Boxing Day Test preview

All the dominoes appear to be falling into place for what should be a riveting test match between the Australian and Sri Lankan cricket teams for the 2012 Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The forecast is for sun and an even pitch ensuring that we should see another closely fought contest similar to the nail-biter at Bellerive that went down to the last hour of play.

Questions still remain as to the make-up of the Australian side with chairman of selectors John Inverarity declaring Australian captain and run scoring machine Michael Clarke only a 50-50 chance of taking his place. Queensland batsmen Usman Khawaja remains in the squad to take his place should Clarke not recover in time. The Australians would be desperate to get their leader out in the middle considering the rich vein of form he is in at the moment with the bat.

Also yet to be decided upon is the selection of the Australian pace attack with Mitchell Johnson, Hobart hero Mitchell Starc and new boy Jackson Bird all vying to partner Peter Siddle in the Australian line-up. There is a strong belief that Mitchell Starc will be rested allowing Jackson Bird to receive his baggy green cap for the first time. Bird tops the first-class wicket-takers this season with 27 wickets in six games at an impressive average of 20.55 and an astonishing 87 wickets in his short first-class career.

Pace spearhead Peter Siddle was impressed by Bird declaring that "He's a very talented player and his record speaks for itself. He's only been playing for 13 months and to have 80 wickets at very little is an outstanding achievement. He's taken wickets all around Australia and he'll be a good addition to the squad."

Mitchell Starc would be unlucky to miss out on taking part in the Boxing Day test after an impressive performance in Hobart that included taking the final wicket to seal Australia's victory. But after bowling almost 100 overs in the past two Tests selectors are apparently concerned that Starc's heavy workload could lead to a breakdown and leave Australia a bowler short in the middle of a Test for the third time this summer.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan spinner and leading Test wicket taker for 2012, Rangana Herath is looking forward to bowling to the Aussies who he says are vulnerable against spin. Herath snared both Shane Watson and David Warner in Hobart and will be looking for more big scalps at the MCG.

Adam Schoenmaker is a high school chaplain in the northern suburbs of Brisbane for three days each week and serves two days a week in his local church. Adam loves a good book, a classic album and all Queensland sporting teams.

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