Australia has an unlikely weapon as it prepares tostave off a red-hot South African bowling attack -- a Pakistani asylum-seekerwho will be helping batsmen ready for the Proteas.
Fawad Ahmed, who left his home in the border region near Afghanistanto come to Australia on a short-stay visa to play cricket in 2010, is awaitingnews on whether his claim for asylum has been accepted.
In the meantime, he will be used by the Australian team forbatting practice during the South Africa series because of the similarities inhis bowling to the Proteas' leg-spinner Imran Tahir.
"I'm really excited and I think I can bowl well. It's goodfor them and it's good for me, that they have asked me to go there," Ahmedtold the Sydney Morning Herald.
Ahmed is familiar with naturalised South African Tahir, havingplayed against him when they were both in Pakistan's domestic cricket.
"We are the same height, with a high arm action, and wecan both bowl a good wrong 'un," he said.
"His leg spin is bouncy, and I am like him, so it'sgood for the Australian batsmen to practise on my bowling".
Ahmed will be in Brisbane as a net bowler ahead of the Teststarting on November 9, even though there is no guarantee South Africa -- withits powerful pace line-up -- will use Tahir at the Gabba.
But Australian opener Ed Cowan, who pushed for Ahmed to be anet bowler, said it made sense to practise against him ahead of the contestagainst the world's number one Test side.
"If you're looking to prepare for someone who wouldhave been hard to replicate, you may as well get someone who, to the naked eye,seems pretty similar," Cowan told the Herald.
Ahmed has previously said he was targeted by Muslim extremistsin Pakistan because of his involvement in cricket, even receiving death threatsbecause of the perception that the sport promotes Western values.