Andre Nel, chief architect of Australia's slump on day one of the Melbourne Test, reflected on a fielding error that he said could prove vital. South Africa pacemen Nel took 4-58 as Australia reached stumps on 239-8. But he dropped Ricky Ponting on 17 and the Aussie captain went on to make 117.
Nel said: "I was disappointed and thought I let the side down early.
"I wanted to hang myself at lunchtime. But the best way to respond is to keep bowling your heart out."
Nel, who maintained his miss at midwicket off Jacques "could have been vital", kept a positive outlook on South Africa's predicament.
 Graeme Smith and Shaun Pollock celebrate a wicket |
"The middle order could have been exposed a lot earlier, but we've got a chance," he said. "We'll take 230-8."
Ponting said conditions favoured the bowlers more than is usually the case on the first day of a Test match in Australia.
He said: "The wicket was difficult and the outfield wasn't lightning fast, so that total's probably worth more.
"It's going to be interesting to see how our bowlers bowl on that wicket and how their batsman bat. The ball was still swinging at the end of the day.
"If we can get a few more runs and bowl well early, that total might look really good."
In a veiled dig at opposite number Graeme Smith's captaincy, he added: "I probably should have been caught at third slip on zero, but there wasn't one there."
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
