Either Krejza or White to debut: Ponting
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Left with minimal spin resources after Bryce McGain was ruled out of the tour, Ricky Ponting has said either Jason Krejza or Cameron White will play in the first Test against India in Bangalore. Both are yet to play a Test, and though Krejza gave away 199 runs from 31 wicketless overs against the Board President's XI, Ponting saw it as a "learning curve" for the offspinner, reports Cricinfo.
"Jason was very nervous during the first spell of the game," Ponting said after the tour game in Hyderabad ended in a draw. "I think he improved by the end of his spell in the first innings. He got into good rhythm and used the angles round the wicket very well. We need to work out how to use him best ... the field placements and the way the Indians tend to play him.
"We will have to look at the wicket when we get there [Bangalore] but we think one of those two will be in the side. White offers a lot since he is an allrounder; he is someone who can get a game in our side as a batsman alone. He just toured here with Australia A and did well in the one-dayers." White scored 144 runs at an average of 48 and took eight wickets in five one-dayers, captaining Australia A to a tri-series win against India A and New Zealand A.
In 2004-05, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz shared 42 wickets in Australia's conquest of the final frontier and Ponting felt the fast bowlers would need to step up on this tour as well. "The last time we came here we put a lot of pressure on our fast bowlers to execute a certain style of play," he said. "There is no doubt that they are the more experienced bowlers in our side at the moment and we expect them to lead from front and take pressure off from our spinners in this series."
"Jason was very nervous during the first spell of the game," Ponting said after the tour game in Hyderabad ended in a draw. "I think he improved by the end of his spell in the first innings. He got into good rhythm and used the angles round the wicket very well. We need to work out how to use him best ... the field placements and the way the Indians tend to play him.
"We will have to look at the wicket when we get there [Bangalore] but we think one of those two will be in the side. White offers a lot since he is an allrounder; he is someone who can get a game in our side as a batsman alone. He just toured here with Australia A and did well in the one-dayers." White scored 144 runs at an average of 48 and took eight wickets in five one-dayers, captaining Australia A to a tri-series win against India A and New Zealand A.
In 2004-05, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz shared 42 wickets in Australia's conquest of the final frontier and Ponting felt the fast bowlers would need to step up on this tour as well. "The last time we came here we put a lot of pressure on our fast bowlers to execute a certain style of play," he said. "There is no doubt that they are the more experienced bowlers in our side at the moment and we expect them to lead from front and take pressure off from our spinners in this series."