Michael Clarke is hoping his first home-town Test over the New Year will bring a return to batting form against Pakistan. The 23-year-old batting prodigy is keenly looking forward to playing in his first Sydney Cricket Ground Test and spent Friday working out by himself at the ground on a practice-free day for both teams. Three batting failures in the first two Tests against Pakistan - 1, 27 and 20 - have dipped his average below 50 for the first time. "Sometimes you miss out," said Clarke, who scored centuries on debut at home against New Zealand and abroad in India.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005