Cricket: Injured Ponting confident

Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle with the new ball is not the sight to make for a comfortable Christmas Day.

But Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting believes a full-scale hitout against his two quicks has readied him to play Pakistan in the first test, starting at the MCG today.

Ponting said his injured elbow felt better after yesterday's session, and that he had tested out his full repertoire of shots.

" I had a bit of pain in the nets yesterday [on Friday]," he said. "I was always going to bat two days into the game. I'm really confident that I can play the game."

NSW batsman Phillip Hughes was to stay as standby for Ponting until today, while another Blues youngster, Steven Smith, could be in line for a rapid test debut if offspinner Nathan Hauritz is ruled out because of a groin injury.

Ponting said Hauritz had also felt better after yesterday's training session, and said Australia would give the incumbent spinner until this morning to prove his fitness.

If Hauritz is ruled out, the legspinner Smith, 20, will play despite just nine first-class games under his belt and with a bowling average of 75.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf looked incredulous when asked if he knew anything about Smith, and even Ponting conceded he had not faced a delivery from the baby-faced spinner.

But Ponting said Smith had impressed the Australian team and the selectors with his talent. "If he gets an opportunity there'll be no fear there from him," he said.

"He'll be relishing the opportunity, and why wouldn't he? The Boxing Day test match as a 20-year-old kid would be pretty exciting."

Australia's likely change would be the return of Siddle, who has overcome hamstring soreness and should replace Victorian teammate Clint McKay.

Ponting retired hurt for the first time in tests in Perth, and could bat in a forearm guard for the first time in Melbourne as a precaution, but confirmed there was no way he would risk playing if not completely fit.

"It's a great responsibility on all our players that they're not only going to let themselves down, but you don't want to leave your team down either," he said.

Pakistan have arrived with a young squad, but Ponting said Australia had to expect a better side than the West Indies.

"They're a better team, a more skilled group of players than the West Indies, no doubt," he said.

"They do have a lot of mystery about them - that word sums them up the best - but you look at their side, there's a number of very good players."

- AAP