Watson is an A-grade all-rounder: George Bailey – Cricket News Update
Australian T20 captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558 following his performance in the first T20 of the ongoing 2-match series, played on March 27 at the Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.
“It's gold to have any all-rounder in your team and to have one in the quality of Watto, who can hold his own in the team as a batter or bowler,” said Bailey. “He's an A-grade all-rounder.”
“Normally you're just proficient at one or the other. He's so important to our team and it was nice for him to be able to free himself today,” Bailey added.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 had a shaky start to the tour of the Windies, claiming 0 wickets, and managing a 21 with the bat. However, despite his team’s erratic performances during the ODI series, he remained fairly consistent, claiming 8 wickets in the next four matches, and
scoring a vital 66 in the series final.
The first T20I marked his return to the ruthless form he had claimed was missing in Australia’s earlier performances in the ODI series he captained. He took one for 16 during West Indies’ innings, and scored 69 off just 43 balls, in addition to establishing
a winning 108-run second wicket stand with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MEK-Hussey-c1942 (59). Predictably, he was declared the Player of the Match.
Bailey, who has only captained the team once before, for a series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in February during which Watson was not available, was all praises for the 30-year-old’s performance.
“His last two overs were particularly good at the death and the clinical way he batted, the way he cleared the fence, unreal,” the skipper said.
Watson’s outing marks the gradual acclimatization of the visitors to the Caribbean conditions. After ending the ODI series on a draw, the right-hander expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s poor show, which saw them lose four points in their ranking as
the top ODI team. In addition, Watson’s place as the top all-rounder was taken by Bangladesh’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shakib-Al-Hasan-c2492.
The stand-in skipper, who will be relinquishing the role and returning to his position as vice-captain once http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 returns, has another chance to grab the top spot as his team prepares to face off against the hosts in the 2nd T20 of the
series, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on March 30.
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