Australia settle on XI for Perth Test

Australia will field the same XI for the third Test in a row after Tim Paine confirmed on Wednesday an unchanged side will take on New Zealand in the first Domain Test at Perth Stadium.

Coach Justin Langer said yesterday he would be a brave man to change the team that thumped Pakistan 2-0 in the preceding series and as a result has stuck with the same XI.

"We've been playing some really good cricket, happy with the way it's going so we're trying to get a consistent team together and as I touched on after Adelaide, the great thing is we've got guys that are performing really well," Paine said today.

"That's what we wanted so we're going to go with the same team."

The only possible change was a substitution of the fast bowlers but after Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood pulled up fine after bowling in consecutive innings in Adelaide there was no need to tinker with the attack.

Australia's selectors chopped and changed the quicks during the Ashes series this winter but have stuck solid this summer. 

Paine said the ‘horses for courses’ selection policy might return for the back end of the New Zealand series.  

"All the (fast bowlers) are fit, healthy, going really well," he said. 

"We had a reasonable break in between these Tests, so I think it's something we'll probably look at Melbourne, Sydney, those Test matches, they're a bit tighter together. 

"Our attack's been awesome. We've got a few guys here – James Pattinson, Michael Neser – that are ready to go if required.  

"But at the moment the three big fellas are fit and firing."

Temperatures in Perth are set to raise the mercury to extreme levels, with the first four days of the match forecast for 39C, 40C, 40C and 40C respectively.

But Paine says the heat will not impact his charges.

"We're a professional team. Our preparation and recovery is a little bit more important.

"As Joe Burns touched on, we're all Australians, we're all used to probably barring me and 'Wadey'.

"But it's just part of the job now and it certainly won't affect us.

"We thrive on these conditions. I think it can be a real advantage to us."

Australia have never lost a Test at Perth Stadium.

Well, to be fair they have played only once at the spectacular new venue – last year against India where they won by 146 runs.

That match was played on a lively pitch and Paine hopes to see a carbon copy over the five days this summer.

"It looks really good. Looks like it's got a nice coverage of grass," Paine said.

"Hopefully a bit of pace and bounce like we saw last year. 

"I thought the Test match that was played here was outstanding to watch, very entertaining, difficult to bat on which I think makes for better Test matches a lot of the time. 

"Hopefully it's something similar and we see some pace and bounce in it like it was last year." 

Australia XI: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood   

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