Hauritz looks for an encore

Way back in 2004,a freak injury cut short Shane Warnes tour to give Nathan Hauritz his first feel of a Test match.

Way back in 2004,a freak injury cut short Shane Warnes tour to give Nathan Hauritz his first feel of a Test match. He didnt do badly,picking up five wickets,including those of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

The following six years have given the offie just 14 more Tests but,ahead of the first Test at Mohali,he realises that he will be the main spinner for Australia,expected to not only relieve the pacers but also pick up a few wickets. Sachin Tendulkar is the worlds best batsman and bowling at him would be a huge task. But people make mistakes and however great Sachin may be,even he can commit mistakes, Hauritz said.

Generally,Indians will be very aggressive in their approach. My aim will be to bowl in the right areas and use the bowlers footmarks. The most important thing will be to control the way the ball comes out of my hand,as it is very tough to bowl and control the ball in the hot and humid conditions.

Ever since Warne retired,the Aussies have relied on Hauritz in the spin department,and he has delivered he is second after Mitchell Johnson in Test wickets in the past one year. I have been training for the past few days considering the amount of cricket that has to be played in the coming days. I bowled with the Indian balls SG back in Australia that helped me understand how to use them to my advantage in the series, he said.

We have had top-class cricketers like Shane Warne,Glenn McGrath,Adam Gilchrist ,Mathew Hayden and Justin Langer in our ranks so obviously without them we are in a transitional period. When I made my debut against India 2004,they were not number one but because they have had the same set of cricketers over the last few years,it has helped them reach the top, said Hauritz,who will vie with young leg-spinner Steven Smith for a place in the XI.

He is also all praise for skipper Ricky Ponting. It is wonderful to have Rickys backing. It certainly helps and motivates. There is no pressure,I just need to bowl well. My performances here will help establish myself as Australias main spinner, he said.