‘Bangla tour helped me regain touch’

Thursday March 27, 01:09 AM

Chennai, March 26: Neil McKenzie is enjoying his ride as an opener. The 32-year-old scored an impressive 94 on day one of the first Test here on Wednesday and was also involved in an opening partnership of 132 with captain Graeme Smith. Facing the new ball since his comeback to Tests after a long exile against West Indies at Cape Town in January this year, he is performing his ‘opening’ role to perfection.

McKenzie, into his 45th Test, said the recently concluded Bangladesh tour in which he scored 257 runs in two games helped him regain confidence. "It really turned out to be a watershed tour for me and I am now able to cope with my opening responsibility well," he added.

McKenzie, who scored a career-best 226 in a world record opening partnership of 415 against Bangladesh at Chittagong, said he was disappointed to fall just six runs short of back-to-back Test hundreds.

"Though I know I can play for another couple of years, I am treating every innings as my last and trying to give my best. I felt very comfortable in the middle, playing the seamers as well as spinners from the start. The end was disappointing as I could not reach the three-figure mark," he added.

The right-hander said his side needed to pile up more than 450 runs in the first innings in order to take control of the match. "We have a long way to go in this match, but we are confident of building on our good start. I hope Amla carries on his first day form to put more runs on the board. And we have Boucher, who is an experienced batsman, to come," he said.

McKenzie was off the opinion that their only spinner, Paul Harris, would have a big role to play in the later part of the match. "He is not as experienced as Kumble and Harbhajan. He is, however, a good bowler. The pitch had a bit more bounce than I had expected. Having grown up on the South African decks, we are used to bounce. I hope our frontline bowlers, Ntini and Steyn, will make use of it," he said.

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