Reverse swing wouldn’t work this time, Watson

With a century and a half-century in the first Test, Shane Watson has been the form batsman in an Australian top-order, which has overall failed to inspire too much confidence. While the 29-year-old opener played an uncharacteristically sedate knock in the first innings at Mohali, where he recorded his highest Test score, he had thrown his wicket away after a belligerent second-innings cameo. And though Watson started off in the same vein on Saturday at Bangalore, he arbitrarily slipped into his shell post lunch, before losing his wicket to a soft dismissal. "No doubt it was disappointing that no one got a hundred today because it is a good wicket. It is one of the things that happen on certain days. We are hoping that we will get some more partnerships going tomorrow morning," he explained.

Watson also believed that reverse-swing wouldn't be much of a factor during the second Test, as a result of the moisture on the wicket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"Usually in India, there are footmarks and it is dusty. But because of the moisture, there will be more conventional swing here," he said after the day's play.

Virender Sehwag for one seemed extremely pleased with his bowlers' efforts on the opening day, and believed that Australia blew a great chance to ascertain their grasp on the game.

"We are very happy with what they finished up with at the end of the day. The way they started and considering the pitch, I thought they would easily end up with something in excess of 350 by stumps," he said.

Asked whether he had seen in anything in the wicket that might assist his team's bowlers once the Indians come out to bat later in the game, all Watson could do was grin and sound hopeful.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Live another day

Spot fixing: Defending IPL, Warner attacks Aus press

Bowlers drag Royal Challengers Bangalore into a Royal mess

Hyderabad, the rising: Sunrisers move into fourth place, ahead of Bangalore