The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : We can win despite Australia’s strong reply, says bowling hero Sehwag

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Cricket

We can win despite Australia’s strong reply, says bowling hero Sehwag

Y.B. Sarangi

— Photo: S. Subramanium

RARE SCENE: Matthew Hayden, Anil Kumble and umpire Billy Bowden had to drop to the ground as a swarm of bees invaded the Ferozeshah Kotla on Friday.

NEW DELHI: The unexpected bowling trump card on the third day of the third Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla here, Virender Sehwag, exuded confidence that the home team had a good chance of winning the match even though Australia gave a strong reply to the host’s mammoth total.

Entertaining to the core, a tongue-in-cheek Sehwag, who captured three of the four Australian wickets, provided some relief to an otherwise dull day while summing up the action on Friday.

In the absence of an injured Anil Kumble, Sehwag kept India in the battle and expressed confidence about the home side’s chances on a deteriorating track.

“The match is not in anyone’s favour as yet. It can go either way. We will have to see how it goes tomorrow morning. It is easier said than done but it will not be easy to save the match on this wicket,” Sehwag told the media.

Difficult wicket

“The wicket is difficult at present. Many of my balls were unplayable but when Anil bhai comes tomorrow morning to bowl it will be much better than what I did today and the Australian team will be all out sooner than later.”

“We have full chances (of winning). A target of 250-300 will not be easy to chase, especially in the last two sessions,” he said.

On Match Referee Chris Broad handing a one-match ban to Gautam Gambhir for elbowing Shane Watson, Sehwag said the ban was too hard and a punishment of a fee cut would have been enough.

Hayden confident

After giving a good start to Australia, opener Matthew Hayden said his side was confident of putting up a better show on the fourth day.

After Australia’s strong reply Hayden said the team was capable of denying India victory.

“The pressure is back on India. They put on 600-plus score but we will be able to chase it tomorrow. It was a very good day for us, we put on 300-plus score and we are confident of our batting order to come,” said the burly opener.

“With 600 on the board, it required more of the traditional approach of occupying the crease, waiting and taking advantage of the loose balls," Hayden, who struck a useful 83, said about the fightback.

It was challenging to bat on a pitch which offered so much turn for the spinners, he said. “We’ve good players of spin bowling to come,” he said.

Asked about the element of surprise associated with Sehwag’s off-spinners, the Queenslander said, “It was an interesting strategy to bowl spin with Sehwag with the new ball,” he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport