his contention.

The incumbent, CP Joshi, then advanced the election date from December 7 to November 23 while the opposing faction announced it would hold the election on November 24. Those dates, however, are now a matter for the courts to decide.

Modi said his decision to make a comeback - he became the RCA president in 2005 - was because of the way Joshi had ignored cricket in Rajasthan. "Cricket has taken a beating in Rajasthan. My opponent has not done anything for the game. I was hoping as a federal minister he [Joshi] would have done a lot but I am disappointed. We had worked very, very hard and it is about time we start getting our act together," Modi told ESPNcricinfo from London.

He said he'd been in touch with various district associations within Rajasthan and was expecting healthy support on the elections. "I have good support from various associations and we are looking forward to the elections on November 23 and 24."

Modi's ally in the current campaign is Sanjay Dixit, a senior bureaucrat who had helped Joshi defeat him in a bitterly fought RCA election in 2009. Dixit, who was elected RCA secretary, was a vocal critic of Modi's autocratic style of functioning but he and Joshi too fell out. Dixit was then replaced by KK Sharma as the officiating secretary at RCA.

On Monday, Dixit issued a press release pointing out to an order passed by the RCA election officer that stated that he had returned to function as the secretary while deciding to "divest KK Sharma of all functions with effect from October 28". Dixit himself announced the elections on November 24.

Asked why he had decided to join hands with Dixit, Modi said both men were on the same page as far as cricket was concerned. "Sanjay and I were together as far as cricket is concerned. Then we had differences on certain issues. But he is a strong cricket administrator without doubt, which we had seen when I had left and he came in briefly at RCA. But he had a difference of opinion with Joshi and he was disappointed by the non-performance of the RCA," Modi said.

Modi and Dixit might be positive about their alliance but there is no clarity and certainty about the poll dates. The biggest hurdle surrounds the legitimacy of the list of candidates and voters. There are 33 voters, one from each of the affiliated district units of RCA. Even though both Joshi and Modi are in both lists, their alleged attempt to push their own supporters into the final lists has only worsened the situation.

"What most of the voters have been demanding is a free and fair election and I am ready for that," Dixit said. "But the other party is not agreeing to, which has caused confusion. The voter list is being changed by them to suit themselves and it has resulted in multiple litigations. In a field of 33, if you change seven voters, it is as good as sealing the fate of the election."

The Sharma faction's response was similar as it blamed the Modi-Dixit combine for creating the mess.

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Batsmen set for easier ride

It does not have the cult following of the English county circuit or the scale and speed of the Indian system but South Africa's first-class competition is a competitive breeding ground that continues to supply the No. 1 Test team with players ready to make the step up.

Last summer was a bowler's tournament. The top three wicket-takers claimed 134 scalps between them, the most in the last four seasons, while the top run-scorer made only 776 runs. South Africa's stock of seamers rose with Kyle Abbott making a Test debut, Wayne Parnell finding form and the likes of Beuran Hendricks and Ayabulela Gqamane coming to the fore.

Naturally, that left South Africa a little short on batsmen, particularly in the top order. The playing field is expected to even out this season. With the competition starting later in the year, when pitches have calmed down a touch, it should provide the perfect contest.

Cobras

The defending champions have already enjoyed a good start to the season, having shared the one-day cup with Titans. They are led by the experienced Justin Ontong, who is now in his 17th season, and have the likes of Justin Kemp and Andrew Puttick to mentor the younger players. With the frequency at which their players graduate to the national team, this will again be a tournament to blood a fresh crop.

Watch out for
An exciting selection of players in all departments has given Cobras some interesting options this season. The focus will be on batsmen Yaseen Vallie, quick bowler Lizaad Williams and offspinner Dane Piedt who will all look to secure regular places. Stiaan van Zyl, second on the run-charts last year, will hope to use this summer to push for national selection.

Lions

The Johannesburg-based team almost caught Cobras last summer but were too far behind to leapfrog them. They've struggled with a host of injuries at the start of this season and with some of their players on national duty, their depth has been under scrutiny. Having worked hard to clamber their way out of mediocrity last season, the Lions are unlikely to throw that away easily.

Watch out for
Imran Tahir was rehabilitated at Lions after his Adelaide nightmare and has become a feature in all three formats for South Africa. Lonwabo Tsotsobe will hope for the same for himself. The loss of his Test place coincided with the rise of Vernon Philander but Tsotsobe has intentions to get it back and hopes to show that this summer. Quinton de Kock will be hopeful of something similar. Now a firm fixture in South Africa's limited-overs team, the young wicket-keeper batsman will look to hone his longer form game and show he is capable as a Test player as well.

Dolphins

Lance Klusener's maiden season in charge in 2012-13 was about turning Dolphins into a competitive unit again. They finished in third place. In his follow-up summer, Klusener wants to win something. Dolphins missed out on a place in the one-day cup final after being the form team of the competition and will want to make amends. They are under a new captain in Morne van Wyk and seem to be responding well to his style.

