Adelaide, Jan 25: A 386-run fourth-wicket partnership between Aussie skipper Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting ensured that the home side were well on top at the end of Day 2 of the fourth Test in Adelaide. Clarke’s 210 once again emphasised the right-hander’s ability to play under pressure. But despite India trailing the hosts by 543 runs, Clarke is taking nothing for granted and is looking to press home the advantage with a clinical performance on Day 3.
The series top-scorer so far talked about his record-breaking innings, his partnership with Ricky Ponting and more in a media interaction at stumps on Day 2.
Excerpts:
On scoring a double-century
It’s very nice to have scored some more runs; that wicket is very flat to bat on. Both Ricky and I spoke early in our innings. Once we got in again today it was about going on and making big ones. The positive is it’s nice to have scored some more runs and to have 600 runs on the board but it’s going to take a hell of a lot to take 20 wickets on that wicket.
On becoming the third batsman to score a 300 and a 200 in the same Test series
It's very special, no doubt about it. One thing I've never been very keen on is statistics and records. It's about helping your team win and if things like that come along, it's very special.
On batting with Ricky Ponting
It’s always nice to see us [Ponting and Clarke] scoring runs and batting together. We’ve known each other a long time – played a lot of cricket together and it’s nice to spend some time in the middle. I guess both of us were disappointed with our series last summer [against England]. We’ve worked hard on our games to improve and it’s nice to be scoring some this summer. We know each other's games quite well. We can communicate about what we're seeing and if we feel like, we can help. That's the one thing we've done for a long time – we speak a lot when we bat about what the other person's seeing, to get help and advice and to keep both of us going. And this innings was no different; there was a lot of communication.
On the wicket
Hopefully we'll see some deterioration, especially the back half of Day 4 and Day 5. I think tomorrow it'll still be pretty nice to bat on. To be honest, there's been a couple of balls that have stayed low but it's about as good a batting wicket as you'll get. So we're in for a good workout. The bowlers are going to have to bowl well and we're going to have to hold on to every chance in the field.
On Sachin Tendulkar’s approaching 100th ton
I certainly won't be showing him any sympathy. We're there to win the game – we're there to try and take 20 wickets. He's a wonderful player, as I've said before, and he's going to be really tough to get out on that wicket. Somehow we're going to have to find a way to do it twice.
On Virender Sehwag
Look, he’s a very good player; his way to score runs is a lot different from mine. But he has had a lot of success so he’s another one you need to make the most of any opportunity you get. You need to bowl well and bowl with discipline to get good players out and he is certainly one of those good players.
On the Adelaide wicket
There was hardly any turn, to be honest, from both spinners [India's R Ashwin and Australia's Nathan Lyon]. The wicket's very flat out there ... it's not offering much for the bowlers, so discipline with our execution is going to be imperative tomorrow and over the next three days to try and take 20 wickets.
On Rahul Dravid getting bowled again
I have no idea what [Rahul] Dravid is feeling, to be honest. I know he is a very good player, a really experienced player, and has been really successful for India over a long period of time. But we have plans for every batter and we try to execute those and fortunately throughout this series we’ve been able to do that. So far things have worked, but that wicket is as flat as we’ve seen throughout the series so we’ve got to be even more disciplined to take 20 wickets.
