Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Hauritz ready to use 'Doosra' at WACA

December 14, 2009 12:11 IST

Australian off-spinner Nathan Hauritz says he will use the 'Doosra' during the third Test against the West Indies, and is confident about bouncing back in Perth after putting in a lacklustre performance in Adelaide last week.

Hauritz bowled well in the first Test win in Brisbane taking 3-17 and 2-40, but only managed match figures of 2-179 in Adelaide.

He has never played a Test at the WACA and only a handful of Sheffield Shield fixtures, but is looking forward to the opportunity despite the sight of Jason Krejza and Monty Panesar copping a battering in recent years.

"In one-day cricket the wind has always helped, but four-day cricket hasn't been real good. I think I've hardly taken a wicket here whenever I've played. I haven't played much. I've probably only played three games for Queensland," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hauritz, as saying.

He also revealed that he was working a lot on perfecting the 'Doosra' and hoped to befuddle the West Indian batters on the WACA pitch.

"I've been doing a lot of work on it (doosra). I tried it in Adelaide, but no one would have seen it so that's how well it's going. We'll have to wait and see if I can land it a bit better here," Hauritz said.

He also said that he still doesn't feel he's cemented his spot in the team and is hoping of doing well on a pitch that many predict will help the quick bowlers, but offer him good drift, pace and bounce.

"It's good for the time being not to be spoken about, whether or not I should be playing, but I'm happy to keep playing for as long as I can there," he said.

Gayle backhands Hauritz by saying he is facing himself

Meanwhile, the West Indies captain Chris Gayle has given Hauritz the ultimate backhander by claiming: "I feel like I'm facing up to myself".

Gayle, who has no special rating of his own part-time off-spin, does not appear to be worried about the prospect of facing Hauritz in Perth.

"I hear the Aussies look like they are going to play Nathan Hauritz here in Perth," Gayle said.

"At the moment when Hauritz is bowling to me, it's like I'm bowling to myself. He really doesn't turn the ball too much that is for sure. Occasionally he might get the odd one to spin. He is still young and hasn't played a lot of games, so maybe he can improve," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Gayle, as saying.

Hauritz, 28, knows he must bowl better in the third Test this week after confessing he was disappointed with his performance in Adelaide, a place which traditionally helps spinners.

Australia also has painful memories of its last spin experiment in Perth when former Test off-spinner Jason Krejza was flogged out of the attack, taking 1-204 in the loss to South Africa last summer.

It was Krejza's last Test and Hauritz knows the ground can be a brutal place for spinners.

Hauritz, however, insists he is a vastly different bowler and is far more confident now than he was then.

Source: ANI