Ponting - credit the bowlers

Batting remains a concern for Australia

By Graeme Mair   Last updated: 17th February 2008

Ricky Ponting Australia v India CB Series Feb 17 08

Ponting: yet to hit form

It's a good sign that we're winning games of cricket - and some of them quite comfortably - without playing our best cricket.

Ricky Ponting
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Ricky Ponting hailed Australia's bowling attack after the 50-run CB Series success over India in Adelaide on Sunday.

India were bowled out for 153 in pursuit of a victory target of 204 as Australia claimed a bonus-point win to move nine points clear at the top of the table.

Ponting conceded his side have yet to play their best cricket during the triangular tournament but was nonetheless pleased to have secured a victory.

"Once again tonight our bowlers held us up," Ponting told Sky Sports.

"We were pretty sharp in the field tonight and have come away with a bonus point win so it's a great effort.

"We all know we haven't played our best cricket yet but we are still on top of the points table.

"It's a good sign that we're winning games of cricket - and some of them quite comfortably - without playing our best cricket."

Nagging

Ponting's vice captain Adam Gilchrist felt the slow nature of the wickets during the series has been a major factor behind the low scores.

But Gilchrist, who retires from international cricket at the end of the tournament, also admits there is plenty of room for improvement in Australia's top order batting.

"They've been nagging wickets, even in Perth (last Friday), everyone thought 270-280 but it turned out to be a little bit slower than normal," he said.

"And here tonight it wasn't free scoring, the new ball was where you had to get your runs but neither side capitalised.

"Our batting needs to improve but the batting conditions haven't been free flowing."

Flashy shots

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni placed the blame for the defeat squarely on the shoulders of his batsmen, who he felt had failed to take responsibility.

"The bowlers did their job, especially on a track that was not doing much," said Dhoni.

"The batsman failed - they should have taken more responsibility. We played too many flashy shots that didn't come off.

"It's important to realise when you are chasing these mid-totals of around 200 that (the batsmen must) take more responsibilty.

"But we failed to do it. It's part of a learning process."