Advertisement

Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » Cricket » India's tour of Australia 2007 » Report
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
Advertisement
  Discuss this Article   |      Email this Article   |      Print this Article

Nothing worked at Perth: Ponting
Get Cricket updates:What's this?
Advertisement
January 20, 2008 22:20 IST

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting [Images] on Sunday said that they failed to execute their plans apart from misreading the pitch, which largely resulted in their 72-run defeat against India in the Perth Test.

"We all got this one wrong. It hasn't been a bad wicket, but it hasn't been what we expected it to be," Ponting said.

"The whole game hasn't panned out the way we would have liked. In the first innings, we got our ends mixed up, the way the breeze was all over the place on the first morning," he was quoted as saying in The Australian.

Ponting had warned India ahead of third Test that he would unleash the wicket-taking machine --Shaun Tait-- but admitted his own mistake in not utilising his resources to the optimum level.

"I haven't been able to use him the way I wanted to. He didn't come on until late and only bowled a couple of overs before lunch."

Ponting let Tait bowl 21 overs in the match and the speedsters went wicket less in the match.

However, the skipper still exuded confidence that Tait would do well at Adeliade, venue for the fourth and deciding Test, beginning on January 24.

"Adelaide is usually pretty predictable. It's usually a good batting wicket for the first few days and then a bit up and down for the last day or so.

"If Tait's bowling at 150km/h and there's variable bounce, quite often it is the variable bounce which gets players out, not just the speed of the delivery.

"Tait also has the ability to bowl reverse-swing in Adelaide," he said.

Ponting exuded confidence in Tait's talent and ability and said the paceman has it in him to make it big in Test cricket.

"He's going to be a great asset to our team at some stage. The World Cup he had was amazing. I've got no doubt he'll have the same impact as a Test bowler, as well.

"He's got unbelievable raw pace. If he can produce that in a Test, he will knock the best players in the world over," Ponting said.

The South Australian has 33 wickets in 18 one-day games and 169 in 36 Pura Cup matches.

Ponting also believed that the Adelaide pitch would not assist spinners, though traditionally it has offered a lot to spin bowlers at the later stage of the match.

"I'm not sure spin has had as much of an influence as it has done there, in the last few years. They relaid the wicket there four or five years ago and it holds together a lot better now than it ever did," Ponting said.



  • Complete coverage: India's tour of Australia 2007
    © Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
     Email this Article      Print this Article

    © 2008 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback