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Watson-led Aussies off to a flyer
Source: Agencies |
September 20, 2012, Thursday
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SHANE Watson's allround performance powered Australia to an easy seven-wicket victory over Ireland in its opening Group B match of the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka yesterday.
Opening the bowling in Colombo, Watson claimed three wickets for 26 and returned to hammer a 30-ball 51 as Australia chased down the 124-run victory target with 29 balls to spare.
Watson removed Irish captain William Porterfield with the first ball of the match and later broke a dangerously-looking fifth wicket partnership between the O'Brien brothers, Niall (20) and Kevin.
Ireland never really recovered since losing its captain to the first ball but managed to post 123 runs for seven wickets largely because of the 52-run fifth wicket stand between the O'Brien brothers. Kevin O'Brien was the top scorer for Ireland with 35 runs off 29 balls with five boundaries before being dismissed off a Watson delivery.
On Tuesday evening, Ajantha Mendis sounded an alarm for batsmen by recording the best-ever bowling figures in the shortest format of the game.
Emphatic victory
Mendis took a staggering 6-8 as Zimbabwe's batsmen failed miserably to read the mystery finger spinner in Sri Lanka's emphatic 82-run victory in the tournament opener.
After Sri Lanka posted a challenging 182-4 on the back of Kumar Sangakkara's 44 off 26 balls and Jeevan Mendis' unbeaten 43, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 100 in 17.3 overs.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene said Mendis showed no ill effect from an eight-month layoff with a back injury, instead bowling with full control like he did in the domestic Sri Lanka Premier League earlier this month.
"Even in the domestic tournament he came back and bowled really well," Jayawardene said. "That was the indicator to see how match fit he was and how much control he had.
"This was his first game in eight months and he was a bit nervous before the game, but he bowled really well."
Last year Mendis recorded 6-16 against Australia and with Tuesday's performance he is the only bowler who has twice taken six wickets in a match.
None of the Zimbabwe batsmen were comfortable, and Mendis even bowled two maiden overs - a rarity in Twenty20s. Mendis will face a sterner test on Saturday against a South Africa batting lineup which includes the seasoned Jacques Kallis, A.B. de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
Opening the bowling in Colombo, Watson claimed three wickets for 26 and returned to hammer a 30-ball 51 as Australia chased down the 124-run victory target with 29 balls to spare.
Watson removed Irish captain William Porterfield with the first ball of the match and later broke a dangerously-looking fifth wicket partnership between the O'Brien brothers, Niall (20) and Kevin.
Ireland never really recovered since losing its captain to the first ball but managed to post 123 runs for seven wickets largely because of the 52-run fifth wicket stand between the O'Brien brothers. Kevin O'Brien was the top scorer for Ireland with 35 runs off 29 balls with five boundaries before being dismissed off a Watson delivery.
On Tuesday evening, Ajantha Mendis sounded an alarm for batsmen by recording the best-ever bowling figures in the shortest format of the game.
Emphatic victory
Mendis took a staggering 6-8 as Zimbabwe's batsmen failed miserably to read the mystery finger spinner in Sri Lanka's emphatic 82-run victory in the tournament opener.
After Sri Lanka posted a challenging 182-4 on the back of Kumar Sangakkara's 44 off 26 balls and Jeevan Mendis' unbeaten 43, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 100 in 17.3 overs.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene said Mendis showed no ill effect from an eight-month layoff with a back injury, instead bowling with full control like he did in the domestic Sri Lanka Premier League earlier this month.
"Even in the domestic tournament he came back and bowled really well," Jayawardene said. "That was the indicator to see how match fit he was and how much control he had.
"This was his first game in eight months and he was a bit nervous before the game, but he bowled really well."
Last year Mendis recorded 6-16 against Australia and with Tuesday's performance he is the only bowler who has twice taken six wickets in a match.
None of the Zimbabwe batsmen were comfortable, and Mendis even bowled two maiden overs - a rarity in Twenty20s. Mendis will face a sterner test on Saturday against a South Africa batting lineup which includes the seasoned Jacques Kallis, A.B. de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
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