AUSSIE paceman Peter Siddle has no sympathy for the struggling West Indies ahead of the Boxing Day Test, vowing the home team will keep their foot on the throat of the tourists.
Siddle is set to link up with fellow Victorian James Pattinson on Boxing Day for the first time since 2011, and said “making (the West Indies) perform badly” is a key focus for the Australian bowling attack.
Bookmakers are predicting one of the most lopsided Boxing Day Tests in history, installing the Aussies as $1.08 favourites to back up their first Test win in Hobart with another victory, with Siddle saying he doesn’t feel sorry for the embattled Windies outfit.
“You do a little bit, but not really,” he said.
“At the end of the day, every team goes through their ups and downs.
“Hopefully one day they do come back, but at the moment, we want to stay on top of them. We don’t want to give them anything. We’ve still got to win Test matches.
“They’ve got players that can come out and perform well at Test match level, so we’ve got to be ready for that and make sure that they don’t perform. That’s our job.
“At the end of the day, if we’re making them perform badly, it means we’re playing good cricket and that’s what we’re all about.”
He doesn’t believe that crowd numbers will be hindered, and said Australia will look to set the tone early.
“It’s a Boxing Day Test, so it’s always going to be watched all around the world and people will still come to watch the game,” he said.
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“How long the game lasts is a different story. We’re about playing well and playing good cricket, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to come out on morning one whether it’s with bat or ball and perform well and start well. We set the tone.
“We’ll be playing an exciting game of cricket and it’s definitely going to be worth watching.”
Siddle admitted it took a little while for the Australian pace attack to “click” in Hobart, but is confident that he and Pattinson — who claimed five wickets in the second innings in Hobart and will return to the MCG on Boxing Day for the first time in four years — will be boosted by the home crowd and will be ready to deliver alongside Josh Hazlewood.
Siddle made his return to Test cricket in Hobart.Source:AFP
“Growing up as a young kid, you’d watch the Victorians and cheer on the Victorians,” Siddle, who has benefited from extra recovery time from a back complaint, said.
“To be the Victorian out on the field and get the cheers now as a player, it does give you a boost and gets you up and about.
“Patto will be a massive part of (the attack). It showed in the second innings (in Hobart) what he can do and how destructive he can be when he gets on a roll. It’ll be no different here.
“To play in front of that home crowd, it does give you a boost. It’s been a while since he’s had that opportunity, so he’ll be keen to get out there and do well and just perform. He’s feeling fit and strong and has got a lot of confidence out of Hobart.”
[Source:-news.com.au]