Sport - Cricket

‘That was my stock ball’

HYDERABAD: Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who stunned the Australian skipper Ricky Ponting with a wonderful googly, played down the dismissal, saying that he was just waiting patiently and trying to bowl in the right areas. “That was my stock ball and I am happy it clicked,” he said.

Chawla said the way he and Pragyan Ojha made the Australians struggle would boost the confidence levels of the senior bowlers who are preparing for the Test series. “I don’t want to comment on selection matters. I will be patient, perform consistently and hope for the best,” Chawla said.

“It is important to get one more wicket before we start having a look at the tail. The first hour on Saturday would be crucial,” Chawla said.

Chawla said he had had a chat with former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, who is now a national selector, about his action.

“I keep discussing with him about my bowling every time we meet,” he said.

Australia’s Mitchell Johnson said the team was happy with the way the fast bowlers performed on Friday. “We tried to get the reverse swing going but it did not work as the ball was too soft,” Johnson said. “Definitely, we got a feel of how the conditions will be in the Test series, especially the heat and humidity,” he added.

“It is important to bowl straight in these conditions and keep trying variations like change in pace and bowling the off- and leg-cutters consistently as Stuart Clark did during his nice spell,” Johnson said.

About his four-wicket haul, Johnson said he was pleased with his performance.

“We are working as a team to achieve our goals. I am not thinking too far ahead. Right now, we are focused on this game and keen to have another go at the President’s XI batsmen ahead of the first Test in Bangalore,” Johnson said.

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