Cricket: Bodyline antics have Fleming yawning

By RICHARD BOOCK in Bloemfontein

Stephen Fleming is not about to be dragged into a debate over Australia's use of bodyline tactics against key opponents, or the question of launching a pre-emptive strike if given the opportunity.

New Zealand square off against Australia in their second Super Six encounter at Port Elizabeth tomorrow night and can expect a searching examination from fast bowler Brett Lee, who last week gave Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya a hairline fracture of his left hand.

In what was widely considered a continuation of Steve Waugh's mental games, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said that the short ball that injured Jayasuriya was part of his side's plan to attack the opposition captain and intimidate his team.

"You don't want to see anybody getting seriously injured," Ponting told reporters. "But it is the World Cup and if it's going to stop him scoring runs, then we'll bowl there.

"We're trying to bowl where their batsmen are least likely to score. If that happens to be at the body then it will be at the body. We knew Jayasuriya was weak in that area and that, when you bowled at his body, he tended to wriggle."

As for Fleming, Ponting suggested he was seen as just as much a threat as Jayasuriya.

"We need to put pressure on Fleming, who made a sensational century against South Africa.

"He's playing well at the top of the order. New Zealand have played some good cricket and we have a rivalry with them."

Fleming, however, sounded distinctly bored as he rolled his eyes at the report, saying Waugh had tried the ruse with most opponents in the past and that evidently nothing much had changed.

"I'm not concerned. I've heard it all before - we've all heard it before," Fleming said.

"They talk about targeting key opposition players, following on from the example that Waugh set. He was very good at using the media for his own ends.

"But I'd be surprised if they don't target all of us, actually."

The irony of Ponting's comments was that New Zealand also have an express bowler in Shane Bond, who yesterday tipped the speed radar at 154 km/h, only marginally slower than Lee.

But Fleming was adamant that he wouldn't get involved in a tit-for-tat spat or let himself be distracted from beating Australia at St Georges Park.

"I'm not tempted to follow suit with Shane at all, really. It's just a waste of breath."

As for his experiment of using the slow bowlers at the death yesterday, Fleming said it had been worth a go but had failed dramatically.

"Conceding 62 off three overs probably doesn't demand another attempt," Fleming said.

"The pitch in Port Elizabeth is a bit slower so maybe our slow bowlers will have more of an impact through the middle of the innings."

He said New Zealand weren't daunted by the Australians after performing so well against them in last year's tri-series in Australia.

"We're looking forward to playing them. It'll be a tough game because they're playing well, but that's what we're over here for. This is the World Cup and you want to test yourself against the best.

"We haven't been that flashy over here but we're doing the job and we can improve, which I think is exciting.

"Hopefully we can rise to the challenge as we did against the West Indies and South Africa."

* Remaining fixtures: Tonight: India v Sri Lanka, Johannesburg. Tomorrow night: Australia v New Zealand, Port Elizabeth. Wednesday night: Zimbabwe v Kenya, Bloemfontein. Friday: India v New Zealand, Centurion. Saturday: Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka, East London; Australia v Kenya, Durban.

World Cup schedule

Points table