Tendulkar warns Aussies against complacency; Stuart Law agrees

Brisbane, Nov 29: Skipper Sachin Tendulkar warned Australia it would be a mistake if they wrote off Indians despite the tourists' 10-wick...

Brisbane, Nov 29: Skipper Sachin Tendulkar warned Australia it would be a mistake if they wrote off Indians despite the tourists’ 10-wicket defeat to Queensland today. He asked his teammates to pull up their socks.“We haven’t started the series yet. I expect it to be a tough one and we are looking forward to it,” Tendulkar said.

Queensland captain Stuart Law agreed. “I know the Australians are on fire at the moment, but they would be making a mistake if they think it is going to be a 3-0 whitewash. They must not enter the series with any complacency.If Steve Waugh and his men do so, they could be in for a nasty surprise,” said Law.

Referring to today’s loss, Tendulkar said: “Well I think ups and downs are always going to be there but we must be ready just before the Test,” he said.

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“We are giving chances to all the youngsters. We want all the players to have a feel of the conditions here,” the Indian skipper said.

Tendulkar said he was not worried about leggie Anil Kumble’s form. Kumble wentwicketless in the match. “I am not worried about him. He is a great bowler. He has done it in the past and it is just a matter of getting his length right,” an optimistic Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar said it was a bit tough on the bowlers because back home they practice with different balls. “The Kookaburra balls here are a bit different from the SG balls. They have a different seam.”

Coach Kapil Dev said he was disappointed with the loss.“I don’t like it at all if the batsmen are out after playing 40-50 balls. It is not the middle-order but the lower half which is giving us trouble,” Kapil Dev said.

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VVS Laxman, who was among the runs hitting a century and 73 in the two innings, received a pat from Kapil Dev, and a likely Test call-up.

“Any one who scores a hundred and 73 in the game has 100 per cent opened up chances for himself in the Tests. Still it is only the first game and not much should be read into it. If Australia come to India they take one or two games to settle in. Same with us. I amjust looking for the batsmen to spend some more time in the middle because batting is our strength,” the coach said.

On the bowling front also Kapil Dev had some worries. “Our attack is not so mature but I like it that way. We would like to be underdogs.”

Waugh seeks sweep
BRISBANE: Steve Waugh believes his side is capable of winning all three Tests against India this summer.

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“We did so against one of the best three Test teams in the world (Pakistan),” said Waugh, adding he looked forward to doing the same against the Indians.

Said Waugh, “We believe we can win in any situation. I think that’s the great thing Australian cricket has got at the moment.”

Steve Waugh has now won four Tests in a row as captain, something which even his predecessor Mark Taylor did not do during his illustrious career. The clean sweep against Pakistan was only the seventh Australia have achieved in their Test history and one of them was against the Indians, the 1967-68 touring side led by TigerPataudi and his men. “We played in a different level this series,” Waugh said. “It’s a bit like the World Cup. You set your standards really high. You don’t want to fall below that level again.”

Scoreboard
India (1st innings): 277
Queensland (1st innings): 401
India (2nd innings): 204
Queensland (2nd innings): J Maher not out 20, S Law not out 60. Extras (lb1, nb1): 2.
Total (for no wickets, 20.5 overs): 82
Bowling: Prasad 7-1-28-0, Mohanty 4-1-14-0, Kumaran 6.5-2-29-0, Kumble 3-1-10-0.