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| November 21, 2006 | Tuesday | Shawwal 28, 1427 |
Langer ready for England short-pitched barrage
BRISBANE, Nov 20: Justin Langer says he has no mental scars from the fearful head blow he took in his last Test match and is ready for any short-pitched England bowling in Thursday's Ashes Test opener here at the Gabba.
The senior Australian opening batsman, playing in his 100th Test match against South Africa in Johannesburg last April, collected a thudding blow from Makhaya Ntini on his helmet which left him in hospital with significant concussion.
Langer, who turns 36 on Tuesday, admitted Monday he thought for a short time about his future in the game after the incident, but he is not gun-shy about facing Steve Harmison's steepling deliveries in the Brisbane Ashes Test.
“I've played a lot of cricket since it happened and I feel normal,” Langer told reporters here Monday.
“I've been playing for 15 years so I don't feel anything different about Thursday than I ever have.
“As a 5ft 8in opening batsman I've faced a lot of short-pitched bowling in my life and I'm not sure if I will get more of it in the series.
“If England decide to bowl short to me I'll find out maybe on Thursday morning.”Langer is a courageous Test batsman and took several hits on the body from England's fast bowlers during last year's Ashes series to protect his wicket.
The little left-hander, who boxes and practises yoga in his spare time to stay loose, was Australia's top run-getter in the last Ashes with 394 runs at 43.77.
“Were there any scars? After I got hit in Johannesburg I wondered if it would have an impact on me, but I got back on the horse and started practising and facing bouncers again just to make sure that any doubts were eliminated,”he said.
“When you get to this stage your body is like a machine. I watch the ball and it happens, you let go of everything and your body just takes over.—AFP
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