Joe Burns in action against India in Sydney.
© AFP
Sydney: His swashbuckling 66 helped Australia amass a massive 348-run lead on the fourth day of the final cricket Test and young batsman Joe Burns feels the spinners will play a major role on a fifth day pitch as the hosts go for an outright win against India here on Friday.(Scorecard | Day 4 Report | Highlights )
Burns hit 66 runs off 39 balls, studded with eight fours and three sixes as Australia finished at 251/6 on day four after bowling India out for 475 in their first innings to take a 97-run lead.(Also read: Ashwin rues leaking runs | Ashwin's 50 and four wickets brings small cheer )
"The wicket is spinning and it will only get harder to bat on as the game goes on. We will come out tomorrow and I am sure we will create 10 opportunities. It is just a matter of taking all ten with the spin in the wicket and it will play a major factor. We saw some variable bounce and reverse swing, but spin will play a major part," Burns said.(Smith - The New 'Don' of Australian Cricket)
The question for the final day will be how much Australia leave for India to get and in how many overs.
"I am not too sure about the declaration. I am only a second gamer and I don't get too much say in those decisions. We will leave that up to the skipper," Burns said.
The 25-year-old batsman, who scored half-centuries in both the innings, said it was very satisfying to contribute and put the team in a comfortable position.
"Playing like that was a lot of fun with Brad Haddin. It was just nice to contribute to the team and get us in a good position. It is a massive opportunity to come out and win a Test match for Australia tomorrow and that is a position you want to be contributing to the team," Burns said.
"It is pleasing to get a fifty in both innings but I want to come back tomorrow and win the Test match for Australia," said Burns."
Smith was also instrumental in the way Australia scored in the final session as more than 200 runs came up. The skipper struck his second fifty of the series in addition to the four hundreds and went past Sir Don Bradman's tally of 715 runs scored in a single Test series against India way back in 1947-48.
"I am a massive fan of Steve. To lead from the front the way he has and to do it in all sorts of situations, it is great just to sit in the change rooms with him, and watch," Burns said.
"When I get the opportunity to bat with him I certainly do learn a lot off him with his plans and his mindset. And I try and take that into my batting. There aren't too many better batsmen in the world at the moment. It is great to watch.
"We didn't set a target on it. It was just a matter of making as many runs as possible and with rain around as well you can't really count how many runs you want to make. So we just went out and tried not to get out and make as many runs as possible. They were very simple plans and it is a good position to be in at the end of day four," he added.
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