Watch out for
Dolphins are the only team with an overseas professional playing in all formats and Graham Onions will be the focus of their campaign. He was instrumental in Durham's victory in the County championship where he took 70 wickets at 18.45, numbers not good enough to earn an Ashes place but numbers Dolphins would love replicated. His influence on Kyle Abbott will also be important as Abbott looks to earn himself more Tests for South Africa.

Warriors

A shift in focus last season saw Warriors place more emphasis on the first-class format. They finished fourth, winning four games and losing four - with two drawn - which may not seem very fruitful but there were positives. They totalled 100 points in the competition, which Rusty Theron revealed was a first for them, "in a long time". Their bowlers were their strength but they are still in search of batsmen with the temperament to help them total over 400.

Watch out for
Ashwell Prince has a reputation for grinding it out and will have to serve as an example to the likes of Colin Ingram. Ryan Bailey's inclusion from the Knights should also bolster their batting. Parnell, who had a good season with bat and ball last summer, will try to use the campaign to show his Test worthiness while bowling talent in Gqamane, Theron and Simon Harmer will all be on the national selectors' radar.

Knights

Bloemfontein is known for being hot and dry but the Knights 2012-13 first-class competition was ruined by weather. Their home town was not to blame as all three of their abandoned matches were away from home. A lack of competitive edge saw them draw three others and finish with only one win. Having done well in seasons past piling on big totals rather than going for wins, they failed to adjust to the new allocation of points which rewards teams for victories far more than it used to, when high-scoring draws could still result in a good overall position on the table. They will need to get the balance right this time.

Watch out for
Dean Elgar is an opening batsman by trade and will be eyeing that position in the Test team, especially given the lack of form of Alviro Petersen. Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks can always be counted on to notch up big runs but there will be keen interest in Diego Rosier, an under-19 player looking to make his mark.

Titans

Last season's last-place team have already come back well this summer. They shared the one-day cup and are making big strides under new coach Rob Walter. They have an impressive arsenal of players that includes former international batsman Jacques Rudolph, the aggressive Roelof van der Merwe and the all-round skill of Albie Morkel. Combined with their younger hopes, they could be seen as serious title-contenders this time.

Watch out for
A stress fracture kept Marchant de Lange out of most of last season but he is back, bowling quickly and wants another shot at Test cricket. Farhaan Behardien is another player who is also keen to work his way back into the South African side while Henry Davids, who is part of the T20 squad, will want to display his longer-form credentials.

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Australia all talk, but can they back it up?

Match facts

November 21-25, Gabba, Brisbane
Start time 1000 (0000 GMT)

Big Picture

Three months ago - is that all? - England stood on a dais at The Oval and were presented with the Ashes urn amid fading light and fireworks. Under normal circumstances, they would have had 18 months to revel in their success before defending the prize, but 2013 is anything but a typical Ashes year. The presence of the World Cup in Australia on next summer's calendar meant a clash with the Ashes, and a rescheduling was required. As a result, Michael Clarke and his men have an almost immediate chance to redeem themselves, and there is a sense of optimism among Australian fans.

It is tempting to view that enthusiasm as misplaced, given Australia's 3-0 loss in England and the yawning gap in experience between the players of both sides. Make no mistake, England should win this series, for they are more settled, more experienced and more familiar with the winning feeling. Yes, Australia were on top in several Tests in England this year, but the fact that they let those winning positions slip is not an encouraging sign. Australia have not won a Test since Michael Hussey's retirement in January, and since the start of the last Australian summer, the only team they have beaten in a Test is Sri Lanka.

That the squad chosen for the Gabba Test was described by many observers as "stable" said more about Australia's shambolic year than anything else. George Bailey is uncapped, Shane Watson is an accidental No.3 due only to his hundred there at The Oval, Mitchell Johnson was not even on the Ashes tour to England, Darren Lehmann has been coach for less than six months. Only four of the XI from last summer's opening Gabba Test against South Africa - Clarke, David Warner, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon - are in this team. Stability is relative.

England are not immune to changes, including the Michael Carberry-Joe Root switch, but it is worth noting that 11 members of their Ashes squad played in their 2010-11 triumph in Australia. The conditions are not so foreign to England as they once might have been. At the Gabba last time, England piled up 1 for 517 in their second innings. In the lead-up to the first Test, Warner said he felt England might fear Australia given the way they played at times in England this year. It's easy to talk the talk, now Australia must walk the walk.

Form guide

England: DWDWW
Australia: DLDLL

Players to watch

For all the talk from within the Australian camp that Mitchell Johnson could win them the series, the fact is that he wouldn't have been part of this team but for injuries to James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and perhaps Jackson Bird. It is true that Johnson made several Indian batsmen jump with his pace and bounce during the recent ODIs and he does seem to be bowling quicker than ever, but sustaining that and maintaining accuracy through five days of a Test match is a vastly different challenge. Australia's best bet is to use Johnson in short, sharp spells.

One of the most encouraging things for England at home this year was that they won the Ashes comfortably without Alastair Cook reaching anything close to his best form. His top score in the series was 62, but his memories of the last series in Australia are exceptionally pleasing - he made three centuries including an unbeaten 235 in the opener at the Gabba. Regardless of the lack of top-class bowling England have faced in their warm-ups, his 154 against Australia A at Bellerive Oval and his 81 in Sydney last week are also positive signs.

Team news

Australia have chosen a 12-man squad, meaning their only decision is whether to include the allrounder James Faulkner as an extra bowling option. Shane Watson is expected to bowl only a small amount if at all due to his troublesome hamstring, which could encourage the selectors to take in an extra bowler, but the more likely scenario is three fast men, one spinner and George Bailey to make his debut at No.6.

Australia (probable) 1 Chris Rogers, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Steven Smith, 6 George Bailey, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 Nathan Lyon.

The main change from the England side that won at home this year is the inclusion of Michael Carberry at the top of the order to open with Alastair Cook, which was also allowed Joe Root to slide down to No.6, the position occupied by Jonny Bairstow for much of the home series. Matt Prior suffered a calf tear during the warm-up match in Hobart and remains in doubt, and Bairstow would keep wicket if Prior is ruled out. The other key decision is on which fast bowler will join James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and Chris Tremlett may have the edge over Boyd Rankin and Steven Finn.

England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Michael Carberry, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Joe Root, 7 Matt Prior / Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Chris Tremlett, 11 James Anderson.

Pitch and conditions

The Gabba pitch is renowned for offering some pace and movement early, before flattening out for the batsmen, and this year should be no different. The forecast for Thursday is mostly sunny and 30C, but all four remaining days show the chance of a storm and showers. However, the drainage is so good at the Gabba that provided the covers are put on quickly, play can usually resume soon after the weather clears.

Stats and trivia

• Kevin Pietersen will become the 10th man to reach the milestone of 100 Tests for England
• Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988-89
• This will be Ryan Harris' first Test match at his adopted home ground
• Since Richard Hadlee's famous 9 for 52 in 1985-86, the best innings figures by a visiting bowler at the Gabba were Steven Finn's 6 for 125 on the last Ashes tour, but he appears unlikely to play at the venue this time

Quotes

"Australia has a proud record at the Gabba. This is a record we want to enhance … The extra pace and bounce of the Gabba makes for exciting cricket."
Michael Clarke, Australia's captain

"We all know that despite all the hype beforehand, what happens in the lead-up is irrelevant. A lot of words are said, a lot of mind games supposedly happen, but come Thursday morning with the crowd behind them, that's when it counts."
Alastair Cook, the England captain

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New Zealand bank on familiarity with Pallekele

New Zealand acting captain Kyle Mills has banked on his side's batting form, and their experience in Pallekele ahead of New Zealand's first T20 against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand have been the most frequent international visitors to the venue, having played four ODIs and six T20s there since the stadium debuted in 2010. They have never beaten Sri Lanka in any format in Pallekele, but Mills suggested the ground held few surprises for his side, particularly after they had played here at a similar time last year.

"We have played a reasonable amount of cricket here. In the last T20 World Cup we had a few games here and quite a few ODI games as well. We know it swings around at night time. When we played Pakistan here Ross Taylor got a big hundred. We batted first got a decent score and it swung around at night. If the environmental conditions are right - if it's quite humid - it will possibly swing around again."

New Zealand's batting has rescued the team in both wins on their subcontinent trip, and Mills affirmed his batsmen's ability to transform a match in a short space of time. Nathan McCullum has been in particularly impressive form in the series, having hit 32 off 9 balls to pull off an unlikely win in Hambantota, while others in the lower middle order have also produced. New Zealand hit 204 for 5 in their last T20, in Bangladesh.

"The late order guys have been in pretty good form the whole way through. The scores we were able to manage in the series here and also in Bangladesh when we scored 200 in a T20 game and 300 in a 50-over game was really good. McCullum's been in good form the whole way through and he had a pretty good Champions league and A series in Sri Lanka. We bat pretty deep so we've got full confidence in our batting order. Hopefully the top order can score a few more runs."

Mills said that New Zealand will also use this series to tune-up ahead of the World T20 in Bangladesh. They have four scheduled T20s before the tournament - including two against West Indies - and he relished the chance to develop depth in similar conditions to those they will encounter in March.

"We have already started preparing for the World T20. You could see that over the last couple of months, with the introduction of some young players. Some of them have really stood up, so with the T20 games remaining between now and the World Cup, you see those guys come to the forefront. Our whole objective is to find a squad to try and win the tournament."

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Victoria appeal Wade suspension

Victoria will appeal the suspension of captain Matthew Wade after he was banned for one Sheffield Shield match and fined half of his match fee for pitch tampering.

Wade was reported by the umpires during last week's Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart, where he was alleged to have altered the state of the pitch while scoring 119 in his side's first innings. Wade denied the charge of unfair play and was given a hearing in front of match referee Daryl Harper, who upheld the charge.

"Cricket Victoria has this afternoon advised Cricket Austraia that it will appeal the Code of Behaviour finding that was handed down against Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers captain Matthew Wade during the team's 129-run victory against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena at the weekend," Cricket Victoria said in a statement on Tuesday. "Cricket Victoria will await further advice from Cricket Australia in respect to the appeal process."

Victoria's next match is against Western Australia in Perth starting on Friday.

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