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| January 3, 2006 | Tuesday | Zilhaj 2, 1426 |
Proteas coach eyeing big total
SYDNEY, Jan 2: South Africa need to build on their promising start to the final Test against Australia if they were serious about winning the match and squaring the series, Proteas coach Mickey Arthur said.
Arthur said his team had fought back strongly from 86-3 but their recovery would count for little if they didn’t go on and post a big first innings total.
“We tended to dominate the last session of the first day of both test matches and it’s important that we follow this up now with a good first session tomorrow,” Arthur told a news conference.
“I think if you can string back to back sessions together it puts you in a dominant position and you can exert a bit of pressure on the opposition which we’re quite keen to do.
“We’re aware that the new ball’s due early tomorrow which is quite a crucial factor and if we can get through that then hopefully we can set up something big.”
Arthur said his team needed at least 400 on the board to put the Australians under pressure after falling short of that mark in the two previous two Tests.
“Before the start of the series we thought one way we could put Australia under pressure was to score 400 in the first innings,” he said.
“We haven’t done that yet so I’ve been a little bit disappointed with the batting but we spoke about it long and hard yesterday with the chaps and they’ve responded nicely.”
Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist said any score above 350 would be hard to chase.
The entire morning session was washed out because of light rain and although the pitch showed signs of life between lunch and tea, it flattened out in the final session before stumps.
“We’re a bit disappointed with the way the day finished with the way the result turned out,” Gilchrist said.
“We have to come back tomorrow with a couple of early ones and we can get right in amongst it.
“Any innings of 350 you’ve got to be reasonably happy with, though we’ve got to try and pull them inside of that.”
Gilchrist said the gloomy, overcast conditions did not suit Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill after the tourists won the toss and decided to bat so they could avoid facing the two leg-spinners on the final day.
“It was a seaming wicket, there was plenty of moisture there. We played two spinners, obviously hoping to bat first and have them bowling day five,” Gilchrist said.—Reuters
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