Spin outs worry Ponting
- From: AAP
- February 23, 2011
Nasty turn: Ricky Ponting says the Australians need to sort out their play against spin. Picute: William West Source: AFP
RICKY Ponting is rapt with how Australia's pace attack is shaping up, but admits his batsmen need to work on playing spin.
The defending champions opened their World Cup campaign with a 91-run win over Zimbabwe, scoring a relatively modest total of 6-262 against the world No.11-ranked side then bowling them out for 171.
Pacemen Mitchell Johnson (4-19) and Shaun Tait (2-34) were in dangerous form despite the slow, low pitch.
However as opener Shane Watson (79) and No.4 Michael Clarke (58 not out) were the only two batsmen to reach 30, Australia's middle order will face a stiff test against New Zealand spinners Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum in Nagpur in their second Group A match on Friday.
"We've had a good solid performance and we know we'll have to improve and play better against New Zealand," Ponting said after scoring 28 against Zimbabwe.
"We need to have our games and our own game plans sorted out for better spin attacks."
Watson, the superstar of the Australian team in all forms of the game over the past two years, was unable to make a big impact early with Brad Haddin against minnows Zimbabwe.
Just 32 runs came off the first 13 overs, with left-arm slow bowler Ray Price (1-43) opening the bowling and off-spinner Prosper Utseya (1-43) coming on first-change.
By the time Haddin fell for 29 to leave Australia 1-61 in the 19th over, the situation was getting tense.
"I knew if one of us was able to bat through a long period of time throughout the innings, that we were going to be able to catch up the runs," Watson said.
"It was definitely a bit different today, compared to what Brad and I are normally trying to do.
"We just (felt) it was too much of a risk to be able to really try to take on the bowling attack.
"The wicket was a little bit dead and the bowlers bowled well."
Watson says a left-armer like Price or Vettori bowling around the wicket makes the sweep a risky shot.
"It's something Brad and I are going to have to continue to get our heads around," Watson said.
"But also when a spinner comes on, know that we don't have to take a lot of risks with there only being two guys out on the boundary, so just playing good shots and hopefully we can get off to a much better start next game and take a bit of pressure off the middle order."
