Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 feels lack of discipline as the main reason behind first innings’ fiasco
Michael Clarke, the Australian vice-captain has criticized the batting of his side saying the side lacked discipline in its first innings as England lead by 346 runs with five wickets still in hand in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test at Melbourne
Cricket Ground after the hosts were bundled out for a paltry 98 runs in their first innings.
"Our shot selection wasn't great, no doubt. I think all of our wickets were caught behind the wicket, so there was enough in the wicket there,” said Clarke while talking to the media reporters at the close of Day 2 at MCG.
Clarke, who had top scored http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s first innings with 20 runs, feels the Aussies lacked discipline in their first innings as he continued “…we played some poor shots, we obviously didn't show enough discipline, as we've seen the sun's
coming out, dried the wicket out, it's a really nice wicket to bat on now."
The 29-year-old right-handed batsman from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823 expected the home side would come up with an amended plan in its second innings, after Strauss’s men have made life difficult for the struggling Australians as they were 444 for five
by the stumps on Day 2 with Johanthon Trott still on the crease at 141 and the wicketkeeper batsman Matt Prior complimenting him with an unbeaten 75.
Clarke was quite positive about his side when they will be given another chance with the bat at Melbourne Cricket Ground. "The positive is we get another bat, so we get another opportunity,” said the T20 captain of Australia.
When asked about the atmosphere in the dressing room, Clarke acknowledged that the players, specially the batsmen were quite disappointed as they could have done much better. He further added that the bowlers were also crestfallen as they
had once again failed to penetrate. The optimistic Australian vice captain admitted that it was going to be quite tough for them to reinstate but was hopeful that the side was good enough to accept the challenge.
In the meanwhile, the frustrated Australian captain Ricky Ponting was fined forty per cent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council on Monday after he had an on-field row with the on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Tony Hill over
an unsuccessful review call at Day two of the fourth Ashes Test.
Tags: