COLOMBO:
Shane Watson shone with bat and ball for the fourth match in a row as Australia stepped closer to the World Twenty20 semi-finals with an eight-wicket win over South Africa.
Watson claimed two for 29 and then smashed 70 off 47 balls as Australia restricted the Proteas to 146 for five and then surpassed the total in the 18th over to record their second successive win in group two of the Super Eights.
Australia lost David Warner in the fourth over, bowled by Morne Morkel, before Watson and Mike Hussey added 99 in 64 balls for the second wicket.
Watson, who was adjudged man of the match for the fourth consecutive game, hit eight boundaries and two sixes before being caught in the deep off Robin Peterson.
Mike Hussey remained unbeaten on 45, while Cameron White made 21 not out, including the winning six off Johan Botha over the mid-wicket boundary.
Watson thrilled
“It’s nice to be able to continue playing well because I know how important my role is,” said Watson. “We are doing well but it’s still hell of a long way to go in the tournament.
“Facing [Dale] Steyn and [Morne] Morkel was going to be a very big challenge. I knew if we got through the first four overs, the momentum would be us for the rest of the innings. The top four batsmen are the ones who win you games consistently. Hussey took the pressure off me to score.”
De Villiers left frustrated
South African captain AB de Villiers said he was frustrated by the result.
“We are very disappointed,” he said. “It is just so frustrating when we don’t click. I just can’t put my finger on one thing, because it went wrong everywhere.
“They did not allow us to get off to a flier and we lost quite a few wickets and that did not give us the momentum. Hopefully it is not all doom and gloom for us.”
Watson and left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty set up the emphatic win by sharing five wickets after South Africa were sent in to bat at the Premadasa stadium.
JP Duminy’s 30 was the best score by a top-order batsman as South Africa went from eight for two to 86 for five, before Farhaan Behardien and Peterson added 60 from 35 balls for the unbroken sixth wicket.
Behardien made 31 not out and Peterson returned unbeaten on a brisk 32 off 19 balls, the pair taking 28 runs in the final two overs.
Doherty, opening the bowling after replacing seamer Daniel Christian for the match, removed Richard Levi with the third delivery and sent back Jacques Kallis in his second over.
AB de Villiers
“I can’t put my finger on one thing, it went wrong everywhere. They didn’t allow us to get off to a flier and we lost a few wickets and that didn’t give us the momentum.”
Shane Watson
“It is nice to be able to continue to play well for the team. I know how important my role is in the team. There’s still a hell of a long way to go.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2012.
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