Weary Hauritz finds energy to lift

There was no obvious Champions League Twenty20 hangover for Nathan Hauritz, who raced into Australia's squad and settled in immediately as the visitors held on for a four-run victory in the first ODI. Hauritz had been a key man in New South Wales' US$2.5m success on Friday and he, Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger made it to the national team's hotel only 12 hours before the toss in Vadodara.

While the timing upset Ricky Ponting, Hauritz stood up and allowed only 11 runs from his first five overs, stifling India's chase of Australia's 8 for 292. He finished with 1 for 34 off nine as the hosts were restricted despite a late burst from Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar. It ended a huge weekend that bolstered the domestic players' pockets and gave Australia an early edge in the seven-game series.

"It was pretty tough," Hauritz told AAP. "We didn't get out of the change room until 1am that morning [after the final], flew out at midday and got in at 8.30 the night before the game. Becoming the inaugural champions you still have to celebrate with your team-mates, but in the back of your mind you still take it a bit easy because you've got to pull up and play in [less than] 48 hours.

"The body is still tired but at the end of the day you're playing for your country and you virtually don't want to miss a game. I try to never take a game for granted."

Hauritz remained in good shape but Lee was troubled by a sore elbow and delivered only six overs. Lee was not used towards the end of the innings and Australia were also without James Hopes, who was forced off after 12 deliveries with a hamstring injury. Hopes has had scans and is unlikely to be considered for Wednesday's match in Nagpur while Lee will continue to be monitored.

Hauritz is not a concern and will have to take on a big role in this series, with Jon Holland, the rookie left-arm spinner, the only other specialist slow bowler in the squad. After being the first-choice throughout the year, Hauritz is happy to be operating on wickets offering more turn.

"I don't know if the way I bowl has really ever changed too much," he said. "Maybe people are perceiving it [to be attacking] a little bit more - I still try and bowl the same way every time. Bowling on a few more turning wickets people can actually see the ball spin, so I'm not the person that just bowls straight-breaks any more."

Australia's slow-bowling situation is being closely monitored - five have been used in Tests since Stuart MacGill's retirement last year - and Cricket Australia commissioned a report that showed fewer overs were being delivered by spinners in the Sheffield Shield. "It is good to see them paying a little more attention to the spin-bowling aspect, but I think sometimes too it's taken a little bit of out context," Hauritz said. "There's a lot of good spinners around - we've got myself, young Jon Holland on this tour, Jason Krejza, Bryce McGain back home - so we're all still there.

"It's just a matter of whenever the spinners get the opportunity they just have to do what they do. I think, over time, the Australian public will learn to adapt to us."