AUSTRALIA'S new-look ODI attack is set to come under intense scrutiny from Sri Lanka today after captain Mahela Jayawardene declared Michael Clarke's bowlers were the weak point in the home side.
The visitors enter today's clash in Perth as rank outsiders but feel they can apply the blowtorch to an inexperienced attack missing seasoned quicks Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, who have led Australia's 50-over pace battalion in recent years.
In their absence, Australia's likely attack, of Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty and all-rounder Dan Christian, have just 55 matches under their belt. In contrast, Sri Lanka's new-ball pairing of Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara boast 209 games between them.
''Harris coming back after injuries is a decent bowler but I think they're still missing quite a few frontline guys so that's an area where we can target,'' Jayawardene said. ''We have to be smart to beat them, as simple as that.''
Sri Lanka's batting line-up, which contains world-class trio Kumar Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, showed glimpses of form against India on Wednesday but will find life tougher against the host nation.
Jayawardene's comments will come as a surprise to an Australian public which has grown accustomed to seeing their quicks dominate Test after Test this summer, but the side's limited-overs stocks are still developing. ''Well, they haven't played much together, have they?'' Clarke said yesterday when asked if his ODI bowlers were as accomplished as their Test colleagues. ''This attack has played one game together. So we'll see over time.''
None of Australia's bowlers from last year's World Cup touring party feature in the present 14-man squad, while Test stars Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus were considered longer-form specialists by the previous panel.
Young guns James Pattinson and Pat Cummins would also have been in contention to play had they not broken down earlier in the summer.
As impressive as Australia's fast-bowling depth is, Clarke warned the true test for the attack would come in foreign conditions.
''I think the fact we've seen so many young guys come in and do well, automatically we think the grass is very green on the other side,'' Clarke said.
''We think there's a lot of good stock still waiting to get an opportunity, which is very positive for Australian cricket.
''There is a big difference, though, playing international cricket to domestic cricket.
''You travel all around the world and play in completely different conditions. So it's nice to see people performing in domestic cricket.
''Hopefully we can get some of the guys that have been injured back on the park sooner rather than later. We will be tested as a team all around the world.
''It's been a really good start to the summer winning the Test series, but I guess you are expected to perform well in your own backyard. It's now going to be a good test to see how we go when we play overseas.''
Hilfenhaus, who was called in for Lee, is in line to play his first ODI in more than two years today but chairman of selectors, John Inverarity, said earlier in the week Australia was likely to stick with the attack that routed India in the series-opener in Melbourne.
Australia are yet to name their XI but will not succumb to the temptation of lining up with an all-pace attack despite the success of that strategy in the Perth Test.
Spinner Doherty will play while former NSW batsman Peter Forrest, who switched to Queensland during the winter, is in line to make his international debut. Forrest's one-day form for Queensland has been patchy this summer but, with 581 runs at 58.1, was the Shield's leading run-scorer before the last round of matches.
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