England look to end Aussie misery

CB Series, Sydney: Australia v England
Match starts on Friday at 0315 GMT

England go into Friday's CB Series game against Australia hoping to end a run of nine defeats by the hosts on tour.

If they lose in Sydney, England would go into the New Zealand game on Tuesday with slim hopes of making the finals.

Michael Vaughan (hamstring) will sit out the Aussie match while Shaun Tait will make his ODI debut for the hosts.

"These next two are massive games. We haven't beaten Australia on this tour so we have very good reasons to beat them," batsman Ed Joyce explained.

"We're fed up with losing to them so that's more motivation. We have to keep plugging away and hope a win comes."

Joyce registered his first ODI half century in the defeat by New Zealand on Tuesday.

"Opening suits the way I play - I feel a lot happier"

Ed Joyce

After an uncertain start to his international career, the Irish-born left-hander appeared to relax having been promoted to opener.

"We're coming up to a World Cup so guys are trying to get into that squad," the Middlesex star, 28, said.

"This series has been about proving myself and if I can get a score in the last two games I will have done all I can.
"Opening suits the way I play a little bit better, I feel a lot happier. The other day I felt very comfortable."

Vaughan hopes to face the Kiwis but seamer Jon Lewis is back in contention for the Australia game after recovering from an ankle injury.

Tait, 23, replaces Brett Lee, while fellow seamer Stuart Clark comes in for Mitchell Johnson.

Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting is doubtful with a sore hip so batsman Brad Hodge has been drafted into the squad.

Ponting's men have already booked their place in the best-of-three finals but he says the battle for World Cup places means they will not become complacent.

"I couldn't be happier with where we are at the moment"

Ricky Ponting

"I don't think there are too many places in our squad at all that are guaranteed," he insisted.

"We've still got possibly eight games to play and lots of things can happen in that period of time.

"I think the competition that we've got around the team at the moment is fantastic. I couldn't be any happier with where we are at the moment."

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Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt) or Brad Hodge, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Cameron White, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait, Glenn McGrath.

England (from): Andrew Flintoff (capt), Ed Joyce, Mal Loye, Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood, Paul Nixon, Jamie Dalrymple, Liam Plunkett, Chris Tremlett, Monty Panesar, Jon Lewis, Ravi Bopara, Sajid Mahmood.