Australia v Pakistan: Live coverage of Cricket World Cup 2015 quarter-final at Adelaide Oval
AUSTRALIA weathered a firestorm from Pakistan to keep its World Cup campaign alive, with Shane Watson the unlikely hero on a dramatic night in Adelaide.
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AUSTRALIA weathered a firestorm from Pakistan to keep its World Cup campaign alive, with Shane Watson the unlikely hero on a dramatic night at Adelaide Oval.
Perceived by his band of critics as a flake, Watson showcased the warrior within to dig Australia out of perilous trouble and hit the emotion-charged winning runs to book the host nation’s place in Thursday’s blockbuster semi-final against India at the SCG.
Watson, axed by selectors seemingly for good earlier this tournament, produced one of the defining innings’ of his career, with his unbeaten 64 off 66 the backbone of an action-packed six-wicket victory, which also starred Steve Smith (65) and Glenn Maxwell (44 not out off 29).
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HOW ON EARTH DID WATSON SURVIVE THAT?
And Watson did so in the face of one of the most intimidatory spells of fast bowling since Mitchell Johnson last summer tore the heart out of England in the Ashes.
Pakistan quick Wahab Riaz worked himself into a frenzy after cracking the game wide open by marching Australian captain Michael Clarke in the 11th over to leave the hosts reeling at 3-59 in pursuit of a meagre 214 for victory.
Wahab, fuming after being taunted by Mitchell Starc earlier while batting, ripped in a vicious bouncer first up to Watson.
In extraordinary scenes, Wahab then sprinted down the wicket, got right in Watson’s grill and clapped sarcastically.
With every searing bouncer he delivered in the intense five-over period, Wahab repeated the dose, sarcastically clapping, smiling and even blowing kisses to an under-siege Watson who had no idea how to play the fire-breathing left-armer.
Smirking earlier in the field when Starc advised Wahab he should be trying to hit “the little white thing”, the sledge-happy Watson didn’t have anything to say anymore.
It later emerged that Watson allegedly slegded Wahab with “are you holding a bat” when he was batting.
Watson should have been out for six and Australia 4-84 when he skied Wahab to the fence, only for Rahat Ali to drop a sitter that will go down in World Cup history as a tournament-altering turning point.
One former Australian captain might have quipped; “you just dropped the World Cup son”, but Watson wasn’t saying anything – he was already making his way to the pavilion when he realised he’d been given a life.
It wasn’t pretty, but Watson survived.
Something he’s failed to do on too many occasions in the past – like against New Zealand in Auckland earlier this tournament where the right-hander’s lazy shot sparked a crippling collapse of 8-26.
Making the most of an unexpected second chance symbolised the story of Watson’s World Cup.
Still confused over why he was punted in Perth not to return, only to be recalled four days later in Sydney, there was no second-guessing what his job was on Friday night when Wahab was finally taken out of the attack in the 21st over.
Watson didn’t relax his focus, but sensed it was Australia’s turn to apply the heat and quickly lifted another gear from his stuttering 13 off 27 balls to smash seven fours and one six.
A veteran of three World Cups, Watson has a proven record of stepping up in the showcase tournament, and when it’s mattered most, that class has come to the fore.
Shifted down to No.5 due to his struggles at No.3, Watson might as well have been playing first drop last night after Aaron Finch’s (2) form slide continued and David Warner (24) threw his wicket away.
Watson grafted out a crucial 89-run partnership with Smith, before Australia’s new No.3 finally departed lbw.
Glenn Maxwell came to the crease and peeled off another memorable partnership (68 unbeaten) with Watson to get Australia home.
Although not before the Big Show was also dropped off Wahab’s bowling, a wicket which would have made it five down for 154 if it had stuck.
Earlier, Josh Hazlewood cemented his place in the Australian fast bowling attack in emphatic style, taking 4-35 off his 10 overs after being called in at the expense of Pat Cummins.
See how the action unfolded in our blog below.
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