|
|
|
| February 25, 2007 | Sunday | Safar 7, 1428 |
Clark wants challenging tasks at World Cup
SYDNEY, Feb 24: Reprieved fast bowler Stuart Clark has put his hand up for the two most challenging jobs in the Australian one-day team at next month's World Cup – bowling in the powerplays and at the end of the innings.
Clark, originally left out of the 15-man squad for the Caribbean, was recalled as injured Brett Lee's replacement and has urged the selectors to pitch him into the most exposed positions in Australia’s bowling rotation.
Though Clark’s economy rate was a factor in his original omission from the side, having conceded 5.45 runs an over during the summer’s one-day competition in Australia, he wants to handle the pressure of bowling on flat Caribbean wickets and on grounds with short boundaries.
Australia have been plunged into a pre-World Cup crisis. They need bowlers to bowl at key points in the match – during the powerplays and at the end of the innings.
Australia's bowlers were battered by New Zealand's batsmen in the recent Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series. They took a total of just 13 wickets while conceding two of the three biggest run chases in the ODI history -- 336 and 346 – in crashing to a disastrous series sweep on grounds similar in size to those Australia will experience in the Caribbean.
But Clark is relishing the challenge. “I’m okay with that,” Clark told The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday. “I've got better at bowling in the powerplays and at the end, and that's what I'll be looking to do when I'm over there.
“I don't expect the new ball. I don't expect any favours. It's a tough role to fill. I think they did a job over there (in New Zealand).
“Unfortunately, the scores didn't reflect that. Obviously, I've done it a little bit, and maybe I've done it more than a few of the other guys. But you're going to find that no matter who does it, you're going to find they're going to go for runs. It's a matter of being proficient at it and achieving the best result.”
Within hours of being called up to the World Cup squad, Clark was in the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) nets on Friday working on a slower delivery. Clark is confident he has addressed the problems that led to his axing before the finals of the tri-nations series this summer against England, which Australia lost 2-0.
“We worked on a slow ball, but it won't happen in the next 24 hours,” Clark told The Australian newspaper. “I'll be doing the best I can over the next couple of weeks to try to come up with a plan that may work (in the West Indies).
“I'm looking forward (to) going over there to do everything I can and it would be nice to do well. But we all know just how tough the one-day game is.
“Everything that happens in one-day cricket is designed for the batters, and that's fine. The bowlers expect that. The World Cup is going to be hard work for all the bowlers. The grounds are smaller and the wickets are flat and designed for batsmen,” he added. —AFP
|
|
|
|
