Australia will face Pakistan in two Test matches at Lords's and Headingley in July 2010, the England and Wales Cricket Board revealed Friday. Ricky Ponting's Australians have not toured Pakistan since 1998 and next year's series has been switched to neutral territory because of the security situation in the Asian country, which was heightened following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March in Lahore. The ECB has adopted the recommendations of the Independent Major Match Group to ensure the maximum number of Pakistan fans can attend the matches. Pakistan will also face Australia in two Twenty20 matches at Edgbaston, while Cardiff will host two Twenty20s matches between Pakistan and England. Meanwhile, England's Tests against Bangladesh next year will be played at Old Trafford and Lord's. Collingwood, Anderson rested England stars Paul Collingwood and James Anderson will be rested for the next three and two matches respectively in the current One-Day International series against Australia. Durham batsman Collingwood and Lancashire pace bowler Anderson have not missed an England fixture since early February and will finally get a chance to rest their weary limbs after being told they can leave the squad preparing for Saturday's match at Lord's. Although England is 3-0 down in the seven-match series and needs a victory Saturday to have any chance of winning the series, it was decided that the strain of such a heavy schedule in the aftermath of the Ashes triumph has taken its toll on the duo. ICC open to split ODI innings The International Cricket Council (ICC) is open to the concept of split innings in one-day cricket to help spice up the format in the face of Twenty20's increasing popularity. “I quite like that idea, I believe South Africa may trial something along those lines,” ICC cricket manager Dave Richardson told the BBC Friday. “It provides something different and reduces the effects on the team who loses the toss and has to bat first on a damp wicket, for example.” India's leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar said last week that two 25 overs innigns each would lend more balance to 50-overs games. Former South Africa Test player Richardson said the concept of two 25-overs innings had come up at the ICC's cricket committee's annual meeting in May. “The bottom line is if we can come up with a product that is better than the existing one, then everyone would like to look at it,” he said. “If it has been trialled successfully at domestic level, it may (get) the go-ahead at international level.”
