Watson's motivation for last match

[Cracket]

Apparently Watson just got tired lol

I got to a point where I got pretty tired, it was hot and humid out there so I didn't really want to have to run too much," he said. That also explained why his spectacular display of brutality with the bat built to a crescendo - with four sixes and two fours in his last 10 balls faced. "I was either going to try to hit as many sixes as I could, or get out, because I was pretty tired, that was as simple as it was," Watson said. He then scored 132 of his 170-run unbroken partnership with Ponting (37 from 42 balls), who was happy to be completely overshadowed. "It made my job easy, I just had to get a single to give him strike," Ponting said.

[Fireworks11]

That's how it should be, makes sense given that they had 9 wickets remaining.

[lipton]

he did his job.

[sultanator]

I was going to say "BEST ODI INNINGS???", but then I remembered it's Bangladesh.

[Cracket]

Originally Posted by sultanator I was going to say "BEST ODI INNINGS???", but then I remembered it's Bangladesh.

180 of 90 balls is brutal and a classic display of batting eitherways. Its going to my saved list of highlights.

[Fireworks11]

15 sixes is no joke, whoever the opposition.

[Caved12]

.....

[Fireworks11]

Give credit where it's due.

[NO 1 AFRIDI FAN]

Atleast he did his job

[KSaeed]

At one point I thought he would crack Sachin's record but a brilliant innings nonetheless. I would have hated to be bowling against him when he was in that mood to absolutely smash anything and everything.

[Fireworks11]

Punter should have let Watson get that 200.

[Arcturus]

Any motivation is good motivation so long as it is not the motivation to lose the match

[Arcturus]

Originally Posted by fireworks11 Punter should have let Watson get that 200.

Its not in Aussies makeup to give much importance to records or play selfishly. Had it been sub-continent teams we'd surely have seen the other player try to give all the strike to Watson even at the expense of playing out maidens

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by Arcturus Its not in Aussies makeup to give much importance to records or play selfishly. Had it been sub-continent teams we'd surely have seen the other player try to give all the strike to Watson even at the expense of playing out maidens

Ye. Dilshan/Tharanga vs England typifies this.

[BoiWonder]

i wonder if he would have admitted this if his score was 10(5)

[Fireworks11]

You're not tired after 5 deliveries.

[Cracket]

Originally Posted by BoiWonder i wonder if he would have admitted this if his score was 10(5)

The Afridi face is fitting there

[pakistandiehardfan]

Originally Posted by Arcturus Its not in Aussies makeup to give much importance to records or play selfishly. Had it been sub-continent teams we'd surely have seen the other player try to give all the strike to Watson even at the expense of playing out maidens

or you basically mean had it been Tendulkar simplified?

[Cracket]

Originally Posted by Arcturus Its not in Aussies makeup to give much importance to records or play selfishly. Had it been sub-continent teams we'd surely have seen the other player try to give all the strike to Watson even at the expense of playing out maidens

Yeah that is why Dhoni hogged the strike in the last 3 overs and barely let Sachin make 200 right?

[Cover Drive]

I would have hoped Australia were batting first so Watson could get to 200 and surpass Sachin's record.

He could easily have gone to 300 mark as well considering they were in 27th over when they won..

[Arcturus]

Originally Posted by Cracket Yeah that is why Dhoni hogged the strike in the last 3 overs and barely let Sachin make 200 right?

Same Dhoni who played dots to allow Yuvraj to score his 50

35.1 ten Doeschate to Yuvraj Singh, no run, short in length, punched to mid-on 35.2 ten Doeschate to Yuvraj Singh, 1 run, a slower one, Yuvraj drags it down to deep midwicket 35.3 ten Doeschate to Dhoni, no run, stays back to defend to cover 35.4 ten Doeschate to Dhoni, no run, full in length, on off and middle, defended to cover 35.5 ten Doeschate to Dhoni, no run, moves in from outside off, another defensive block 35.6 ten Doeschate to Dhoni, no run, banged in short and it has been shoved past square-leg.. easy chance to take the single but they don't. Dhoni wants Yuvraj to take strike and hit his 50

[AZ]

Originally Posted by Cracket Yeah that is why Dhoni hogged the strike in the last 3 overs and barely let Sachin make 200 right?

