Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle with the new ball is not the sight to make for a comfortable Christmas Day. But Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes a full-scale hit-out against his two quicks has readied him to play Pakistan in the first Test, at the MCG starting Saturday.

Ponting said his injured elbow felt better after Friday’s session than it did the day before, and that he had tested out his full repertoire of shots.

“I went well today actually, I went better today yesterday,” he said.

“I had a bit of pain in the nets yesterday. I was always going to bat two days into the game. I’m really confident that I can play the game.”

NSW batsman Phillip Hughes will stay with the squad as standby for Ponting until Boxing Day, while another Blues youngster, Steven Smith, could be in line for a remarkably rapid Test debut if offspinner Nathan Hauritz is ruled out because of a groin injury.

Ponting said Hauritz had also felt better after Friday’s training session, and said Australia would give the incumbent spinner until Saturday morning to prove his fitness.

If Hauritz is ruled out, the legspinner Smith, 20, will play despite just nine first-class games under his belt, and with a bowling average of 75.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf looked incredulous when asked if he knew anything about Smith, and even Ponting conceded he had not faced a delivery from the baby-faced spinner.

But Ponting said Smith had impressed the Australian team and selectors with his talent, and was confident he would perform well if given the chance.

“If he gets an opportunity there’ll be no fear there from him,” he said.

“He’ll be relishing the opportunity, and why wouldn’t he? The Boxing Day Test match as a 20-year-old kid would be pretty exciting.”

Australia’s likely change at this stage is the return of Siddle, who has overcome hamstring soreness and should replace Victorian teammate Clint McKay.

Ponting retired hurt for the first time in Tests in Perth, and could bat in a forearm guard for the first time in Melbourne as a precaution, but confirmed there was no way he would risk playing if not completely fit.

“It’s a great responsibility on all our players that they’re not only going to let themselves down, but you don’t want to leave your team down either,” he said of playing under injury clouds.

While Pakistan have arrived with a young squad with limited cricket behind it given the country’s security troubles, Ponting said Australia had to expect a better side than the West Indies given their boundless talent.

“They’re a better team, a more skilled group of players than the West Indies, no doubt,” he said.

“We know with Pakistan when they put their best foot forward they’re a very good cricket team.

“They do have a lot of mystery about them – that word sums them up the best – but you look at their side, there’s a number of very good players.”

Ponting nominated pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer as two dangerous quicks, along with legspinner Danish Kaneria, and said there was suitable batting talent behind Yousuf to cause trouble.

A crowd of up to 60,000 is expected to attend on day one and fine conditions are forecast.

© AAP 2012

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