Shane Warne has angrily rejected the tactics of Ricky Ponting for Nathan Hauritz on the final day of the second Test via a short blast on Twitter. As Hauritz was hit for 22 from his opening two overs, Warne backed up the struggling offspinner.
"How the hell can hauritz bowl to this field??" Warne tweeted. "Feeling for hauritz , terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky but what are you doing."
At times Hauritz had a field with a deep point, long-on and long-off, while also having a slip, short-leg and leg slip. In his first over Hauritz went for 12, with Cheteshwar Pujara off-driving two boundaries, and there was a cover drive to the boundary from M Vijay in the second.
"With the wicket up and down and spinning big, tactics and backing bowler [are] crucial," an earlier tweet said. "Pressure on Ponting and Australian bowlers."
Ponting and Hauritz have had differences of opinion over how he should bowl during the series and the offspinner has struggled for impact. In the first Test he returned 3 for 161 and in the opening innings of this match managed 2 for 153.