Shane Watson walked away with man-of-the-match honours in Mohali, but it was pacer Bollinger who hit India hard
Shane Watson walked away with man-of-the-match honours in Mohali, but it was pacer Bollinger who hit India hard
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Bollinger leaps in the air after getting rid of Virat Kohli. PIC/GETTY IMAGES |
His comical ways and colourful personality have elevated him to being one of the most interesting of Australian present-day cricketers. But when it comes to bowling at opponents, Doug Bollinger mixes pace and swing with unfaltering line and length to a nicety.
The manner in which Virender Sehwag unleashed himself at the start of India's innings in the fourth ODI against Australia here yesterday, the match appeared to be heading for an early finish.
He hammered the now seasoned Mitchell Johnson out of the attack. Johnson bowled just three overs and gave away 32 runs before being replaced by Bollinger. And in his very first over, Bollinger dismissed Sehwag, caught by Shane Watson at mid-off for 30.
Sehwag's dismissal brought the India innings to a screeching halt. Bollinger then settled into good rhythm and continued to bowl with discipline and precision to be rewarded with another wicket in the form of young gun Virat Kohli. Bollinger induced an edge and 'keeper Graham Manou did the rest. He ended his first spell at 5-2-15-2. Bollinger returned with a bang in his second spell, dismissing India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 26 caught behind. Some key wicket that!
Bollinger is a workaholic, who is consistently successful on the Australian domestic circuit. And if yesterday,s performance is anything to go by, his domestic toil is finally paying rich dividends. Bollinger had impressive figures of 9-2-38-3 last night. He is useful off the field too. Those who know him, enjoy his dry sense of humour which has probably helped Ponting's team lift their spirits after injuries caused havoc in the squad. "He (Bollinger) has really stood up well under pressure and tonight his wicket-taking ability really came through," Ponting said after the 24-run win. "When he came in today, he got us a wicket of Sehwag almost immediately and kept us in the game. And each time I brought him back in different spells, he was fantastic."
The New South Welshman is not known to be up on a high and down on a low. When he was called up to represent Australia in the Sydney Test against South Africa earlier this year, he said before the game: "I'll just try and take it as another cricket game, basically. If I think about it too much I'll go insane."
And the Indians better believe that there's more Bollinger brilliance to come when they read what he also said before that debut Test: "ll give it my 150,000%."
