By IANS
Perth : Under fire for not unleashing their most dangerous pacers for long spells in the third Test against India here, Australia has revealed that the fear of suspension for skipper Ricky Ponting prevented it from going for the jugular.
Herald Sun reported Saturday that Australia’s plot to claim its record 17th consecutive Test win collapsed under an Indian onslaught as Ponting could not use Brett Lee for more than just two overs in the post-lunch session when India were down 160 for six in their second innings on the third day.
Ponting bowled part-timers Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds in extended spells in a bid to speed up Australia’s over-rate, which was flagging dreadfully because of its four-pronged pace attack.
Former Test skipper Mark Taylor said Ponting overused his part-timers, who sent down 23 overs between them.
“It’s a worry for me. Clarke and Symonds have bowled heaps of overs between them,” Taylor said.
“I think they’ve got to bowl (Shaun) Tait. He was picked in the side to be a wicket-taker for this situation,” he said.
But Australia coach Tim Nielsen Friday night defended Ponting’s handling of the bowlers, saying the skipper was in danger of facing suspension if he had not sped up the tardy over-rate.
“If your team gets six overs down, there is the opportunity for the captain to be suspended,” Nielsen said.
“We needed to make sure Ricky wasn’t under pressure as a captain and be six or seven overs behind at the end of the innings and get in some real strife,” he said.
Nielsen admitted that it was a difficult situation and the team was under pressure.
“It was a difficult situation for us in that we were well behind in our overs and we needed to catch some up. It was just silly how far behind we had got. It really did put some pressure on us,” he said.
“We would have liked to have bowled the fast bowlers in different periods.”
But the tactics, when Australia should have been going for the jugular, allowed India to get off the canvas in front of a sell-out Perth crowd.
V.V.S. Laxman (79) prospered against the part-time bowlers and hauled India out of trouble.
The tourists were dismissed for 294 and secured a monster lead of 412.
With Australia in trouble at 65 for two at stumps Friday night, the pre-match $1.40 favourite had blown to $3.15 as India became the raging $1.35 favourite in a Test it was never expected to win.
Former Australian fast bowler Terry Alderman said it was bewildering that Lee, who stormed through India’s top order in the morning, was not called to the crease earlier in the middle session.
The tactics of bowling the part-timers also worried former Test opener Justin Langer.
Even India’s batting star Laxman said Ponting’s ploy had backfired.
“Ricky Ponting must be having some sort of strategy, but it didn’t come off,” Laxman said.
Ponting had a difficult task juggling a four-pronged pace attack.
Tait, who produced match figures of none for 92, is certain to be axed for next week’s Adelaide Test, with spinner Brad Hogg set to be recalled.
In the morning session, Australia rediscovered its aggressive streak after being told it must stop apologising to India.
With a fired-up Lee exchanging words and hostile glances with several Indian batsmen early in the day, the world champions demolished the tourists’ top order.
After being criticised for being too meek in the opening two days, Australia reverted to their uncompromising ways.
Former Australian skipper Kim Hughes was disturbed when he saw Australian bowlers apologising for appealing earlier in the match and urged them to return to their ruthless approach.
“It’s time we stopped apologising for being Australian. I didn’t see anything wrong with it (Australia’s behaviour in the Sydney Test),” he said.
“I must have been watching a different match to everyone else.”
Lee eyeballed Indian night watchman Irfan Pathan early Friday and was then unhappy at being kept waiting when Sachin Tendulkar took an eternity to face up to his first ball.