Watson confident Australia are well equipped for trial by spin in India

Barnaby Read 14:07 16/03/2016
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  • Watson (c, l) is confident of his team's chances.

    DHARAMSALA, India — Having seen New Zealand decimate India with their own brand of spin bowling in the World T20 opener in Nagpur on Tuesday, Watson was unsure if he had “ever seen a wicket turn as much”.

    Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell have fronted Australia’s slow bowling department in the lead up to the tournament and Watson is certain that all three will play their part.

    “I saw a few of the games that were played [in Dharamsala] and they definitely turned a bit,” said Watson. “There’s obviously a lot of moisture around and sometimes wickets do turn without it being incredibly dry because of the moisture that’s around so I’m predicting that the wicket is definitely going to turn in some way.”

    Agar was a shock call-up for the T20I side and he and Zampa have played just three matches between them in this format for their country.

    Despite their inexperience, Watson believes that alongside the more experienced Maxwell – familiar with Indian conditions thanks to his IPL exploits – the pair will take to their surrounds quickly and effectively.

    Agar, who burst onto the international scene with 98 on his Test debut against England in 2013 but has since played only four more times for his country, has been struggling with gastroenteritis but should be fit for Friday’s opener against the Kiwis.

    The Australian Cricket Team having a first practice in Dharamsala with some catching warm-ups on the main outfield. How will they fare against New Zealand on Friday?

    Posted by Sport 360 on Wednesday, March 16, 2016

    “The poor fella was pretty cooked for a couple of days in Kolkata,” said Watson. “He’s starting to get a little bit of colour back now so I’m sure with the training day today and another day tomorrow leading up to the game he’ll be ready to go if required.

    “I haven’t seen all that much of him since his debut bowling-wise especially, although I still think he’s an incredibly talented young man.

    “The batting he showed in that Ashes series in 2013 certainly wasn’t a one-off. He’s a very impressive batter and the way he hits the ball is incredibly clean and he’s only a young spinner so he’s only going to get better the more confidence he gets in his craft.

    “I’ve always loved Ashton, he’s a really impressive young guy and I know he has a hell of a lot of talent as well.

    As for Maxwell, Watson believes that Australia’s premier Twenty20 export has the potential to lead the team to glory.

    In Maxwell, David Warner and Watson, the Aussies have some of the most experienced foreign players to have played in the IPL and with veteran Michael Hussey taking on a part-time role in their backroom staff, the team are hoping they have the setup to finally win the only ICC trophy to have eluded them so far.

    “Glenn Maxwell is a huge player in our team no matter what the conditions are. The way he bats whether the ball is turning or not turning, his array of shots when he gets into his innings is incredible,” Watson added.

    “If the ball is turning he’s a really good option as well and he’s got plenty of experience here in the sub-continent playing in Twenty20 tournaments. The majority of the times he comes off in a game he wins the game for the team he plays in so hopefully he’s got a few games like that in him.”

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