Michael Clarke says SCG wicket pace-friendly for 5th Test

Sydney: Australia captain Michael Clarke says he's never seen more grass on a Sydney Cricket Ground pitch and predicts it will suit a pace bowling attack as the home side attempts to complete a 5-0 Ashes sweep over England.

The state of the wicket could see fast bowler James Faulkner included for the test beginning tomorrow, possibly to replace middle-order batsman George Bailey. It would be Australia's first change to the starting XI in the series.

If Australia doesn't make any changes, it would be just the fourth team to do that in a five-Test series. Only England against Australia in 1884-85, South Africa against England in 1905-06 and the West Indies against Australia in 1991 were able to retain the same starting lineup in a five-Test series.

Clarke admitted it would be "extremely romantic" to maintain the same team for the fifth consecutive Test, but said it wouldn't alter coach Darren Lehmann's policy to pick the best XI for every match.

"If conditions turn out to be similar to what they have been in the past four Test matches then I think selectors will go that way," Clarke said today. "But we certainly need to pick our best team to win this Test match."

Bailey has struggled in his debut Test series, averaging 27.20 runs with just one half-century, while Faulkner is a bowling all-rounder with a first-class bowling average of 142 wickets at 23. "It might whiten up a little bit but that is as much grass as I have seen on an SCG pitch," Clarke said. "It feels pretty hard at the moment. Looking at it today I think it will certainly suit the fast bowlers."

The only other likely changes to the Australia team would come from injuries. All-rounder Shane Watson injured his groin while bowling during the Melbourne Test and fast bowler Ryan Harris has had knee and foot soreness throughout the series. But both bowled in the team's final net session today.

"I don't have any idea of the team at this stage," Clarke said. "We're waiting to see how the guys pull up tomorrow (Friday) morning."

Clarke says he expects England to make some changes, including recalling dumped wicketkeeper Matt Prior. "He's been an important player for England over a long time," Clarke said of Prior. "I think you can see the benefit of (wicketkeeper) Brad Haddin in our team, just with his experience.

"Obviously (Haddin's) performances have been great but his experience being our vice-captain is crucial to our team and I think Matty's probably very similar to Brad in regards to his worth to the England team."

England to stick with Bairstow behind the stumps

England to stick with Bairstow behind the stumps

Sydney: Captain Alastair Cook says Jonny Bairstow will continue behind the stumps for England in the final Ashes Test starting tomorrow despite support for the experienced Matt Prior from rival skipper Michael Clarke.

Prior was dropped for Bairstow for the fourth Test in Melbourne after an indifferent series but his understudy gave a mixed performance, dropping a catch and failing to respond to a snick from Chris Rogers when he was on 19, with the opener going on to score a century.

Clarke said Prior's vast experience was needed by England as they seek to deny Australia a 5-0 whitewash in Sydney, but Cook said Bairstow would get another chance as wicketkeeper.

"I think Jonny deserves another chance. It's very difficult to come in for one Test match," Cook said today. "We know he's a very talented cricketer, he's got another opportunity in this Test match to show that."

Australian captain Clarke said England missed the big-match experience of Prior, who has 75 Test caps. "I would be surprised if Matt Prior doesn't get recalled back into their team. Being a senior player with the amount of experience he has, I think they've certainly missed that," Clarke said at his media conference on the eve of the Test.

"He's been an important player for England over a long period of time. I think you can see the benefit of (wicketkeeper) Brad Haddin in our team, just with his experience," he added.

But while Prior has an impressive Test batting average of more than 40, Cook said he did not deserve to be in the England team on form. "He's still a fantastic cricketer, he's 31. He's still got a lot of Test cricket available to him if he wants it," the England captain said.

There is speculation that England could field fresh faces in Sydney, with Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick and Boyd Rankin -- all yet to play Test cricket -- in the frame. Cook did not discount the possibility.

"I think it's possible, yes. We need to assess (spinner) Monty (Panesar) after training today. He's had a bit of a sore calf from yesterday but we will see how he pulls through training today and make a decision on him either today or tomorrow," he said.

Cook, who has faced criticism of his captaincy, particularly from Australian spin legend Shane Warne, said he had to be true to himself. "I have to be the man I have to be. I can't change because Shane Warne says I need to change totally. I can certainly look at his stuff and he might have a point on some of it," he said.

"But if I listen to every person, your whole mind gets muddled anyway. I have to be true to myself, think about what's best for me and this England side. "That nature of a captain especially is there's a number of decisions where you could go a different way. That's why you're responsible for making those decisions. You can't be thinking someone in the commentary box might be thinking something else."

Warne has often criticised Cook as a negative skipper with his field placements and says he finds his tactics boring and unimaginative.

England faces Ashes whitewash

England faces Ashes whitewash

Sydney: Battered England are desperate to avoid the ignominy of a 5-0 series whitewash against Australia as they scramble to salvage some pride in the final Ashes Test in Sydney starting tomorrow.

Alastair Cook's team -- coming off a dispiriting eight-wicket loss in the fourth Test in Melbourne -- face becoming only the third English side to lose an Ashes series 5-0 to their oldest rivals.

It has been a tour from hell for England with the loss of senior players Jonathan Trott (stress) and Graeme Swann (retirement), star players out of form and Kevin Pietersen admitting his team-mates are "mentally fragile" from playing in back-to-back Ashes series.

England have so far used 15 players and there are expected to be changes for Sydney, with Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick and Steven Finn mentioned as possibilities. In contrast, Australia have been unchanged in all four Tests.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes the tourists will be unable to stop the Mitchell Johnson-led Aussie juggernaut in Sydney with the same team that succumbed in Melbourne in four days. "It is not easy for them. England will not do this with the same XI. There is too much baggage, there are too many scars," he wrote in an English newspaper.

As England's tour has unravelled so has the pressure cranked up on Cook as skipper. "I'm totally responsible as captain for the team and if, at the end of the series, the selectors decide I'm not the best man for the job, then so be it," Cook said after the match in Melbourne, where England surrendered a winning position.

"It would hurt and I've got no plans of going anywhere. I'm desperately trying to use as much of my experience of playing 100 Tests to help turn this team around."

Cook, who dropped two catches on the final day in Melbourne, has called on his fellow senior players to pull out something special for England to avoid the anguish of an Ashes whitewash.
"We've some very good players in our dressing room. We've some record-breaking players who will have some fantastic days left in an England shirt," he said.

"We need that coming out of us now and what we need in Sydney is an outstanding 100 or an outstanding five-for (wickets) and then everyone jumping on the back of that."

Australia, who have made a stunning turnaround since their 3-0 Ashes series defeat in England just months ago, have injury concerns over allrounder Shane Watson (groin) and paceman Ryan Harris (knee).

Allrounder James Faulkner is in line to come into the team and fellow Tasmanian Alex Doolan was also called up to the squad as injury cover. "It would be great to have the same team for all five Tests but I encourage the selectors to pick the best 11 players to help us win this Test," skipper Michael Clarke said.

"If it means making a change then that's what we've always done but I think it would be very special if we win in Sydney to have played all five Tests together. I think that would be an unbelievable feeling."

Johnson needs nine wickets to become the fourth Australian bowler to take 40 wickets or more in an Ashes series along with Terry Alderman (twice), Rodney Hogg and Shane Warne. Of those, only Warne took his 40 wickets in a five-Test series, which Johnson is seeking to emulate.

The Sydney Cricket Ground is traditionally a spin-friendly wicket and England have won two of the past three Ashes Tests played there.