The Hindu : Sport : Ponting hints at change in tactics

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Friday, Apr 13, 2007
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Ponting hints at change in tactics

Special Correspondnent

Bridgetown: Ahead of the Super Eight match against Ireland, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said his side would do things a touch differently as the business end of the World Cup draws near.

"It's been one of our theories, not a theory so much a motto actually that we'll take it one game at a time," said Ponting.

"But, as we approach the business end of the World Cup, we'll have to look ahead a little. We have to consider things such as injury. We don't know the exact situation with Watson, and whether any of the bowlers could get injured, so we need to ensure all our bowlers are ready." Ponting added that "nothing was set in stone" with the batting order, and that Michael Hussey and Andrew Symonds could be pushed up the order. There's also the likelihood of reserve keeper Brad Haddin getting a game.

No complacency

Ponting dismissed talk of complacency, calling it a "media word". He said in all his years as an Australian cricketer, no one was ever complacent in anything he did.

"We'll look to impose ourselves," said Ponting, "and show the world how much in order we have our game. I don't think we've played our best cricket yet. Matty Hayden has had a good World Cup as have Michael Clarke and Nathan Bracken. But, they haven't been any better than I expected them to be. When some individual players start surprising the team and start surprising me, I'll know we're playing our best cricket."

Ponting said the Kensington Oval wicket looked "good" and "played pretty well" during Wednesday's match. "Not till the end where a ball from Mortaza misbehaved and it started spinning a little differently, did it do anything."

What would Ireland need to do to defeat Australia? "They'll have to come up with incredible individual performances at a level they've never played at before. And we'll have to be well off our game in pretty much every skill-based area. But, it's happened before, and the favourites don't always win."

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