Andrew Symonds' struggles with the bat in the Test arena this summer have been well-documented, but he feels an inspired spell with the ball on the third day of the second Test at the MCG may help him turn the corner.
Symonds ripped through the South African middle-order - taking three wickets in the space of 16 deliveries - to finish with figures of 3-50 off 20 overs with six maidens and he admitted the performance had provided a much-needed tonic.
"It's a tricky game to be good at all the time and today to contribute in an important session like that felt good - really good," Symonds said at stumps.
"I just felt it was an important time in the game and to be contributing in that way at that particular stage of the game - it would have made me feel that good anyway, even if I had been scoring runs.
"But it was a great relief as well by the same token - there's still a long way to go in the game and there's still a lot to do - and I'll probably get another bat yet as well, so hopefully I'll draw some confidence from my bowling over the last couple of days and that will flow into my batting."
The burly all-rounder remains philosophical about his recent run of outs.
"I thought I may have even bowled better on the first day I bowled, but didn't get the luck," he said.
"That's the game though, isn't it? Some days it happens and other days it doesn't. It's been one of those games where I've just had to hang in there and keep plugging away and the chips fell for me a bit better today."
Symonds felt the lack of a big score early in his Test career had put him behind the eight-ball, but he was confident of turning the corner.
"It really helps when you first start any career - one day or Test cricket - it's really good in your first game or two to get a good score and that just launches you off and I haven't had that, so I've sort of been searching a bit," he said.
"Hopefully I won't have the nerves out there tomorrow when I walk out into the middle and I'll step into the first half-volley and whack it down the ground for four."
