Mott supports MacGill

Stuart MacGill © Getty Images

New South Wales coach Matthew Mott has backed Australia leg-spinner Stuart MacGill to fight his way back from the biggest crisis in his career.

Admitting he is overweight and lacking fitness after knee surgery in the off season MacGill finished with mediocre figures of 5-326 from two Tests against Sri Lanka.

But Mott thinks the 36-year-old has the desire and ability to become a force at international level again as he returns to interstate cricket with NSW needing to find form quickly ahead of the four-Test series against India.

“Obviously Stuey's bowled better,” Mott said.

“I'm sure he's got a bit to think about and judging by his comments he wants to work hard and get fit and get himself right.

“He's been around long enough to know that he'll need to do that.

“Leg-spin is quite a hard art and you can't go out there and spin it hard every day. You can't just turn up and roll them out.”

MacGill needs more overs under his belt © Getty Images

Mott believes MacGill needs overs under his belt before India arrive in Australia.

“When you haven't got miles in the tank the best way to do it is to get out in the middle,” Mott said.

“I think bowling is what he needs to do to prove to himself (he's still got it).

“He just hasn't had the amount of bowling he'd like to at this stage of the season.”

Mott has likened the slow start made by MacGill as Shane Warne's replacement to battles Warne himself fought.

“Even Shane Warne coming back from injuries, he was never as good as when he had miles in the tank,” Mott explained.

“By Stuart’s own admission he's carrying a couple of extra kilos but it's not as big a deal for leg-spinners," he said.

“If he went out there and tore it apart (against Sri Lanka) we wouldn't be talking about it. It's something people will go back to you if you don’t perform.

“Hopefully he gets better with every run and gets himself cricket-fit. He'd know in his own mind where he needs to get to and I'm sure he's realistic to know he's not quite there yet.”