| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Sydney: Australia have won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket Ricky Ponting admitted would "aid the bowlers". The SCG pitch has a distinct green tinge after a week of rain in Sydney and, in what he described as "not an easy decision", Ponting opted to give Pakistan's seamers first look at the wicket.
Pakistan make three changes, Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Sami replace Saeed Ajmal and the injured Mohammad Aamer, while Umar Gul takes the place of Abdur Rauf. They will face a new-look Australian opening combination, with the recalled Phillip Hughes to partner Shane Watson at the top of the order.
Australia's first choice opener, Simon Katich, underwent a fitness test on his damaged right elbow on Sunday morning and, despite batting for more than 20 minutes in the indoor nets, he was deemed unfit to play. Hughes will now play his first match in Australian colours since his demotion after the Lord's Test. He has yet to play a Test on home soil.
Rain delayed the scheduled start time until 2pm. An extended second session will now run from 2pm until 4.20pm, and the final session 4.40pm to 6.30pm. The Pakistanis will take the field in distinctive pink caps in support of the McGrath Foundation.
Teams
Australia: Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger.
Pakistan: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Faisal Iqbal, Mohammad Yousuf (capt), Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Asif.
