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March 16, 1998
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India hopefuls cane Aussie attack
No incident underlines the problem the Australian tourists are facing in India as much as one over from quickie Paul Wilson to India hopeful Amay Khurasia.
In that over, the belligerent left-hander glanced ball one to fine leg for a four, to move from 97 to 101. The next ball, short and rising outside off, saw the left-hander up on his toes to dab above the heads of slips for four more. Ball three was superbly coverdriven. And a pull off ball four produced the fourth four off as many balls -- prompting an outraged Wilson to storm down the wicket and audibly abuse the batsman.
And therein lies the problem -- beginning with the battering at the hands of Ranji champions Bombay, the Australian bowling attack is getting a pasting from pretty much every opponent it has faced, thus far, on tour.
The Australian bowling lineup had already failed, in rather spectacular fashion, to make any headway against the Indian batsmen in the first Test. Where, especially in the second innings, the home side scored at a scorching pace against pace and spin alike to set up a victory opportunity.
The three day game against India A at Jamshedpur was intended to provide, from a bowling point of view, an opportunity to either let Paul Reiffel strike bowling form, or to throw up possible replacements. Wilson was seen as the best of the reserves -- and it was Wilson who went for 47 runs off 8 overs in the second innings, while Reiffel himself proved, at best, steady without being threatening.
Among the support cast, Stuart McGill (2 for 72 in 16) was just about adequate, Darren Lehmann went for 36 runs in six overs and Greg Blewett's six overs went for 40 runs.
Adam Dale, the other reserve quick in the squad, retired ill.
And for Mark Taylor -- who actually bowled one over, in course of which Jacob Martin on drove him off the back foot for six -- there is a big problem brewing right there, two days before he leads the Australians out into the field at the Eden Gardens for the second of the ongoing three Test series.
What this means is that by default, Taylor will need to go in with Kasprowicz and Reiffel to use the new ball. Which, judging by their performance at Madras, means Australia will struggle to make an early breakthrough. Which, in turn, means that when the spinners come on, the batting side has already snatched an early initiative and is in an aggressive, dominant mood.
On the plus side for Australia is Steve Waugh's century, a good effort on a turning track against some good spin bowling. The contest has already resolved into a battle between the opposing batting sides -- which means that the Waugh brothers, along with Ponting and Blewett, will need to deliver in a major way to give the tourists a chance.
And the key to that is Steve Waugh -- while the rest, from Taylor through to Ponting, are attacking batsmen who, on turning tracks, will be hampered by their own impetuosity, Steve Waugh is the one player capable of playing the anchor, the steadying influence.
The importance of that was underlined by Rahul Dravid, in both the Indian innings in the first Test. In the first innings, it was Dravid's steadiness that pushed India towards a reasonable total after the early order failed. And in the second, again, his rock solid presence at one end enabled Sidhu, and Sachin Tendulkar, to bat around him, to attack.
Steve Waugh is best fitted to play that role for the Australians, and his patient, 167 ball knock of 107 at Jamshedpur will thus have come as a morale booster for the touring side.
Scores in brief: India A 216, Australia 391 (Taylor 57, Blewett 57, Steve Waugh 107, Darren Lehmann 76), India A second innings 241 for two (Amay Khurasia 117 not out, Jacob Martin 52 not out). |