Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Just a stepping stone: Watson




Shane Watson stressed that the comprehensive victory over Ireland is just a stepping stone as Australia aims for a brighter path in the ICC World Twenty20.


“We haven’t been very consistent with our T20 game, but in the end we do know as a group where we have to be in the next couple of weeks mentally and physically. Looking at the quality we have in our group, if we are at our best we are certainly going to be challenging the best teams in the world. Today was the first step along that line,” the all-rounder said.


The ‘Man of the match’ was happy to have played his part and said that he was aware of the responsibility bestowed upon him.


“We knew how really important it was to make a statement more than anything else out of this game. And I knew, by bowling the first over, it really starts with me.


“It worked out really nice for me, and I maintained the focus and intensity right through. We know that we have to do this against the better teams in the world too. We just need to be at our best.


“To take the brand new ball and bowl the first over of the match and set the tone is a privilege and I am certainly going to be up for it and try to make the most of it,” Watson said.


Meanwhile, William Porterfield conceded that the top-order’s failure derailed Ireland.


“We lost too many early wickets. Three for 30-odd in the Power Play, and you are putting yourselves on the back foot. Even if we had come up with another extra 40-45 runs, we would have given ourselves a chance. We let ourselves down,” the Ireland captain said.


Porterfield accepted that his first-ball dismissal started the slump.


“It wasn’t great on my part. You have 120 balls and you have to try and get in there. The top six have to score the bulk of the runs to give the middle order a chance to bat with freedom. We didn’t do that. Whatever you do, whether you bat first or you bowl first, you have got to set the tone and we didn’t do that,” he said.



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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article3915576.ece

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