Thaindian News

Sydney, Feb 13(ANI): Former Australian cricketer Darren Berry believes that one of the crucial elements of Australia’s World Cup campaign will be the use of off-spinner Jason Krejza as the team’s No.1 wicket-taking spinner.

Krejza was included in the 15-man Australian squad in place of injured Nathan Hauritz.

“The subcontinent will throw up many challenges for our team. The biggest will be the blowtorch applied to Ricky Ponting’s captaincy of spin. Krejza has long been regarded by the players as the country’s best attacking spinner and most difficult to play,” Berry wrote in an article for the Age.

“Ponting and coach Tim Nielsen must not ask him to bowl darts in an attempt to contain runs. If that is the tactic our chances will suffer. Krejza must be encouraged to flight and spin the ball hard rather than flatten the arc and bowl dry. He will get belted if he bowls flat,” he added.

Berry further said that Ponting’s captaincy of spin bowling in all forms of the game has been average at best.

“His reading of the game and applying the screws at crucial times will be paramount to our success in the World Cup,” Berry wrote.

“I hope that he and Shane Warne had a good chat about tactics after Warne’s brutally honest, correct assessment of the use of Nathan Hauritz in the Bangalore Test last year,” he added.

Krejza had made his ODI debut against England in the seventh match of the recent series in Perth, where he finished with match figures of 2-53 from nine overs. (ANI)