Runs have cascaded from Shane Watson's bat ever since he set foot in India for the current tour. Starting with 115 and 104 not out against the Board President's XI at Chandigarh, the burly opener racked up 126 and 56 at Mohali and chipped in a 57 on the opening day of the second Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Watson though rued the fact that he and his batting colleagues frittered away their starts. “It was disappointing that no one got a hundred because it is a good wicket. We are hoping that we will get some more partnerships and with these conditions, we should get a good total in the first innings like we did in Mohali.
“Ricky Ponting will be frustrated about not getting a big score but it was a very important innings and he put up good partnerships with Michael Hussey and Marcus North,” said Watson and hoped that North will continue his stint at the crease.
MORE COMFORTABLE
The all-rounder drew some cheer from his purple patch with the bat and said: “I have played some important games and I feel more comfortable out there in different grounds while understanding the different conditions. A little bit of time-off also helped to refresh my mind and I have set my goals for the next eight to ten months.” Watson stressed that the pitch is good for batting and alluded that the moist conditions would favour conventional swing. “There is going to be a fair bit of swing and the ball will remain fairly new through the day.
“We are at our best when the ball is swinging and carrying through and we have to be absolutely spot on with the ball,”
DOING WELL
Virender Sehwag meanwhile said that India did well to restrain the Australian batsmen. “We thought that they would end up with 300 or 350 but 285 for five is a good total for us especially after Suresh Raina got Ricky Ponting's wicket. Ponting looked set but after his dismissal they got defensive.
“We will try to get them out early and bat as long as possible. That is our strategy,” Sehwag said.
The Indian opener said that the damp conditions could hinder batting.
“It is damp and slow. Hopefully the wicket will get better as the match progresses. Maybe on the third and fourth day the wicket will get drier and then the ball will come onto the bat.
“The ground is wet and the side wickets are also not dry. Maybe once they get dry, reverse swing will come into play,” Sehwag said and added that Laxman was omitted as he ‘felt stiff and sore' in the morning.
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