KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - Parsimony and guile will be replaced with raw pace and sheer wicket-taking ability as Australia usher in the post Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath era when the first cricket test starts against Sri Lanka here today.
Skipper Ricky Ponting wants tearaways Brett Lee and left-arm debutant Mitchell Johnson to rattle opponents with a pace blitzkrieg while backing Warne's spinning replacement Stuart MacGill's ultra-aggressive approach.
The two-test series against Sri Lanka marks an uncertain period for Ponting's team as the Australians look to continue their dominance without retired test greats Warne, McGrath and Justin Langer, replaced by MacGill (40 tests), Johnson (none) and Phil Jaques (two) respectively.
And with MacGill and Johnson, in particular, unlikely to match Warne and McGrath's sustained periods of pressure and ability to dry up runs, Ponting admitted a new approach was required.
"We've just got to look at different ways and means of being able to get batsmen and keep things tight at different times," Ponting said today.
"The beauty of both of those guys was their ability to be able to build pressure on opposition batsmen. Glenn never gave away any runs whatsoever and Shane when he was at his best was pretty much the same.
"Now we'd have to look at maybe sheer pace to get our breakthroughs, with Brett and Mitchell.
"And we know that Stuie MacGill's wicket-taking ability is probably second to none to anyone in the history of the game.
"He's a proven test-match performer with 198 wickets in 40 games.
"He has gone for a few runs here and there but he has backed it up with lots and lots of wickets."
Ponting said the Ashes and World Cup triumphs of the past 12 months were no longer relevant and it was time for his new lineup to create their own history.
"I don't even want to talk about those guys and what we've done over the last 12 or 18 months because it doesn't matter," Ponting said.
"That's all gone now. We've got a new group of players together and we've got to look forward.
"We've still got all those wicket-taking options there. It's a matter of those guys standing up and getting the job done when it's required.
"I really think we've got the personnel for it be a seamless transition.
"With the depth in Australian domestic cricket, I can't see why with the guys coming in we can't continue to dominate world cricket the way we have."
Stuart Clark, a steady paceman in the McGrath mould with a stunning 47 wickets in his first nine tests, is vying with left-armer Johnson for the new-ball role.
It has been a nervous few weeks for Johnson, 26, confirmed in the side to make his debut on home turf ahead of 12th man Ben Hilfenhaus.
"He can bowl 150km/h and swing the ball," Ponting said.
"It's just a matter of I think him relaxing into the game and just letting all of his natural skills and abilities take over."
Ponting backed his players to conquer Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, who is nine wickets shy of breaking Warne's world record of 708 test wickets.
With overcast conditions and a greenish Gabba pitch on show today, Sri Lanka are considering playing four fast bowlers plus the spinner, although Muralitharan is sure to be a key factor as the pitch wears on days four and five.
"Our batters have done a good job against him over a long period of time," Ponting said.
Australia
Ricky Ponting (captain), Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill, Ben Hilfenhaus (12th man).
Sri Lanka
Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Michael Vandort, Thilan Samararweera, Chamara Silva, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando (12th man to be named tomorrow).
- AAP
