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Hayden: Australia will hit back

26/12/2007

Australia's batting hero Matthew Hayden has warned India that batting conditions will get tougher at the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG].

Hayden scored 124 on the opening day's play, but Indian skipper Anil Kumble pegged the home side back with five wickets to leave them on 337/9. The Indians will feel they are very much in the game, but Hayden expects the pitch to deteriorate.

"I think it's definitely going to be a wicket that will be very hard to score on over the next few days," said Hayden. "There will be slow conditions and it will be challenging to score runs.

"You will see us really putting the pressure on in the field and really trying to restrict India, that's the way I see it going.

"I also think the match will go into the fifth day and the wicket will deteriorate and it will be very difficult to bat on during that last day."

India have a world-class batting line-up, and Kumble is hopeful his players will follow Hayden's lead and put on a big first innings total.

"The wicket is slow, but if you apply yourself then there are runs to get," said Kumble. "He [Hayden] showed that and I'm sure if our batsmen apply themselves it will happen."

The two teams have won four apiece and drawn three of the last 11 Test matches they have played against each other.