Haddin offers spinners support

Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has backed spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe to come good in the second Test against Pakistan on Thursday.

Lyon and debutant O'Keefe had a difficult time in Dubai, bowling a combined match total of 112 overs for a return of 6-439.

By way of contrast, Pakistan's two frontline spinners Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah, who was also on debut, bowled a combined 99.4 overs for 14-271.

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However, Haddin, who enjoys the best seat in the house from which to judge the spin bowlers, was remaining upbeat.

"I think all our bowlers had a tough time of it in the first couple of days but our guys toiled hard," he said.

"Everyone will jump at shadows a little bit every time Australia loses a cricket game, but the bottom line is we were outplayed.

"In his first Test match, (O'Keefe) did the role that he was brought in to do.

"It was a tough initiation into your first Test but he stuck at it."

Australia have two training sessions to turn things around before Thursday's second Test gets underway here in Abu Dhabi, and converting starts into big scores will be top of the agenda.

"We've been here long enough, we know what the conditions are like, and the wicket was good in the first innings (in Dubai)," said Haddin.

"We've just got to make sure we get a big total on the board so you can dictate the game.

"We don't have to change anything, our preparation was spot on, all the guys are in good form.

"We've just got to be more greedy in that first innings."