Australia Look Extend Lead at Hobart

Hobart: For the first time this summer Australia prepares for a battle against England safe in the knowledge they are in front.

It is a situation the home side will certainly want to keep a firm hold of in Friday's second one-day international of the Commonwealth Bank Series at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

The fact Australia has a 1-0 lead was thanks to a stunning unbeaten 161 from Shane Watson at the MCG.

Watson has had his fair share of critics along the journey, but if his reception in Melbourne was anything to go by, he's now a firm fan favourite and even more importantly Australia's most valuable cricketer.

To put the magnitude of the MCG win into context, Australia achieved a record successful run chase by passing England's 294 with five balls to spare and means they head to the Apple Isle buoyed with confidence.

A decisive factor in the build-up to this clash is the fact both Australia and England have selected their World Cup squads.

There was an air of uncertainty in Melbourne for a number of players on both sides who were pushing for trips to the sub-continent.

You would think Doug Bollinger, now sure he's on the plane will be able to bowl with a more consistent line and length than he did at the MCG where he ended with 1-57 from nine overs.

Comeback kid Brett Lee proved the best of the Australian pacemen in that match with 2-43 and more encouragingly bowled with genuine pace, consistently passing the 150kmh.

Speaking of pace, Shaun Tait, who missed the opener due to a back complaint, is looking forward to starting in Hobart.

Tait also spoke of the decision to take a four-pronged pace attack – himself, Lee, Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson – to the sub-continent.

Johnson, who had been set to be rested in Melbourne until Tait's withdrawal, is tipped to make way in Hobart for the return of the South Australian quick.

Also playing in Hobart will be Nathan Hauritz, who earned a recall to the national ranks for the World Cup in preference to Tasmanian Xavier Doherty.

In some more good news for Australia, David Hussey and Steve Smith illustrated in Melbourne that they have the ability to prove good slow bowling back-ups.

Michael Hussey is out with that hamstring injury, meaning brother David will play a greater role at four, with Shaun Marsh expected to slot into a deeper position in the middle-order.

Things have changed since the first match. Australia's World Cup squad has been settled, so Doherty has made way for Hauritz, but there are also a couple of other issues for Australia.

Cameron White provided a brief glimpse of his hitting power in Melbourne and is another who will be primed to get amongst the runs against an England attack without key man Graeme Swann.

The off-spinner has been forced out of the clash due to a knee injury he suffered in the second Twenty20 clash in Melbourne.

Ranked as the second best bowler in ODI cricket, Swann forms a pivotal part of the tourists attack and increases the pressure on Michael Yardy, who copped some tap in Melbourne last Sunday.

Back-up option James Tredwell is a chance to come in for what would be only his third ODI.

Like Australia, England has had to deal with World Cup selection and the ramifications of those decisions.

Steve Davies, who opened in Melbourne Prior has come in to take his place, and it will be a straight swap at the top of the order.

Also there is Paul Collingwood will have to wait for his chance to break back in to the side.

Jonathan Trott, who was brilliant in the Tests, missed out with the bat at the MCG and bowled one over of military medium pace.

If Collingwood comes back into the final XI, especially to shore up their bowling, Trott may find himself on the outer.

Kevin Pietersen was outstanding in Melbourne and on the verge of a hundred until superbly run out by Johnson.

Teams from

Australia Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin (wk), Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, Cameron White, Doug Bollinger, Xavier Doherty, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Shaun Tait

England Andrew Strauss (capt), Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Steve Davies (wk), Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Michael Yardy, Luke Wright, Matt Prior (wk), Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett, Chris Woakes, Steven Finn, James Anderson

Stats and trivia

• The teams have only met once before in an ODI at Bellerive Oval, back in 2002-03, when Australia won by seven runs
• With no Anderson, England's attack is so inexperienced that Tim Bresnan is the leading wicket-taker amongst the bowlers, with 38 ODI victims
• Australia's win-loss ratio at Bellerive is better than at any other venue in the country - they have won 10 of the 14 ODIs they've played in Hobart

Match facts
Friday January 21, 2011 (day/night)
Start time 14:20 local (03:20 GMT)