I'm really disappointed at having to miss out on tomorrow's game because of a strained abdominal muscle. Chris Cairns, who had missed the last game, will come in and take over the reins.
I have been to the nets since we landed in Hyderabad, but while I am able to bat, running between the wickets and fielding are a problem.
It is never easy to sit out of a game because of injury, but I'm trying my best to stay positive so that I can play in the final. The guys look determined and have the confidence of the Cuttack game behind them. It also helps that we have not yet lost a game to India on this tour, something the Indians would be aware of. We have known since last Friday that everything hinges on this game, so mentally we are well prepared for this one.
The hosts must be pretty unhappy with their performance against the Australians at Bangalore the other night. I don't think it is easy for them to have everything hinge on this last game, which is now pretty much a semi-final. A win at Bangalore would have given them some confidence and breathing space, but that was not to be.
While India's batting has been doing well, they have been experimenting with various bowling combinations, but their search for the right one has not been successful so far. It has also not helped India that batsmen from our side as well as from Australia have played their spinners better on this tour than in the past. It will be interesting to see their bowling attack tomorrow, with talk of Aavishkar Salvi coming into the side.
That is not to say that we have not had our problems against the world champions. The Australians are a great team, but somehow, whenever we have got a chance against them, we have fallen short of victory. This has been happening in most games between the two sides this year and I guess we will have to tighten the emotional aspect of our game and get more clinical with our finishes.
The ability to close out games without losing nerve is what makes a great side, and we will have to work on this aspect if we aspire to become a great side.
The other worrying factor is that our top order has not fired in this tournament. Guys like Macker [Craig McMillan], Brendon [McCullum], [Jacob] Oram and Scotty [Scott Styris] have done well to rescue us on a couple of occasions, but we have not given the side the starts that we would have liked. It has been a combination of a couple of early starts and inadequate time in the middle. But Lou [Vincent] and [Chris] Nevin are talented blokes and I would rather view their lack of runs till now as a promise that they are due for big scores in tomorrow's game. With the Indian opening attack struggling just a little, it is crucial that our openers click, especially if we get to bat first.
We have had a couple of team meetings and everyone is going to up the ante for this key game. It is a huge plus to have Cairns back in the side, as it will help our bowling. Besides the consistent Tuffey, we have been a little up and down in this department, so the experience of Cairns could be crucial tomorrow.
We are also not happy about a couple of lapses that have crept into our fielding. As a side, we always pride ourselves in converting half-chances, so we are trying hard to brush up this aspect of the game before tomorrow's match. We were better in Guwahati and Cuttack than we were at Pune, but we are still nowhere near our best.
I believe the stadium had hosted a few athletic events less than three weeks ago, during the Afro-Asian Games. Fortunately the outfield and the pitch don't look any the worse for it, and right now our only worry is about the dew. None of us has played in Kolkata, a venue that we have heard a lot about. If we win tomorrow, there is the added incentive of playing not only in the final, but also on a ground that is counted among the greatest venues in the world.
(Gameplan)
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