Sydney: Steve Smith feels peppering the Australian batsman with the too many short balls could backfire on India when the two teams meet in the cricket World Cup semifinal here Thursday.
Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz had troubled the Australians, especially Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, in the quarterfinal but he ended up being the long ranger for his team as the co-hosts eventually won the game comfortably. Smith doesn’t see Australian batsmen getting worked up with the short-pitch stuff. “A couple of guys have got out to the short ball and that is just part and parcel of the game – you have got to get out some way,” Smith was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald. “We are expecting them to come out and potentially bowl a little bit too short for this wicket. If they try and jam them on this wicket it might suit us with these quick boundaries. It could play into our hands,” he said.
Smith said he is also feeling good about his batting. “I didn’t feel out of form. I just felt like I was out of sync. But that’s back, my swing’s back, so hopefully I can continue crunching India around the park,” he added.
Johnson the sledger
Meanwhile, spurred on by the heated exchanges during Australia’s quarter-final clash against Pakistan, paceman Mitchell Johnson has said he may take on the mantle of the sledger-in-chief in the semi-finals against India as it is “part of the game”. Despite ICC boss Dave Richardson’s warning before the World Cup that repeat offenders will be hit with match bans, allrounder Glenn Maxwell said this week Australia are not concerned that David Warner will be dragged into another incident with India and risk a potential ban.
Johnson though suggested that Warner may take a back seat when it comes to Australia’s aggressive approach at the SCG. “Someone’s got to do it and I think I might put my hand up.” (Agencies)
