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Melbourne: Michael Clarke vowed on Tuesday to lead an all-out assault on England as Australia go for a 5-0 Ashes series triumph, targeting the top spot in Test cricket in the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting from Thursday.
Australia are currently in fifth place in the ICC's Test rankings, while England are two places above them in third behind leaders South Africa and India.
Australia are due to tour South Africa in February and March with Haddin saying that trip would be a "true test" of their current winning form.
The fourth Test against England meanwhile starts in Melbourne on Thursday with the final leg in Sydney from January 3.
The Australian captain paid tribute to retiring off-spinner Graeme Swann and said England would miss him.
An unchanged team appears likely as Australia seek to make their stability a virtue. Nathan Coulter-Nile and Doug Bollinger wait in the wings.
On otherhand, England captain Alastair Cook believes the fourth Ashes Test starting in Melbourne on Thursday is the perfect stage for his battered side to salvage some pride and work towards ending what has been a miserable series on a high.
Cook's men arrived as favourites to retain the Ashes with a fourth successive series win over hosts Australia but have already relinquished the urn and were rocked further with the shock retirement of spearhead spinner Graeme Swann on Monday.
The England captain, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Wednesday, will be forced to reshuffle his bowling attack following Swann's departure but was keen to look for positives ahead of Thursday's match after a woeful tour to date.
Monty Panesar is expected to come in for Swann while pace bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are battling against a loss of form and a foot injury respectively.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior could also miss out due to a poor run of form with the bat and recent problems with the gloves but Cook insists that whoever lines up for England in Melbourne will be united in their quest for redemption in the series.
Jonny Bairstow is a strong chance to replace the out of sorts Matt Prior. Monty Panesar will come in for the retired Graeme Swann, while Stuart Broad is reportedly likely to be included in the squad despite being struck on the foot by a searing Mitch Johnson delivery in Perth.
Broad was thought to be a likely exclusion for the showpiece match when he was still hobbling badly when England trained at the MCG at the weekend.
However, Fox News reports that after pulling up from Tuesday's net session without any obvious difficulties, Broad again trained well in the team's light session on Wednesday morning and completed fielding and running drills without apparent discomfort.
The report mentioned that if Broad still might yet keep Boyd Rankin, his likely successor, uncapped, adding that one change that can be confirmed is that tour vice-captain Matt Prior all but handed the wicketkeeping duties to Jonny Bairstow this morning.
Teams from
Australia Michael Clarke (Capt.), Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), George Bailey, Steven Smith, Ryan Harris, Mithcell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Faulkner
England Alastair Cook (Capt.), Michael Carberry, Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen, Ben Stokes, Matt Prior (wk), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick, Stuard Broad, Steven Finn, Monty Panesar, Woyd Rankin, Janmes Tredwell and Chris Tremlett
Pitch and conditions
Melbourne's drop-in pitch can be expected to offer a hint of moisture early on before flattening out and then drying later in the match. The weather forecast is warm to hot.
Stats and trivia
Match facts
December 26-30 2013
Start time 1030 local (2330 GMT Wednesday)
