Fiery Warm Up leads to Fiery Bowling

While rest of his team mates were enjoying lunch in the cool dressing rooms, James Pattinson decided to warm up with Ali Di Winter on the pitch adjacent to the main wicket. 

Pattinson first bowled off a few steps and still got the ball to rise sharply and thud into the glove of Ali DI Winter standing at least 20meters back. Few balls later, Pattinson came off his standard 25meter run and pitched one on the same length but this time around as De Winter caught it, he felt full force as he was thrown back on the ground.

That was enough of the warm up and time for the real time action. Expect this time the middle stump of Murali Vijay felt the full grunt of the Pattinson’s ball as it was sent flying 5 meters back.  Vijay had managed to get an inside edge but replays showed he’s bat coming down as the ball was almost past it.It was cheer pace.

Pattinson warm up was a sign of things to come

Next Sehwag dead bat was not enough to stop the momentum of yet another thunderbolt.  The ball kept rolling  even after solid impact to hit top of middle stump. In space of 3 overs, Pattinson had suddenly sprung a graveyard wicket for fast bowlers to life.
 

Pattinson had a very simple game plan. It was to bowl the ball full and straight at the stumps. He had also changed his approach to the wicket. He was running in at an angle, a slight change he had made so he could bowl more deliveries at the stumps.

He revealed “In India their isn’t much in the wickets, so I knew I had to use the crease to my advantage. Running in at an angle allows me to bowl right at the stumps, something you need to do in these conditions”.                                  

Pattinson next wicket was due to fact he went wider on the crease and got a ball to jag in off the deck to peg back Pujara’s off stump.  In space of 6 over’s Pattinson had destroyed the timber work of the three Indian batsmen. 

Luckily for the Indians, Clarke had decided 6 over’s was enough for Pattinson.  Asked if he was under bowled Pattinson said “The plan is use me in short bursts and I was about to bowl another couple at the end but Straky (Strac) bowled quite well so Pup decided to hold me back. Hopefully he will get those extra over’s out me tomorrow morning”

Everything that Clarke has done has turned into gold so far and maybe he senses another sharp burst at the start of Day 3 from his pace weapon can change the balance towards Australia.  A good indicator will be the way Pattinson warms up tomorrow morning.