Sunday, 1 July 2012
"Watson keeps Australia moving"
England v Australia, NatWest Series, The Oval
Tags:
AUS-in-ENG:2012 ,
Australia-News ,
England-News
 |
| Shane Watson had moments of fortune but went through to a valuable half-century |
Shane Watson rode his luck to keep Australia on track for a competitive total in the second ODI of the series against England at The Oval.
Watson was dropped, twice survived trials by the Decision Review System, twice inside edged the ball just past his stumps and might have been run-out had the fielder hit the stumps with a direct hit, but in between produced some imperious strokes. It was perhaps fitting that he brought up his half-century - from 50 balls - with an clubbed drive through the on side that flew just wide of midwicket.
But if Watson was somewhat fortunate, Australian were grateful for his sense of urgency. His top-order colleagues struggled for fluency and, had it not been for Watson, the tourists might have struggled to capitalise on winning the toss on a fine batting surface on which a total of around 280 might be considered par.
Watson's biggest let-off came when he had just 8. Playing across one from Jade Dernbach, the ball swung away a fraction resulting in Watson offering an edge to Jonathan Trott in the gully, but the fielder could not cling on. Watson was also reprieved on 40 after utilising the Decision Review System having been adjudged leg before by umpire Richard Illingworth off a delivery from Stuart Broad.
Replays showed the ball would have bounced over the stumps. Then, on 43, England used their review only for Hawk Eye to show that the ball from Broad struck Watson's pad outside the line of off stump before, on 48, Watson attempted an unwise single but was fortune to see Ian Bell, scampering in from mid-on, miss with his throw from a short distance. He also - on 2 and then again on 30 - inside edged the ball just past his stumps.
Beside those nervous moments, however, Watson played some glorious strokes. Four times he drove boundaries through the covers, with three more coming when England's bowlers strayed on to his legs.
But he enjoyed little support. After easing his first ball, a full toss from the otherwise impressive Steven Finn, through the covers for four, David Warner was beaten outside off stump on several occasions and survived one confident leg before appeal off Finn when a thin edge saved him. One pull shot off Dernbach passed just out of reach of Cook at mid-on but, attempting to pull another delivery from outside off, he was beaten by Finn's extra pace and spooned a simple catch to Ian Bell at square leg.
Peter Forrest, recalled to the Australian side in place of the dropped Steve Smith, helped Watson add 51 in 61 balls for the second wicket. But, having scored only two from his first 17 deliveries, Forrest never really settled and was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter, diving full stretch down the leg side as he attempted to turn one off his hips from the bowling of Stuart Broad.
England were then presented with a substantial bonus when Michael Clarke, feeling for an innocuous, but well placed delivery outside off stump, edged the part-time medium pace of Ravi Bopara to the keeper.
England, missing James Anderson with a groin strain, were not at their best with the ball. At the halfway stage of the Australian innings, they had already donated six wides and a no-ball to the total, with too many deliveries drifting on to the batsmen's legs.
Forrest was not the only change in the Australian team. With Pat Cummins having sustained a side strain in the first ODI at Lord's, he has been forced out of the series and will fly back to Australia on Monday. Mitchell Johnson, who has not played an ODI since October and who has only bowled six overs in List A cricket since Novemeber, replaced him in the side.
This post was written by: Author Name
Author description goes here. Author description goes here. Follow him on Twitter
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Responses to “"Watson keeps Australia moving"”
Post a Comment