ICC T20 World Cup 2012: Australia skipper Bailey all praise for Watson
Australia skipper George Bailey on Wednesday lavished praise on all-rounder Shane Watson, who single-handedly guided his team to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Ireland.
|Last Updated: Sep 19, 2012, 08:57 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Colombo: Australia skipper George Bailey on Wednesday lavished praise on all-rounder Shane Watson, who single-handedly guided his team to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Ireland in their opening game of the ICC World Twenty20 here.
Watson scalped three wickets for 26 runs from his four overs and then came up with a 30-ball 51 in Australia`s successful run chase of 124 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium.
"I thought he started off really well and finished it off with the bat. He is a great cricketer and his fielding has also improved a little. He is a complete cricketer and was outstanding in the field today," said Bailey.
Bailey said his bowlers used short balls to great effect on a slow pitch.
"The short ball will be a good weapon for us at a decent pitch like this. We were happy to see that pitch and use it."
The Australian skipper, however, conceded that they needed to lift their fielding standards.
"Fielding was a little sloppy and we need to work on that," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Man of the Match, Watson expressed satisfaction with his performance and hoped to continue the momentum.
"We knew how important the game was to make a statement. I`d been thinking about how to bowl the first over for about a day and it worked out nicely. It`s been nice to have a couple of wickets and hit the ball well. It`s a nice start."
On his opening partnership with David Warner, he said, "Warner is a talented striker of the ball. His mind is pretty free and that shows in his batting. It`s a privilege to bat alongside him. He could be devastating on his day," he said.
Ireland captain William Porterfield said they would look to bounce back in their next game against the West Indies.
"We didn`t have a great start, we tried to get a platform but it didn`t happen. We`ve warmed up well and weren`t surprised by conditions. It`s a four-day break now and hopefully, we can do a good job against the West Indies," he said.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.