Australian bowlers will keep "patience" as their key mantra to combat long hot days on the field during the upcoming India series. The Aussie bowlers lack the experience of playing Tests on Indian pitches. Though selectors have been more keen on playing a spinner, the pace trio of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson will be heavily banked upon for picking up crucial wickets.
"Patience is definitely going to be a word that we will be using through the whole Test series," Lee told reporters. "I just think the key to bowling over here, going on what you read and what you hear from past players, is to be nice and patient."
"We are up against world-class batsmen, we are up against wickets that aren't going to be conducive to fast bowling, and the weather is going to be really hot. We have to try as a team to block all that stuff out and just really focus on the way we know, to be nice and patient."
Lee doesn't feel that the lack of experience will do any harm to the bowlers. The pacer had been kept out of the squad for the 2004-05 tour of India. With 289 Test wickets already dumped into his kitty, Lee is most certain to cross Craig McDermott's margin to become the fourth highest Test wicket takers in this series.
Mitchell Johnson's form has been troubling the team from some time now. Thus, Stuart Clark is being looked as someone to fall back upon, apart form Lee. Clark said that he would be aiming to bowl straight to suit the conditions.
"The wickets become harder to bat on," Clark said. "They don`t bounce, there is no pace in them and they don`t carry. LBW and bowled become a really useful mode of dismissal, rather than just caught. In Australia a lot of the guys get caught behind the wicket. Bowled and LBWs are a big way of getting out over here."
All-rounder Shane Watson is also expected to lend some help to the three main fast men. Watson is making a comeback to Test cricket after almost three years. However, down with a viral fever, he is doubtful for the final tour match, which starts on Thursday.