Australia struggle to face spin

Remember Graham Gooch calling on the Bombay bowlers, playing them for 4 days and then sweeping England to victory ?

Australia will do the same. Now the Kangaroos are revising their strategy and the new method is to preserve wickets in the inital overs. They could only score 262 against minnows, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe opened with a spinner and the whole world now know that Australia is on a sticky wicket ! Here the formidable World Champions have an Achilles heel, ready to be exploited by other teams on the subcontinental spin tracks ! In the warm up match against India, they could only score 176 and yesterday, they could only muster 262.

"We need to sort out our game and our game plans for better spin attacks. There is no doubt about that." said the Aussie skipper, Ponting.

Better application is needed if they are to improve on their 30 match unbeaten streak in the World Cup. Ajmal,Vettori, Murali, Mendis, Chawla, Bajji, Yuvraj, Tahir - all can become deadly on the subcontinental tracks !

"We know that we need improvement there," said the great batsman "We know that the spinning factor in this tournament is going to be a big one."

Aussies will improve once they acclimatise.

"The first task today was getting used to the conditions and having a good solid performance."

"We are not quite there just yet but I think the more we play and we get more adjusted to the conditions we will get better."


Now what will be the strategy of other teams when they face mighty Australia ? Confront them with spin !

It is just like attacking the Indian batsmen with short, fast deliveries ! The Achilles heel of the Indians ! Some teams have used it effectively earlier. But can other teams do it and get away with it against Sehwag & Co ?

It seems India is powerful in batting and ordinary in bowling. The reverse is the truth about Australia !

Aussie bowling still is the best and the team who want to win the Cup will have to confront Lee, Tait, Johnson, Watson & Krejza. Not an easy task. Three bowlers bowling at more than 145 kph, with Krejza turning one here and there. Even the formidable Indian batting could only muster 214 against them. Sehwag is the only batsman who scored a 50 against us, said Ponting.

Meanwhile, Chris Gayle has sounded an ominous warning to all that he wants to score a double ton in the WC. Sends shivers down one's spine. Bowlers, beware ! Gayle is on the prowl !