Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Australian cricket faces a moment of truth as the tour of South Africa gets underway tomorrow with the first Test.
Their domination of world cricket for nearly two decades may finally come to an end. A defeat will see South Africa dethrone the champions on the ICC ranking.
The proud Australians certainly won't like that. But a miserable run over the last six months has put Australia in danger of losing their No. 1 ranking.
This series will be a severe test of the Australian spirit. The team will have to dig deep to deliver.
It has happened before. The last two Ashes series demonstrated the fighting qualities of the Australians when they lost the 2005 edition in England but whitewashed their opponents in 2006-2007.
Finally, the Australian selectors have shown some foresight by picking young Phil Hughes to replace Matthew Hayden on top of the order. The ageing team is in need of an infusion of young blood and Hughes definitely fits the bill.
The farmer's son has all the makings of a future star. With the Ashes just a few months away, Hughes gets time to establish himself.
Marcus North has also been rewarded with a call-up after consistent displays at the first-class level. North is a master at scoring in difficult situations and if he gets into the playing 11, it will be a boost for the team.
At the other end of the scale, the selectors have picked leg-spinner Bryce McGain at age 36. McGain is a late developer who has made a mark on the domestic level.
Surprisingly, off-spinner Jason Krejza has been ignored after his magnificent debut in India. The Australian selectors feel that he gives away too many runs.
However, he is a good bowler and deserves another chance. The fact that he is unafraid to flight the ball may have given variety to the Australian attack.
The Australians will have to overcome the dropping of Andrew Symonds. The all-rounder is a crisis player and his fielding is superb. His replacement, Andrew McDonald, is just a steady utility player.
South Africa have stuck to the same line-up for the first two Tests. Unfortunately, Ashwell Prince misses out despite being fit.
The gutsy left-hander lost out to Jean-Paul Duminy who has got off to a brilliant start. There was a case for dropping the out-of-form Neil McKenzie in favour of Prince but the opener combines well with skipper Graeme Smith and that must have been a major reason for retaining him.
The return of Smith after injury will be welcome. Though he feels rusty, Smith is a fighter and will not like to miss out on a chance to get at the Australians.
Australia had a glimmer of hope as they ended the season playing better cricket against New Zealand. The return to form of their Mr Reliable, Mike Hussey, will lift their spirits.
The bouncy pitches in South Africa will also prove a major help for Australia's young pace battery.
It will all boil down to the competitive nature of the Australians. They simply hate to lose.
