Australia wait on Peter Siddle

Sitting it out? Peter Siddle could be missing for Australia
10 April 2012

Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle is in doubt for tomorrow's one-day international clash with Pakistan in Adelaide after suffering back soreness following yesterday's win over the tourists.

While the Australians are hopeful Siddle will be fit, the national selection panel has opted to be cautious, bringing Queensland's Ryan Harris into the squad as cover.

Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris: "Peter Siddle experienced some back soreness after last night's ODI in Sydney.

"He'll be assessed during the course of the day tomorrow when a decision on his availability for the match at Adelaide Oval will be made."

Australia will hope not to have to make changes to a side which produced a classy performance with bat and ball to beat Pakistan by 140 runs in Sydney yesterday.

Having posted 267 for six with half-centuries from Shane Watson (69) and Cameron White (55), Australia's bowlers rolled the tourists for a paltry 127 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Coincidentally, the hosts were rolled for the exact same score in the Sydney Test after Ponting elected to bat on an SCG green top.

But while Mohammad Yousuf's decision yesterday to bowl first backfired badly, Ponting could understand his opposite number's thinking.

"The game was obviously set up with the way (Watson) batted at the top," a delighted he said.

"It was a toss - even though I was going to bat - I thought the wicket was going to do a fair bit but our batters just didn't let their bowlers settle in and hit a line and length and that sort of score was a huge score out there.

"I actually said to our guys halfway through the innings I didn't think the Pakistanis would make 150 if we bowled well and that's the way it turned out.

"So full credit to all the guys tonight, I thought we were excellent in all three aspects of the game."

He continued: "I was going to bat but I could understand him bowling because there was going to be a bit of movement there.

"But you just have to hope when you send teams in that your bowlers do a good job for you and they probably didn't and they probably weren't allowed to, so that's the price you pay sometimes."

Yousuf agreed with Ponting's assessment, admitting his side failed to capitalise on the overcast conditions early in Australia's innings.

"They batted well and they bowled well and we gave early wickets and we didn't take advantage of winning the toss because of moisture in the wicket and cloud there," Yousuf said.

"We give them a lot of runs in the first 15 overs and Watson played well.

"I think it's a chaseable total on this track - they bowled well."

Asked if he is concerned by the increasing speculation surrounding his future as captain beyond the current tour, the mild-mannered Yousuf said: "This is not my hands, everything's in the board's hands. I always serve my country as a player or captain, it doesn't matter."

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