SYDNEY, 30 September 2005 — The World XI will use similar tactics to those employed by England this year when they play world champions Australia in three one-day matches next week, captain Shaun Pollock said yesterday.

England wrapped up a 2-1 Ashes victory over a heavily favored Australian side to give the hosts their first win in the series since 1986-87.

Australia’s batting lineup was thwarted by England’s imaginative tactics, which included asking Andrew Flintoff to bowl around the wicket at the dangerous Adam Gilchrist.

Pollock said his side would use television footage from the series to devise similar tactics while he would also count on Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen to reproduce the form they showed in the Ashes. “Having beaten Australia recently they must be feeling pretty confident and they are superstars in their own right, they really performed well in that series,” Pollock told reporters in Melborne. “We’re looking for big performances from them as well.

“I know Freddie (Flintoff) was Michael Vaughan’s man to turn to and I can pretty much see myself turning to him at many opportunities to make an impact myself.” Pollock added that there would be little problem motivating his side.

“It’s an honor to be selected in a World XI,” he said. “It’s not too often that you get to come to Australia and walk away with a trophy and it’s an ideal opportunity for some of the guys to experience that.

“We’ll definitely be motivated to try to play well and win.”

The World XI play a warm-up game on Sunday against Victoria before the first match of the series indoors at Melborne’s Docklands Stadium on Oct. 5.

Chappell Row Over, Says Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has thrown his support behind captain Saurav Ganguly and said he hoped the public row between the player and coach Greg Chappell was now over.

The rift between former Australia captain Chappell and Ganguly became public on the recent Zimbabwe tour when Ganguly told the media Chappell had suggested before the test series he should step down in favor of an in-form batsman.

“We hope it won’t crop up again,” said Gavaskar, who is in Australia as the chairman of selectors for the International Cricket Council’s World XI for their one-day series and test match against Australia.

“It’s a busy season and we’re hoping that everything will be okay. I know it’s not always easy when you’ve had a public spat.

“But both are mature people and having spoken to them, the committee having spoken to them, the committee believes that they will put their misconceptions behind them and go forward.” Gavaskar also said he did not believe Ganguly had any problems dealing with other players in the team.

Under-Fire Ganguly Prefers

Practice Over ICC Meeting

In New Delhi, India’s Saurav Ganguly is unlikely to attend a meeting of Test captains called by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Australia next month so that he can concentrate on his batting, an official said yesterday. The Oct. 12 meeting in Sydney, where all the 10 Test-playing nations will be represented, clashes with the Challenger domestic one-day tournament in India from Oct. 10-13.