Ricky Ponting feels
Australia has gotten the momentum back
Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said that the 267 runs victory in the third Ashes Test played at the WACA has brought the momentum and confidence back to the home side as the Aussies squared the five-match
series 1-1.
"Momentum and confidence is a great thing in sport," said Ponting. "We've got the tide going back in our direction now and more importantly we've got some of our key players, like this bloke beside me (Johnson),
probably on top of the world and with as much confidence as they've had in their careers."
It was Mitchell Johnson’s stunning return to form – claiming 9 for 82 after a wicketless Gabba opener - which helped the Aussies make a comeback in the ongoing series after going down 1-0.
The selection of a four-pronged pace attack including Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus - for the WACA Test was justified as the pacers bundled England out for 187 and 123 in their
first and second innings respectively. Having being mauled by Strauss’s men at one stage or another at the Gabba or the Adelaide Oval, the four undoubtedly enjoyed themselves at the WACA where the conditions helped the ball swing. Both Johnson and Harris shared
a tally of nine match wickets while the remaining two were picked by Siddle and Hilfenhaus.
Johnson, who leaked 170 runs at the Gabba for nothing, said that the pace attack worked like a team at the WACA with great patience.
"The big thing that I was just really happy about was the way we bowled as a team," said the 29-year-old fast bowler from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834.
The untried off-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 for Melbourne announced on Monday. Commenting on Beer’s selection, Ponting said that the
panel picks up the best four bowlers for the conditions and whether he makes the final XI at the MCG or not will depend upon the pitch conditions in the next few days.
Though the 267 runs victory has glossed over the fragile Australian top order, question marks still hover over the form of captain Ricky Ponting, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Phillip-Hughes-c2185. Ponting, with a broken little
finger, has made his participation in the fourth Test doubtful. The second last Ashes game gets underway in Melbourne this Sunday.
Tags: