Lee aiming to quell Shoaib in battle of the quick bowlers

It has long been suspected that fast bowling will help to forge the destiny and the destination of the eighth World Cup. Not any old seaming, just the other side of fastish medium stuff – which will have its moments – but sheer, accurate, menacing, knock your helmet into a cocked hat pace.

The theory, and the velocity, will be tested to their limits at the Wanderers here tomorrow when Australia, the defending champions, play Pakistan, the runners-up four years ago. The match itself has plenty going for it, with the best side on the planet and the competition favourites playing the most contrary team, who by common consent are capable of beating anybody but frequently put their hands up in surrender and circle the wagons before falling in a heap.

What gives this game a special edge, what stirs the soul, is the match within a match between the two fastest bowlers on earth, Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar. For three years they have vied for the unofficial title. They have entered into the spirit of it, each determined to outdo the other. You can imagine them looking in the shaving mirror in the morning and asking: "Who is the fastest of them all?"

They will each have a maximum of 10 overs tomorrow but given the overhead conditions which often prevail at the Wanderers they could be decisive spells. There is also the distinct opportunity for one, or both of them, to bowl the fastest ball of all time. Cricket balls, like human beings, travel faster at altitude and this city is 1600 metres above sea level.

Ricky Ponting, Australia's captain, said yesterday: "They'll both be pretty pumped up knowing that the ball travels faster through the air here than in Australia and most other places. In a game here a couple of years ago Brett broke the record so there's got to be a chance."

For pumped up, read pawing at the ground and breathing fire. Fast bowlers, of course, have been coveted and worshiped for as long as cricket has been played. But their significance in the limited overs game has evolved.

It came gradually to be recognised that they could have an effect not only at the beginning of an innings with the new ball but in the middle of it when batting sides try simply to consolidate by keeping the board ticking over before launching a late assault.

The presence of a bowler with genuine speed – anything above 88mph which bounces above waist height qualifies – is aimed at disconcerting this strategy. The fast man can take wickets when, traditionally, they do not fall, and undermine an innings.

Equally, their penetration at the start when the white ball is at its most responsive, can impede progress in the first 15 overs. Thus, Ponting is left with the problem of where to bowl Lee.

He can either him hand him the new cherry – or whatever they call the recently unwrapped white ball – and watch him try to dismantle Pakistan as he wrecked England in the VB Series triangular tournament recently. Or he can hold him back, a threat lurking at the back of the batsmens' minds even as they are trying to deal with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie. The return of McGrath and Gillespie, a mean opening pair, may persuade Ponting to let Lee become restless on a metaphorical leash somewhere on the boundary.

Pakistan have a similar conundrum with four seamers to fit into their side: the veterans Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, the tiro Mohammad Sami, and Akhtar. They, too, may let the senior citizens have first bash, letting the batsmen sweat on the arrival of real speed.

"We've played against Shoaib a lot before and he's done well against us," said Ponting. "We know he's a very dangerous bowler and if he gets it right he can go through sides. But most of our guys have had success against him before and have got game plans worked out to combat his speed."

In a way, Shoaib embodies the contrary nature of his country's team. If the Shoaib who took 5 for 25 in eight of overs of blistering pace last June shows up Australia will be in trouble. But two matches later he went for 45 in five overs as his direction deserted him.

A similar stricture once applied to Lee. But against England two weeks ago he demonstrated that he has learned. "He's just got smarter," as Ponting put it. In short he knows how to put the frighteners on.

The Wanderers is a sell-out for the match. Australia should confirm their status as favourites since their build-up for this tournament has been perfectly paced. But the absence of Darren Lehmann (banned) and Michael Bevan (injured) places a slight doubt over their middle order. Pakistan have been in dreadful form but in their case that means nothing. If they can win they might well decide the World Cup is their destiny.