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Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998. In 2002 a three-Test series between the nations was moved to Colombo and Sharjah because of Australia's security worries.

Australia will play Pakistan in five ODI's and a T20 in the UAE immediately after their current tour of South Africa.

If Australia do not play the Tests in Pakistan there is a possibility of playing the Test series in England," he added.

The Australians were also one of a number of governing bodies to voice their security concerns ahead of last year's proposed Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which was postponed by the ICC a month before it was due to begin.

Earlier this year the ICC announced they would not hold the Champions Trophy in Pakistan because of the security concerns of its members and are now exploring alternate venues.

Tour schedule: Dubai - April 22: First ODI, April 24: Second ODI; Abu Dhabi - April 27: Third ODI, May 1: Fourth ODI, May 3: Fifth ODI, May 7: Twenty20.

watch South Africa vs Australia 1st Test Day 3 live Streaming

Australia will play Pakistan in five ODI's and a T20 in the UAE immediately after their current tour of South Africa.

If Australia do not play the Tests in Pakistan there is a possibility of playing the Test series in England," he added.

Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998. In 2002 a three-Test series between the nations was moved to Colombo and Sharjah because of Australia's security worries.

The Australians were also one of a number of governing bodies to voice their security concerns ahead of last year's proposed Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which was postponed by the ICC a month before it was due to begin.

Earlier this year the ICC announced they would not hold the Champions Trophy in Pakistan because of the security concerns of its members and are now exploring alternate venues.

Tour schedule: Dubai - April 22: First ODI, April 24: Second ODI; Abu Dhabi - April 27: Third ODI, May 1: Fourth ODI, May 3: Fifth ODI, May 7: Twenty20.

watch South Africa vs Australia 1st Test Day 3 live

Australia will play Pakistan in five ODI's and a T20 in the UAE immediately after their current tour of South Africa.

"On the request of Cricket Australia (CA) we have rescheduled the series," Butt said.

Butt revealed Australia would fly directly to Dubai from Johannesburg, where they will play the fifth one-day international against South Africa on April 17.

The first two games of the series will be held in Dubai before moving to Abu Dhabi.

Australia still also have to reschedule their Test series against Pakistan, with CA promising to play the series later this year.

Butt admitted it is likely that series will also be played at neutral venues.

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Australia strengthen their position as they reached lunch at 351 for seven.The Proteas' heavy reliance on the new ball was almost their undoing early on until Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn struck midway through an extended morning session. There were 12 overs to be bowled before the new ball was due and the home side looked to be going through the motions as they waited for its availability.

Australia claimed two wickets on the second morning of the first Test at the Wanderers, but half-centuries from debutant Marcus North and Brad Haddin helped Australia strengthen their position as they reached lunch at 351 for seven.

The Proteas' heavy reliance on the new ball was almost their undoing early on until Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn struck midway through an extended morning session. There were 12 overs to be bowled before the new ball was due and the home side looked to be going through the motions as they waited for its availability.

North (85 not out) and Haddin (63) put on 113 before the latter was dismissed by Ntini, caught by Paul Harris at mid-on, and five deliveries later Steyn enticed Andrew McDonald to push at an away swinger that he only succeeded in edging to Jacques Kallis at second slip. However, North remained defiant as he edged closer to the three-figure mark.

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Ponting may have claimed on Wednesday that he is "looking forward" to leading this inexperienced side as they look to defend the five kilogrammes of gold and silver contained in the ICC Test Mace, but the mood among South Africans is that with such an untested Australian side there for the takling, surely the hosts can't let this one slip. 


With over 86,000 tickets already sold by 3pm Tuesday for this Test out of the 150,000 available, the South African public - who can have a tendency for fair-weather support - are clearly expectant. It's the most pre-sale tickets to have been flogged for a game in South Africa since England toured in 1998, and with a steady trickle of fans still arriving at the Wanderers ticket office throughout Wednesday a handsome crowd can be expected. 

Having named a squad of 12 for the match by omitting spinners Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain, the mustachioed David Boon will seemingly have one major decision to make as Australia's on-site selector. 

watch South Africa vs Australia 1st Test live Streaming

Ponting may have claimed on Wednesday that he is "looking forward" to leading this inexperienced side as they look to defend the five kilogrammes of gold and silver contained in the ICC Test Mace, but the mood among South Africans is that with such an untested Australian side there for the takling, surely the hosts can't let this one slip. 


With over 86,000 tickets already sold by 3pm Tuesday for this Test out of the 150,000 available, the South African public - who can have a tendency for fair-weather support - are clearly expectant. It's the most pre-sale tickets to have been flogged for a game in South Africa since England toured in 1998, and with a steady trickle of fans still arriving at the Wanderers ticket office throughout Wednesday a handsome crowd can be expected. 


Having named a squad of 12 for the match by omitting spinners Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain, the mustachioed David Boon will seemingly have one major decision to make as Australia's on-site selector. 

watch South Africa vs Australia 1st Test live Streaming

Ponting may have claimed on Wednesday that he is "looking forward" to leading this inexperienced side as they look to defend the five kilogrammes of gold and silver contained in the ICC Test Mace, but the mood among South Africans is that with such an untested Australian side there for the takling, surely the hosts can't let this one slip. 


With over 86,000 tickets already sold by 3pm Tuesday for this Test out of the 150,000 available, the South African public - who can have a tendency for fair-weather support - are clearly expectant. It's the most pre-sale tickets to have been flogged for a game in South Africa since England toured in 1998, and with a steady trickle of fans still arriving at the Wanderers ticket office throughout Wednesday a handsome crowd can be expected. 


Having named a squad of 12 for the match by omitting spinners Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain, the mustachioed David Boon will seemingly have one major decision to make as Australia's on-site selector. With Phil Hughes' debut as opener a certainty the top five picks itself, while Andrew McDonald and Marcus North are expected to fill the numbers six and eight berths with North also providing part-time spin following his six-for in Potchefstroom. 


Mitchell Johnson will lead the attack and Peter Siddle should be a shoe-in as a bowler able to utilise the swing and bounce on offer here, leaving Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus to scrap it out for the final spot in the side in a tussle that could go either way. 

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Five months ago, Australia stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the ICC Test rankings as they prepared to embark on a tour of India. Legends had retired from the all-conquering team that twice won a record 16 Tests on the trot, but the word was that their strength in depth was unrivaled, that there were superb players waiting in the wings at domestic level who were ready to compete at Test level. 

If that theory still has breath to give after two series defeats, it is certainly facing its greatest challenge as Ricky Ponting's side arrive in the city of gold with some precious metal of their own to defend. 

While the squad that left for India was still expected to beat whatever came before it, containing as it did a number of world-class players, the one that arrived in South Africa last week had just three of the players involved in Australia's Ashes whitewash of two years ago. 

It's been an intense five months of cricket which has decimated the team to such an extent that one South African paper joked on Monday that Australia 'looked like a village side' in Potchefstroom, the author explaining how the assembled hacks had trouble in recognising some of the players in the field.

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Australian stalwart Mike Hussey will be looking to the newest members of the team to perform key roles if the Aussies are to retain the title of number one Test playing nation with a series win over South Africa.

The first Test, which gets under way in Johannesburg on Thursday, may include up to four Australian debutants with opener Phillip Hughes, leg-spinner Bryce McGain, fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus and all-rounder Marcus North all in contention for a spot in the XI alongside other relative newcomers Peter Siddle (four tests), Andrew McDonald (one) and Doug Bollinger (one).

"They've (new players) got a big role to play in this team," said Hussey. "It's not a case where we're expecting less from the new guys, they're in the Australian cricket team so they're expected to do their job as well as the most senior guys."

The influx of new talent into the national side will no doubt have an effect on team dynamics but Hussey does not believe there will be any on-field 'teething issues'.

"It's more getting to know the guys off the field really, we've all played a lot of cricket, even the new guys have had a few good seasons in first class cricket so they know their game," he said.

"We're just trying to make it as comfortable for them to be around the group as possible to make them feel as though they're definitely good enough to be here and they're definitely part of the team and they've got a big role to play in this team."

Hussey will be looking for an improvement in his own performances - and that of the rest of the top six - in South Africa after the West Australian had a lean summer in the three-Test series against the Proteas on home soil.

Hussey had the first form slump in what has been a remarkable Test career, averaging 17 in six innings, although the 33-year-old did find some form in the recent ODI series against New Zealand, winning man of the series.

"All of the batsmen have their role to play and we all have to do our job, I think that was one of the areas we probably didn't all contribute to in the series in Australia - myself included," he said. "Obviously I didn't score as many runs as I would have liked, but it's going to take a huge team effort to win the series.