Clarke calls for fans as Aussies feel the heat

The Australia captain Michael Clarke has urged supporters of the team to come out in numbers for the second time as he searches for solutions to the current struggles. Australia are the world's premier one-day side having won a remarkable 210 of their 296 ODIs since 1999. However, this season they have drawn with New Zealand before losing twice to nearest challengers South Africa. The Australians fell to a four-wicket defeat to Pakistan yesterday having been dismissed for just 169, in front of a vocal crowd of both Australian and Pakistan supporters in the impressive new stadium at Dubai Sports City. A downbeat Clarke said: "The turnout from the crowd was wonderful. I hope they come out on Friday and we can get as much support as possible because I think we need it at the moment." Focusing on his team Clarke believes the problem currently lies with the batsmen. The side are not at full strength for the trip to the UAE, shorn of batting powerhouses Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, as well as the fearsome bowling talents of Mitchell Johnson, who have all been rested. Speaking after the defeat, Clarke said: "I thought we did a really good job in the field, and that our bowlers did fantastically to make Pakistan bat for 43 overs to chase 169 runs. If we can make 70-80 more runs with the bat, I think we will be in a very good position on Friday. "I'm definitely a little disappointed with our batting again. The middle order, numbers four to six, didn't perform as we would have liked. We've got some work to do." The eight wickets shared between the spinners Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal was the latest in a long line of problems with Australia's slow bowling, particularly off-spin, following their struggles in South Africa against Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha. Clarke said however good the bowler may be the Australian batsman need to show more discipline. "The guys that are in need to make sure they stay in when the spinners come on. We need to work hard and not throw our wickets away, put a bit more value on our wickets. "Afridi did spin the ball but he bowled a lot of guys through the gate, sliding the ball on and with his wrong 'un. "I think it's discipline, and the self-belief knowing that we are good players of spin bowling like we've shown in the past, in all conditions, and we have to show that discipline on Friday." Australia play Pakistan in the second match in Dubai tomorrow. Visit www.thenational.ae/sport tomorrow and keep up to speed with our over-by-over live text service of all the action from Dubai.

pchayney@thenational.ae