I wanted to surprise the batsmen: Mortaza

Chittagong, May 18 (UNI) Admitting that bowling to the Indian batsmen was not easy, Bangladesh paceman Mashrafe Mortaza said he had tried to surprise the batsmen bringing one in first up and got the wicket as Wasim Jaffer offered not to play.

Mortaza reduced India to zero for one as he uprooted Jaffer's off stumps with a delivery that came in sharply and the batsman shoulder-armed it thinking it would carry to the keeper safely.

Takjing to the media, Mortaza said, ''A bowler tries to take wicket with every ball. The first ball I wanted to hit the right place. I also tried to bring it in to surprise the batsman.'' Asked if it was difficult to bowl on the track, he said, ''Wicket was absolutely flat and difficult to bowl on. Sachin and Sourav are playing very carefully. They are giving very little chance. So its difficult to bowl at them now.'' So would he say Bangladesh had lost their chance? Mortaza said, ''No we have time tomorrow morning. If we can take a few quick wickets tomorrow it could be different.'' On his take on bouncy track, the quickie said, ''Cant say like that. Have to think about the batsmen also. Besides we have to think that Bangladesh will also have to bat on the same track.'' Mortaza added that he changed sides as he was finding it difficult to operate from the Mirjapur tea end.

After the change of sides to the UCB end in the post-lunch session Mortaza bowled a spell of four overs with three maidens and three runs in which he scalped Dinesh Karthik.

On rating India's batting, ''India have one of the greatest batting line-up in the world. So it is difficult to bowl at all of them. Sachin and sourav were playing very well. They are two of the greatest players in the world. They have huge number of runs in Test cricket and its very difficult to bowl at them on these flat tracks.

So I have to bowl at the right areas and hope for the best.

Containing them is the first thing.'' Asked whether the conditions were hot, he said, ''Conditions are very hot. Very difficult to bowl long spells und er those conditions.'' Asked within what score would he like to get the batsmen out, Mortaza said, ''It is very difficult to say how soon we can get them out and on what score. The job at hand will be to keep them from scoring freely.'' UNI