Ponting Plans to Go With Strong Side Against Ireland

Dublin: Ricky Ponting insists Australia will play a full-strength team in Thursday's one-day international against Ireland in Clontarf.

Ponting's side are playing the Irish in a 50-over match in preparation for their forthcoming five-match one-day series against England.

Those clashes will be followed by two Twenty20 internationals and two Tests against Pakistan, also on English soil, and Ponting has no intention of going easy on Ireland as his men look to shed some early-tour rust.

"For us as a group we want to play the best team we can," Ponting said. "Most of the guys have been a month out of international cricket and I haven't played for 10 weeks.

"I want to be playing the best possible players I can with what we've got coming up.

Let's not forget tomorrow (Thursday) is a one-day international game and that's the way we are approaching it.

Australia are without leading pace bowler Mitchell Johnson, who will join the tour late as he recovers from an infected elbow, meaning the fast bowling duties will fall to Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris and Clint McKay, with a possible debut for 19-year-old quick Josh Hazlewood.

With next year's World Cup on the horizon, Ponting believes every one-day game between now and then is a chance for those relatively unheralded players to prove their credentials.

For Ireland, there's little to lose. Nobody truly expects them to beat Australia, but their history shows they are capable of upsets if their more fancied opponents fail to show them due respect. Next month they have two more chances to beat a Test-playing side when they host Bangladesh in Belfast, but knocking off Australia would be something special.

Team news

Ireland will be without the 17-year-old spinner George Dockrell, who was highly impressive at the ICC World Twenty20. He is unavailable due to exams, but the rest of the leading Irish players will be on hand to attempt an upset.

Squad from William Porterfield (C), Trent Johnston, Andre Botha, Peter Connell, Alex Cusack, Gary Kidd, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien (WK), Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Andrew White, Gary Wilson

Australia Elbow problems have prevented both Mitchell Johnson and Haddin from joining the squad in Ireland. Paine will take the gloves and most likely the opening position, which could mean Shaun Marsh has to wait for his comeback having missed the tour of New Zealand with a back injury.

Squad from Ricky Ponting (C), Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Steven Smith, James Hopes, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Doug Bollinger, Tim Paine (WK), Josh Hazlewood

Pitch and conditions
The Dublin pitch is expected to be slow and low, which will reward stump-to-stump bowling. The forecast is for isolated showers and a top temperature of 21C.

Stats and trivia

• The two teams have met only once before in a one-day international, when Australia romped to a nine-wicket win at the 2007 World Cup
• Ireland famously beat Pakistan and Bangladesh in the World Cup in the West Indies, but have not beaten a full ICC member in an ODI since then
• Ireland are yet to be beaten in an ODI at the Castle Avenue ground in Dublin, where they have had five wins, one no-result and one match abandoned
• Trent Johnston played five first-class games for New South Wales from 1999 to 2000, and will be lining up against one of his former state team-mates, Michael Clarke.

Match facts
Thursday, June 17
Start time 10:45 local (09:45 GMT)