Simon Katich and Shane Watson enjoying opening role

Simon Katich and Shane Watson were only united at the top of the Test batting order midway through the Ashes series, but already they are eyeing their 1000th partnership run. The Australian duo, who are not regarded as regular openers for their New South Wales state side, have racked up impressive numbers over their past seven Tests, not least a partnership average of 71.33 that trails only Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe among international openers with ten or more innings together.

Astonishingly, for a duo who have registered 856 runs for the first wicket in just seven Tests - a tally that includes three century and as many half-century partnerships - only once have they individually reached triple-figures. The Australians hope that innings, Watson's unbeaten 120 in Melbourne last week, will relieve the tension among the openers who, between them, have been dismissed five times in the nineties this summer.

"It's quite a nervous time and it does mean so much to me and for us as batsmen to get a hundred," Watson said. "It's always been a big dream of mine to get a Test match hundred. When you're close, I've got to fight myself to clear my mind and not let the occasion and what you're about to achieve get too much. That's something I felt I did much better in Melbourne, in the second innings especially. It's something that I'm continuing to develop and work on as batsmen all the time."

Katich, who admitted he would need to "turn his hearing aid up" to avoid run-outs such as that which brought to a close Watson's first innings at the MCG, was buoyant about his fledgling opening partnership with Watson. "The beauty is both of us feel comfortable with our games at the moment and I guess when you're going out there and you have a left-right combination that can sometimes throw the bowlers off their line and length," he said. "The way Watto has been playing, it certainly takes the pressure off me because I can just sort of bat normally and try to occupy the crease and the scoreboard's ticking over because he's playing so aggressively and he just bats his natural game. It certainly helps me and we're probably complementing each other at the moment."

Both Watson and Katich vowed complacency would not prove a factor for Australia following their comprehensive 170-run victory over Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test. Katich predicted the SCG surface would suit the Pakistanis' style of play, while Watson warned of the threat posed by emerging paceman Mohammad Aamer.

"The only way you can knock his confidence around is to try and get him to bowl a lot of overs," Watson said. "It was amazing; he just kept coming. Even in the second innings he was ablre to string a number of spells together that were still very fast and very hostile. He's an amazingly talented young guy. He's very clever with what he bowls. He doesn't bowl too many bad balls, which is amazing for a 17-year-old, and he bowls at good pace. It's great fun and a good competition out there. He doesn't take a backward step and neither do I.

"He's definitely up there with Kemar Roach (in terms of pace). Kemar Roach obviously bowls with very good pace, but the left-armer definitely brings in a different trajectory to you and different angle. They're very similar pace. You've got to be on your toes and ready to go otherwise you could get yourself into a bit of trouble."