Jhye Richardson took 4/26 in the first ODI at Sydney. (Source: AP)Australian seamer Jhye Richardson, who was named man of the match for his impressive bowling figures, on Saturday said that Australia were lucky to get MS Dhoni out with a contentious LBW appeal in the first ODI at Sydney. Dhoni was given out LBW in the 33rd over for 51, but TV replays showed that the ball had pitched outside the leg-stump. Since India were left with no reviews, as it was unsuccessfully used up by Ambati Rayudu, Dhoni had to make the long walk back as the 137-run fourth wicket stand with Rohit Sharma came to a halt. Richardson’s performance helped the hosts start the three-match ODI series on a winning note, as India suffered a 34-run defeat in the 1st ODI
Speaking at the press-conference after the match, Richardson said, “There was a period there when they had a partnership through the middle and it almost could have taken the game away from us. But we were lucky to get Dhoni out lbw and we kept getting wickets from there on.” The Aussie seamer picked his career-best figures in ODI cricket picking 4/26.
Praising Rohit Sharma for his 22nd ODI ton, the Aussie seamer said, “Rohit batted really well. Credit to him and he summed up the conditions just as well as we did. He batted very patiently and knew the balls he could put away. He picked the gaps really well tonight. Rohit was very dangerous and we understood that. So our plan sort of changed to getting him off strike and just bowling at the batsman down the other end.”
Richardson also said that Australia were confident of defending the total as they knew that the SCG wicket will turn slow as the game progresses. “It was a really good wicket and we understood that it wasn’t the quickest wicket in the world. So we knew when the ball goes a little softer later in the innings, when we turn the slower balls, we could use change of pace and we thought it would be quite effective.”
“We saw it at the end and the change of pace worked really well. We thought it would be a competitive score and 280 is a competitive score. There are a few long boundaries at the SCG and I think we actually bowled well according to that tonight,” he added.
Richardson claimed two wickets in three balls in his second over and the first of which was Virat Kohli. “I was actually disappointed when the ball came out. I probably bowled a bit too straight. I had a fielder there who hung on to it, so it is a wicket I will remember for a very long time,” Richardson said on Kohli’s dismissal.
“I am ecstatic and really excited for the team. It’s good to put a personal performance on the board but I am really excited in the way Australian cricket is heading. The way we prepared for this game and the research we did on Indian players. Everything leading up to this game, I felt was absolutely perfect and the result was ideal tonight,” he concluded.
