Amir aims for another Taunton triumph as Aus await

Mohammad Amir will hope to enjoy another landmark occasion at Taunton when Pakistan face Australia there in a World Cup match on Wednesday.

. The group fixture at southwest county Somerset's headquarters sees Amir back at the ground where he made his return to first-class cricket in England three years ago.

. Amir was the rising star of world cricket when his career came to a stunning halt during a Lord's Test in 2010 after both he and new-ball partner Mohamed Asif were caught bowling no-balls on the orders of then Pakistan captain Salman Butt as part of a newspaper sting operation.

. The trio all received five-year bans from cricket and jail terms.

. That same 2010 season had seen Amir produce a superb display of swing bowling in taking three for 20 as Pakistan dismissed Australia for just 88 on the first day of a 'neutral' Test at Headingley.

. Those skills remained intact as Amir marked his 2016 return to the first-class game in England in 2016 with a haul of three for 36 against Somerset at Taunton.

. All three wickets -- including that of former England opener Marcus Trescothick -- owed much to late swing.

. The intervening years have not been easy for Amir, however, and he almost missed what is his first World Cup after taking just five wickets in 14 matches before a recent one-day international series in England.

. Amir did not bowl in the washed-out first match against England and missed the last four games with chicken pox. England won the series 4-0.

. But having been left out of Pakistan's preliminary squad for the World Cup, the 27-year-old made it into the final 15.

. His World Cup debut was a rare Pakistan highlight after they slumped to 105 all out against the West Indies, with Amir taking three for 26 in a seven-wicket loss at Trent Bridge.

. He was in the wickets again at the Nottingham ground, but this time in a winning cause, with two for 67 as Pakistan surprisingly beat tournament favourites England by 14 runs last week.

. But Pakistan's progress was checked by a total washout against Sri Lanka at Bristol.

. Pakistan have won just one of their last 14 matches against champions Australia, the five-times World Cup winners.

. That victory was inspired by Mohammad Hafeez's 72 at Melbourne in January 2017.

. And it was Hafeez's 84 that laid the foundations for an impressive total of 348 for eight against England.

. "We have not won many matches against Australia but we had not won too many against England either," said Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.

. "But we have finally beaten England and that has given us a lot of positives.

. "We will go with the aggressive approach we showed against England."

. The wicket-keeper expects to face an Australia side stung by a 36-run loss to India last weekend -- their first defeat of this World Cup following wins over Afghanistan and the West Indies.

. "We know Australia will try to come back and with (Steve) Smith and (David) Warner back they are at their best again," said Sarfaraz.

. "We respect all our opponents and are ready for them."

. Australia will hope opener Warner, for all he has already scored two fifties this World Cup, is back to his destructive best at Taunton.

. Warner's 56 off 84 balls against India -- of which 48 were dots -- helped contribute to a slow run-rate that left Australia with too much to do at the end of their innings.

. The left-hander was also involved in the run-out of Australia captain and opening partner Aaron Finch.

. But Finch backed Warner, who along with Smith is playing in his first major tournament for Australia since serving a year-long ban for ball-tampering.

. "They (India) bowled very well to Warner and he needs some more time. He's a world-class player and will get us off to a flyer," said Finch.

Amir aims for another Taunton triumph as Aus await

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