Australia having problems in bowling last 10 overs: Ponting - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Skipper Ricky Ponting has admitted that the Australian bowling department is facing a big problem in the last 10 overs against India as the team conceded 87 runs in the first ODI in Vadodra and 108 runs in the second game in Nagpur. Ponting said his team's lack of prowess in bowling the death overs had increased in the past week due to the hamstring injury to all-rounder James Hopes, which has forced other bowlers to close out the innings in the opening two matches of the series. "It has been [an issue] with our team for a long time," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting as saying. "'We have mixed and matched with a lot of new guys over the past few years to try and find the guys who are going to do that well for us. There was 108 of our last 10 - that's too many to give up ... you only have to be a few centimetres out with your execution, and you're going to go [for runs]." Chasing 355 in the second ODI, Australia's already slim hopes were further weakened when openers Tim Paine (eight) and Watson (19) fell in the first 10 overs. Ponting was then trapped leg-before by Praveen Kumar for 12 in the 10th over to have the visitors stricken at 3-45 and well behind the required run rate. "Once we were 3-45 chasing that sort of total, it was pretty much game over," Ponting said.