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VELOCITY SPORTS NEWS

Hilfenhaus and North keep rookies on ice

21 July 2010

Article from Sydney Morning Herald.

Ben Hilfenhaus and Marcus North looked set to keep rookies Peter George and Usman Khawaja on ice after shaking off their fitness concerns on the eve of Australia's second Test against Pakistan.

Swing bowler Hilfenhaus, who injured his left shoulder in last week's 150-run first Test win at Lord's, bowled without discomfort at training at Headingley on Tuesday afternoon.

And North, who sat out Monday's training with a stomach upset, was one of the first in bat in the nets and appeared ready for play on Wednesday in Leeds.

Ponting said earlier on Tuesday that he expected both Hilfenhaus and North to be fit for Australia's tilt at a 14th straight Test win over Pakistan.

"He (Hilfenhaus) has along really well the last few days," Ponting said.

"We were all a bit worried about him the morning after the Lord's Test.

"He woke up that next morning particularly sore but he has improved a lot.

"We will push him today but we actually expect him to play."

Australia

Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Marcus North, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger.

Pakistan

Salman Butt (capt), Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria