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Watson ready to be main man - hot news sports

Written By Sizzling LEO on Monday, February 21, 2011 | 6:36 AM

Australia bidding for fourth straight World Cup triumph

Australia all-rounder Shane Watson knows he has "big shoes to fill" but is looking forward to the responsibility ahead of his side's World Cup opener against Zimbabwe.

Watson has emerged as his country's key man as they bid to win their fourth successive World Cup.

The 29-year-old showed glimpses of his talent at the 2007 tournament in the Caribbean but was not subjected to the pressure of batting against the new ball - something that will be different this time around.

"It is a much bigger responsibility opening the innings and trying to lay a great platform for the team, like (Matthew) Hayden and (Adam) Gilchrist did, especially in World Cups," Watson said.

"They are big shoes to fill because they have always performed well."
Awards

But Watson, who was recently awarded his second successive Allan Border Medal as the best player in Australian cricket for the past 12 months, is looking forward to the task ahead.

"I know it is a big responsibility. It is a great challenge," he said.

"I now have a lot more roles (playing a long innings and then coming to bowl perhaps 10 overs) within the team. It will be good to play that role for team."

Ahead of Australia's first match of the tournament against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad, Watson said "not too much should be read into" the team's scratchy practice match losses to India and South Africa - two of the teams, along with Sri Lanka, he nominated as the main dangers.

Watson has over 3,000 runs in one-day international cricket, notching his highest score against England this winter when he batted through the innings to score a superb 161 not out, helping Australia to a victory target of 294 at the MCG.

He has also proved himself with the ball, with 127 wickets in 123 one-day internationals.

"I definitely have more of a role within the team and during the last few months I have been in a good place as a bowler, especially in the one-day series against England and I hope to continue that," he said.

"Even in the World Twenty20, I'd had an important role to play with the ball. I come behind bowlers who have a good bit of pace and my job is to keep the scoring rate down and pick up a few wickets as well."

Australia have not lost a one-day international against Zimbabwe since that famous first meeting in the 1983 World Cup, when a team of part-timers shocked one of cricket's leading nations with a 13-run victory at Trent Bridge.

Their recent 6-1 series victory over England has restored a measure of confidence, but that came on the back of three successive series defeats - including their first at home to Sri Lanka.

The match will be Australia captain Ricky Ponting's first since his return from a broken finger, while Steve Smith has proven his fitness after problems with his hip. Doug Bollinger and Shaun Tait are vying for the final pace spot.

Rainsford blow

Ed Rainsford was injured in Zimbabwe's final warm-up match - a four-wicket loss to Ireland - meaning Tinashe Panyangara could come into the starting XI. Rainsford joins Tino Mawoyo on the sidelines.

Panyangara's promising international career has stalled lately due to a series of lower-back stress fractures which prevented him from playing for over two years, and he would love to get his chance against Australia.

"I can't wait to get cracking," the 25-year-old said on www.zimcricket.org. "I've been out of the international game for a long time because of my injuries and the time I spent out of the country.

"I'm also no stranger to the sub-continent. It will take some time to get used to the conditions and lower and slower pitches but I have been to India and Bangladesh before and I relish the opportunity to play and hopefully do well for my team."
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