da pixbet： BRISBANE – Captain Ricky Ponting says Australia’s batsmen must find away to defuse the likes of Shoaib Akhtar to prevent one bad day fromruining their World Cup defence next year.
Michael Crutcher20-Jun-2002BRISBANE – Captain Ricky Ponting says Australia’s batsmen must find away to defuse the likes of Shoaib Akhtar to prevent one bad day fromruining their World Cup defence next year.Shoaib reminded the Australians their World Cup in Africa could unravelin just a few overs during a lightning spell for Pakistan at the Gabbalast night.He claimed 5-25 from eight overs, enabling Pakistan to cruise to a91-run victory in the deciding match of the Super Challenge series.Ponting was the first of Shoaib’s victims, skittled by a blisteringinswinger, and the Rawalpindi Express claimed Damien Martyn and DarrenLehmann with his next nine balls.Australia opens its World Cup defence against Pakistan on February 11 inJohannesburg – a renowned fast bowlers’ playground because of thealtitude.”He bowled well, he bowled quick and he got them in the right areas,”Ponting said.”When you’re bowling 150km/hour and swinging the ball you’re alwaysgoing to be hard to play.”But we’ve got to find a way to combat that when the World Cup comesaround. We have to identify when someone is bowling well and get throughthose tough times.”We couldn’t do that this time and he ripped the heart out of ourinnings.”Australia’s batsmen were disappointing in the last two matches againstPakistan, folding for 167 and 165 against some pinpoint bowling.Australia’s bowling also had its patchy moments, the home team conceding87 runs from the final 10 overs last night.”We have a few areas we need to address and everyone as individuals hasto improve a fair bit before the next time we play,” Ponting said.”But I don’t think it’s a bad thing that we’ve lost. It’s going to be agood wake-up call to all of us.”When the World Cup comes along we can’t afford to have one game likewe’ve had over the last two games.”We’re losing wickets in patches as well and we haven’t got partnershipsat the top of the order and that’s something we need when the World Cupcomes around.”We’ll give the guys a bit of time to think about it and hopefully goaway and improve their games.”Australian selectors will also think about the all-rounder role becauseyoung Tasmanian Shane Watson didn’t nail the position against Pakistan.Watson was the sole all-rounder in the squad after selectors overlookedAndrew Symonds and Ian Harvey, but he conceded 0-46 from five overs lastnight.The 21-year-old has a mediocre economy rate of 5.49 runs per over fromhis first seven one-day internationals.”He struggled in the last game but the previous two games I thought hedid a pretty good job for us,” Ponting said.”He’s got some improvement to do with the ball, there’s no doubt aboutthat, and his batting is getting there as well.”There are a few areas in his game that he wants to improve on and he’llgo away and do that because he’s a very hard worker and has a greatattitude.”I’m sure he’ll come back a better player next time.”The Australians left for their homes or to English county teams today,awaiting news on their proposed upcoming series against Pakistan.