Tweaker Hauritz new match winner for Australia

Melbourne, Jan 19 (ANI): Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has said that Nathan Hauritz has finally found the confidence to be a Test match winner after he helped the team to a 3-0 series sweep against Pakistan.

Having taken 3-96 in the first innings, Hauritz claimed 3-30 as Pakistan (206) crashed to a 231-run defeat chasing 438 in the third and final Test of the series.

The six-wicket haul completed a magnificent summer for the 28-year-old, who finished as Australia's leading wicket-taker with Mitchell Johnson.

Hauritz celebrated another special milestone by breaking the mark for the most fourth innings wickets in a series by a spinner on Australian soil, The Courier Mail reports.

English tweaker Jack White held the record, having taken 12 fourth innings wickets against Australia in the 1928-29 Ashes series.

The rare feat saw Hauritz leapfrog spin predecessors Arthur Mailey, Chuck Fleetwood-Smith and Shane Warne, who took 11 fourth innings scalps in a series in Australia.

"I'm very excited with what he's done and what the future holds for him. He's in good shape. To take 18 wickets in three games (against Pakistan) on two wickets that don't offer much, you've obviously learnt a lot about yourself and are finding ways to get guys out," Ponting said.

Hauritz's increasing potency is significant because just six weeks ago, Criclet Australia selector's chairman Andrew Hilditch challenged the spinner to take more fourth innings wickets.

"I'm getting better. Another Test series like this would be nice. I've just got to keep improving and I'm happy with the way the ball is coming out," Hauritz said. (ANI)