Sydney, Jan 3: Young Australian fast bowler James Pattinson, who bagged a four-for on Day 1 at the SCG, was instrumental in wrapping up the Indian innings for 191 after the visitors opted to bat first. Amongst his scalps were the key wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, known to be especially productive at the venue.
The young pacer spoke to the media about the match, and getting the two veterans out, after stumps on Day 1.
Excerpts:
On whether India were intimidated by Australia’s bowling
I don’t know whether they were intimidated. They are great players; they have played against every player in the world. I think they are probably intimidated by the way we are bowling, the areas we are bowling. We are not giving them any loose balls. […] I think the intimidation comes with us bowling really well.
On VVS Laxman
He has had great success against Australia in the past and that is something that we have looked at but like I said [earlier], if you bowl good balls at a batsman, it doesn’t matter how good they are – you can get them out. I think early on they are coming pretty hard at you because they want to score. That’s even better from a bowler’s point of view, them trying to score early on, trying to drive us there with a ball that probably wasn’t there [to score off] today. If we keep doing the right things, I think we are going to keep [meeting] with success.
On whether talk of Sachin Tendulkar’s hundredth hundred inspires him or adds to the pressure
As a bowler it inspires us to get him out. [...] The bubble around our bowling attack is amazing [considering] the fact we're playing against such high-class opposition. We're just up for the challenge even more. If you come out on the day and don't bowl so well, they can put you right on the back-foot, therefore the day travels away from you a little bit. I think he is a great player; I don’t think he’s thinking about it at all. He is probably just thinking about doing what he has done throughout his career and not worrying about it at all.
On the bowling conditions
I think there was more consistent seam at the MCG. Today was more swing bowling; there were a couple of balls occasionally that did seam. [...] It was good conditions to bowl in early on but they did dry out a fair bit after lunch. And you can see [that] with some of the shots that [MS] Dhoni played [...].
On Tendulkar’s dismissal
He was pretty unlucky today; it was quite a wide delivery and if you build enough pressure on him then something like that can happen. Speaking about him not driving at the SCG, today he wanted to do that and thought that he could do that. I suppose it’s just the time I bowled to him. He has played so much, he has got so [many runs]. Even the flicks over gully [and] over slips – you think it’s a good ball but he gets you over. Even if you bowl a good ball, his defensive shots look good. It’s just hard to get past him but saying that, every batsman is vulnerable at some time. You bowl good spells and tie them up.
On Australia’s bowling
To bowl them out for 191 is a good effort by the team. Every time we go out and bowl we want to get them out for as low a score as possible but 190 [-odd runs] just shows how [well] we did bowl. We are in a good spot at the moment, the bowling attack. Tomorrow the batsmen can get a little bit of a lead on them.
On his bowling
Pace is something that comes naturally to me. I don’t run in and try to bowl really fast; I just run in and concentrate on bowling a nice line and length. With my bouncer I try to bowl as fast as I can. [...] Glenn McGrath, one of the greatest fastest bowlers, had said that that’s all you have to worry about; the pace will take care of itself. It’s pretty good advice from him and something that I definitely listen to.
