Canberra readies to host a capital clash

What's this all about then?

The annual Prime Minister's XI clash dates back to October 1951 when Sir Robert Menzies' handpicked side (or so we're led to believe) hosted the West Indies. Fast forward 64 years, and the fixture remains as a traditional warm-up one-day game for the touring party against a team led by a seasoned veteran full of Australia's youngest and brightest stars of the future.

Australia Test opener Chris Rogers will captain the PM's XI after Mike Hussey was forced to withdraw with a calf injury he picked up playing for the Sydney Thunder in the KFC T20 Big Bash League. Rogers helms a team with two members of Australia's 15-man ICC Cricket World Cup squad in allrounder Glenn Maxwell and fast bowler Patrick Cummins.

Local lad Jason Behrendorff, who now plies his trade in Western Australia, returns to Canberra as one of the form bowlers in the country. The towering left-arm quick is the leading wicket-taker in BBL|04 with 13 wickets from seven matches.

England have started their assault on the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series and the World Cup with a commanding win over an ACT XI yesterday.

Batting first, England's new-look top four all made half-centuries before late-innings cameos from Ravi Bopara (56 off 27) and Chris Woakes (45 off 27) propelled the visitors to 6-364. Off-spinner James Tredwell claimed three wickets as England ran through the hosts for 148 to win by a whopping 216 runs.

What should I look out for?

Australian fans, keep an eye on the aforementioned World Cup-bound duo of Maxwell and Cummins.

The Victorian's lean trot ended with a 44-ball 66 against the Melbourne Renegades on Saturday. His role in Australia's World Cup side could be hinged on his right-arm off-spin just as much as his explosive efforts with the bat.

In Cummins, Australia has a new-ball threat and frugal death bowler. If Mitchell Johnson is considered a certain starter in Australia's best ODI XI, then the two remaining spots will be split between Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, so every match henceforth is a golden opportunity for the 21-year-old to put his name up in lights.

England's new batting order is set to go under the microscope this series. The axing of former captain Alastair Cook as left a deep, if not productive, hole at the top of the order which has been filled with 150-ODI batsman Ian Bell.

The new combination of Bell and Moeen Ali is a mixture of fire and ice in some respects, and the latter says an aggressive top order approach is a feature of winning one-day teams.

"If you're going to win the World Cup, or be a successful one-day side, you do need a good start or guys in the top three to set the standard for everybody else and be expansive and take some risks," Ali said.

What's his name?

Jason Behrendorff. Not only has the gigantic left-armer dominated the BBL, the 24-year-old has been an imposing force in the Bupa Sheffield Shield this season. His match figures of 10-114 against Queensland secured an outright victory for WA, including a career best 7-70 in the second innings under lights at the WACA during the pink ball trial round.

"He's just a competitor. He's always at the batter," said PM's XI coach Phil Jaques on Behrendorff.

"He moves the ball, he swings the ball, which is always good.

"He seems to get movement out of wickets that a lot of players don't seem to get any movement out of which is always handy. Very rarely he goes for runs.

"Very rarely he has a bad day. He's always consistent, and I'm sure he's going to come out and be consistent again tomorrow."

Teams

Prime Minister's XI
Chris Rogers (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Matt Condon, Pat Cummins, Jake Doran (wk), Peter Handscomb, Simon Mackin, Glenn Maxwell, David Moody, Lega Siaka, Mac Wright (12th man).

England (from)
Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes

Who are they again?

The last time Australia's top-order read Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting was the fifth Ashes Test of 2006-07, but when was the first time the terrific triumvirate joined forces? Well, we're not entirely sure, but they did play together in the PM's XI in 1993.

Hayden (42) and Langer (21) put of 54 for the opening wicket, while Ponting made 36 at No.3 and struck twice in the field, running out Hansie Cronje and Brian McMillan in a tense four-run win to the hosts.

He said what?

"It's a great honour and anytime you get these opportunities you definitely want to be involved.

"(I'm) very grateful and looking forward to a great game. I think it's going to be very enjoyable playing against a lot of guys I know and a lot of guys in our side I haven't had a lot to do with.

"Being involved in this and the tradition that comes along with this is a great honour.

"I'm going to enjoy it. Won't have to take it as seriously as the last four weeks and enjoy being around the other boys." – PM's XI captain Chris Rogers

"It's always a great game, the PM's XI. I've been lucky enough to play in a couple myself as a player and really looking forward to coaching this team.

It's a really good blend of some seasoned Australian players, some good up and coming players and some good state players.

It should be a really good contest and a good hit out for England and do the right thing and beat them tomorrow." – PM's XI coach Phil Jaques.

Where can I watch it?

If you can't make it to Maunka Oval, you can watch the live stream on cricket.com.au from 2.20pm EDST tomorrow.