Aussies bullies, says Pybus

Pakistan will answer in kind if Australia resort to bullying tactics in the triangular one-day series final on Saturday, according to coach Richard Pybus.

He told a news conference at Lord's on Friday: "The Australians sometimes bully the opposition off the park. You can't do that with Pakistan. We'll front up to them."

He said Steve Waugh's side had been raised to "demi-god status" during the start of their tour to England, but added: "They're not super-human creatures. They have shown they're fallible, like everyone else. It's all about pressure."

Saturday's game will be a replay of the 1999 World Cup final, which saw Australia outclass Pakistan during an eight-wicket win.

The two sides have won a game against each other in the round-robin phase of the current tournament, with the other match washed out. England lost all six of their games.

Waugh, responding to Pybus's suggestion that opponents had to stand up to Australia to compete with them, said with a smile: "That's probably right. I wouldn't say we are bullies.

"We play the game hard and aggressively."

Waugh, who once said his team did not abuse opponents for the sake of it but focused instead on "mental disintegration", added: "If you have a weakness, we try to find it out."

The Australian captain said: "We know the way to beat Pakistan. We just have to play that way."

Pakistan won the last match between the sides at Trent Bridge on Tuesday although Australia, who play England over five Tests after the one-day series, had the disadvantage of batting second under lights in the day-nighter as conditions began to favour the bowlers during the evening.

Asked if his side would have won had they batted first, Waugh said: "Ask Richard Pybus."

Mail Cricket Editor