England batsman Gary Ballance says the host will draw inspiration from the way it played on the fifth morning of the first Test at Nottingham while gearing up for the Lord’s Test.
“We are looking for a win quite badly. The way we played on a flat pitch in Trent Bridge, we were close to that and we will take confidence from the day five morning and try and bowl at them,” Ballance said at a press-conference here on Tuesday.
Returning to Lord’s where he scored his maiden Test century (against Sri Lanka, last month), Ballance emphasised his preference for the sheet-anchor role.
“Hopefully I can go on and get some match-winning scores. Happy to play the patience-game, happy to bat time and bat as long as possible,” he said.
Nervous Ballance, who bowled one over of leg-spin at Trent Bridge, admitted to a bout of nerves when Alastair Cook handed him the ball. “Quite nervous before I bowled. I was glad that the first one landed and gained some confidence after that to bowl the remaining over.
“Will get some overs in the nets I guess and then see how it goes. Tough as a part-timer, difficult, bowled in nets at Yorkshire but not in the games, so we will see how it goes. Every captain wants that extra option,” Ballance said.
He added that his team wasn’t surprised about R. Ashwin’s omission in the first Test.
“Trent Bridge is quite seamer friendly and not many wickets are taken by a spinner,” Ballance said.
