Brendon McCullum
The BLACKCAPS wicketkeeper talks about the current match situation, the pitch conditions and the remaining two days.
On the current situation in the match…
“It was a pretty trying day. 300 lead, 4 wickets down is probably not the situation that we thought we would be in when we turned up at the ground yesterday, let alone today but still think we are in the game. Obviously we are a little bit behind at the moment but there is still plenty of time left in the game and the way these guys batted today showed us what we are going to have to do if we are going to chase down a big total in the fourth innings.”
On the current wicket…
“I think it has slowly deteriorated. I don’t think its suddenly become a real bunsen as such but there is a little bit of turn there, I guess its still a little bit slow. How Australia bowl will determine how we have to plan to chase down that total.”
On the spin bowlers…
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“They bowled pretty well today. Without too much luck they put the ball in the right areas and asked quite a lot of questions, but the way that Katich and Hussey played was the tempo they had to play against to two spinners who were bowling well. They didn’t offer us too many opportunities and they certainly took their time and created a partnership over a long period.”
On the seamers…
“Obviously tough conditions for our seamers. We don’t have that pace that some teams around the world have and probably need a little more assistance from the wicket. I thought they did a reasonable job, Southee continued to bowl well in this Test match and he got a couple of wickets for that.
“Arnel, after tea as well, came back with the new ball and did a really good job. It was disappointing for Martin, he probably wasn’t at his best but I thought they attacked him as well and put him under pressure. He’s a guy that’s played fifty odd Test matches I’m sure he will come back and he will respond with a good performance next time he has got the ball in hand.”
On looking towards the next two days…
“We are two wickets away from bowling at their bowlers. We saw in the first innings that if we do have that opportunity on a pitch that might offer a bit of spin, and if our spinners can bowl as well and what they did today, but against those tail enders, there is no reason why we cant run through that bottom order.”
“For key for us tomorrow is to try to get through those two wickets - this partnership now and obviously Haddin as well. If we can do that relatively early there is no reason to bowl them out and still have the game in our control. If we don’t start well we are a little bit in the hands of what Ponting wants to do. I’m not sure how they will play it - there is still a long time left in this game.”
“If we want to win a Test match in Australia we have got to bat big once at least, whether that is first or second innings we are going to have to do it if we want to win.”
