Cricket: Waugh sticking to game plan

IT'S MAKE or break for India and Australia when they meet in the World Cup's first Super Six match at The Oval tomorrow. Both need to win all three second-round games to have a realistic hope of qualifying for the semi-finals against teams who have carried either two or the maximum four points with them from the first round.

The Australian captain, Steve Waugh, whose side looked down and out after losing to New Zealand and Pakistan, said: "We've been sticking to a plan and it is starting to come off. Now that we've reached the next stage I think we have got to be considered among the favourites again. There is no point in starting the tournament with guns blazing and running out of ammunition when it matters."

Both India and Australia cite better bowling for their resurgence. Australia's main strike bowler, Glenn McGrath, rediscovered his fire with figures of 5 for 14 against the West Indies, when his victims included Brian Lara. "That guy is pure class," Shane Warne said of his team-mate, but McGrath maintained he had simply found his line and length. He will need to stick to that line against the strokemakers Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin.

Another key figure will be the swing specialist Debasis Mohanty, who did not make an appearance until the third game at Bristol when he took four wickets against Kenya. Against England he claimed the vital early wickets of Alec Stewart and Graeme Hick.

One of the most intriguing duels tomorrow will be between Tendulkar and the leg-spinner Warne, who suffered badly at the master craftsman's hands during Australia's 1998 tour of the subcontinent.

Tendulkar scored 204 not out for Bombay followed by 155 not out and 177 in Tests. Warne's 10 wickets in the series cost 54 runs each and months later he said he still had nightmares of Tendulkar coming in to bat and scoring sixes at will. So far Warne has conceded only 18 runs per wicket in this tournament.

Australia are unlikely to make any changes. Waugh still has faith in the fast-medium bowler Brendon Julian, who proved the only expensive bowler in the six-wicket rout of the West Indies last Sunday. "I believe Brendon will come good," Waugh said. "He was a bit scratchy last time but as a left-hander he might be handy."

Waugh feels it would be foolish to concentrate too much on Tendulkar. "He only has one innings. Anyone can get out cheaply. They rely on a few players. If we can knock them over early it would expose their mid and late order," he said.

Azharuddin said Tendulkar might open the batting. "We are going to see how the wicket is then decide," he added.

The teams shared The Oval for some training yesterday but had to run for cover when the skies opened on a surface already soaked by heavy thunderstorms.