By CricketCountry Staff
Australia pacer Ryan Harris, who is set to play the third Test against India at Perth, rues that he lacks match practise but will be banking on his efforts in the nets and short bowling stints in the Big Bash League.
Published: Jan 10, 2012, 03:18 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 10, 2012, 03:18 PM (IST)
32-year-old Ryan Harris has taken 35 wickets in eight Test matches for Australia © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
Perth: Jan 10, 2012
Australia pacer Ryan Harris, who is set to play the third Test against India at Perth, rues that he lacks match practise but will be banking on his efforts in the nets and short bowling stints in the Big Bash League.
Harris, who has recovered from the injury, is putting in hours of practice in nets under the watchful eye of bowling coach Craig McDermott. He bowled at top-speed spells of four to overs against Australian batsmen in the nets.
The right-arm pacer said he would have preferred bowling in the four-day game ahead of his comeback to the national side, and nets sessions can only be the substitute for match practice.
”That’s unfortunate, that’s the programming but I have to trust what I’ve done to get me through,” said Harris.
”I haven’t been able to get a four-day game in, that’s a disappointing thing, but I have bowled a truck load,” he was quoted assaying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Harris, who has taken 35 wickets at an impressive average of 21 from eight Tests said, ”Net bowling is different but when it’s the only thing you can do you get into a mindset.”
”I made sure I had a batter every time I bowled and tried to make it as competitive as I could. Craig McDermott was with me most of the time, it even got to a stage where I bowled blocks of overs without him telling me what I was doing so I could simulate a match scenario,” he added.
”You do get sick of it, you just want to get out and play games but … I wanted to be a part of this Indian series as much as I could and when it’s the only thing you can do I just knuckled down and did it.
”It can be a bit repetitive bowling in net sessions. To be honest if I had to do it again for another week I’d get a lot more frustrated but the opportunity may come up now that if I do play this Test that work I have done I’m confident it will get me through,” Harris added.
