Cricket: World team will be better in test, says Flintoff

SYDNEY - Gun allrounder Andrew Flintoff expects the World XI's quality to finally shine through in the six-day test against Australia starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

The star-studded World side barely fired a shot in the three-match one-day series in Melbourne, losing 0-3 to an Australian side intent on re-establishing their credentials as the best team on the planet.

The powerful Englishman felt the longer form of the game allowed the World XI more time to express their talents than in the 50-overs format.

"It is a fine group of players coming together and in some way probably playing test cricket might be slightly easier than the one-day game," Flintoff said.

"The one-day game is so structured and you have your own roles back in your country, and a few players had to play outside those roles, whereas in test cricket you just go out there and play, so there is no real structures to the game so hopefully we will be a better test side."

Flintoff believed he would be fit to play the test despite suffering deep bruising to his wrist after being hit by a return catch from Ricky Ponting in the final one-dayer on Sunday.

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist agreed with Flintoff that the World XI would blossom in the test and rated the composite side as favourites for the match.

"He is probably right (about the) longer format; one-day cricket or like Twenty20 cricket the shorter the game the more of a bit of a lottery it can become," Gilchrist said.

"But test matches generally the quality wins out over time and they have great depth in quality and we feel like we have got it (as well), they will definitely put up a fight I am sure."

Flintoff believed his side had to improve dramatically to trouble Australia in the one-off test and that the varied composition of the team was no excuse.

There appeared to be less unity among the World XI compared to the Australians in the one-dayers.

"Playing for England and playing with a bunch of blokes you have played with for a long time and coming into a dressing room with people you don't necessarily know is going to be harder," he said.

"But we are professional cricketers, we have to get out there and play. To be picked for a World XI two or three years I would never have thought I would have been playing, so there is a lot of prestige involved.

"We are not just representing our country but representing the rest of the world and we have to take pride and pleasure in doing that albeit we are not playing for actual countries."

Flintoff said his teammates did not want to be embarrassed and expected them to bounce back.

He was unaware of what to expect from the Sydney pitch, having only played a one-day match against Australia A at the venue.

- AAP