I remember that one...very strange stuff from Dhoni.

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by Cover Drive I would have hoped Australia were batting first so Watson could get to 200 and surpass Sachin's record. He could easily have gone to 300 mark as well considering they were in 27th over when they won..

This typifies the tough Aussie mindset. Ponting could have played dot balls to allow Shane to beat Sachin's record.

[Cracket]

Originally Posted by Arcturus Same Dhoni who played dots to allow Yuvraj to score his 50

I don't see anything wrong with that. A decent 50, against Netherlands that pose no threat. Big deal. That 200 one shows the real character of Dhoni where he couldn't really give a **** about 100s or 200s if the threat is real. Sachin was also blocked on 99 by DK once and they laughed it off iirc.

[Indiafan]

Originally Posted by fireworks11 This typifies the tough Aussie mindset. Ponting could have played dot balls to allow Shane to beat Sachin's record.

I dont see anything wrong if Ponting had done that. The match was already won and the record would have had an Aussie name to it. After all, after the Aussies, one and all, extremely proud of Bradman's 99.9 average?

[Arcturus]

Originally Posted by Cracket I don't see anything wrong with that. A decent 50, against Netherlands that pose no threat. Big deal. That 200 one shows the real character of Dhoni where he couldn't really give a **** about 100s or 200s if the threat is real. Sachin was also blocked on 99 by DK once and they laughed it off iirc.

I remember watching Sachin's 200 knock in college mess and went thru my entire arsenal of slangs for Dhoni.
I might admire Aussies for their selfless play but the chance of a double century for Sachin made me a hypocrite that day and what a happy hypocrite I was in the end!

Coming back to the selfless play part, Indian attitude has undergone a sea change in last couple of years but they do revert back to record-gathering when a win or loss is certain.
Aussies, on the other hand, don't. Ponting could have given Watto strike since win was inevitable with 9 wickets and 25 overs in hand but they just don't think that way.

[Ryankhan]

Wish the target was 250+ so that Watson had made 200 runs and that would had been fun cuz he deserved it. unlucky Watson but superb innings

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by Indiafan I dont see anything wrong if Ponting had done that. The match was already won and the record would have had an Aussie name to it. After all, after the Aussies, one and all, extremely proud of Bradman's 99.9 average?

Yes. Nothing wrong indeed. They had tons of overs to spare as well. It wasn't an ICC tournament game where run rate matters.

[Cracket]

Just saw the complete 2nd innings. Thoroughly entertaining. Btw Arcturus, Ramiz conducted an interview with Ponting on the sidelines right after the match before the presentation ceremony, Ponting aid he told Watson when he was at 148 that he is just going to block everything for Watson to get his 200, but it couldn't happen.

So there you go...Australians play for records too. Also, 90's was the only part of Watson's innings where he wasn't even attempting to clear the ropes, he slowed down in early 90's. Again, this doesn't take ANYTHING away from the Aussies. When the match is already won, you play for records, for entertaining the crowd and making your name permanently etched in the record books. As long as its not coming at the expense of victory, its all healthy sportsmanship.

[Fireworks11]

Yes. It makes sense. Ponting couldn't block...lol.....

[Love Pakistan]

Originally Posted by Cracket 180 of 90 balls is brutal and a classic display of batting eitherways. Its going to my saved list of highlights.

Look man, it was Bangladeshi bowling............. What he did was extra ordinary but I would like him to do this to one of the better bowling units around the world....... i.e SA or Pakistan etc...

[Cracket]

Originally Posted by fireworks11 Yes. It makes sense. Ponting couldn't block...lol.....

Reading comprehension fail bro. When I said "he couldn't do that", and I'm quoting Ponting here, the context was the score BD put up just wasn't enough, not that Ponting couldn't block.

Ponting was at 30 or so when he told Watson to go for a double and Watson was at 148 (according to him). By the time Watson ended the game Ponting had only reached 35. He clearly wanted to give as much strike to Watson as possible and then admitted that to Raja.

[salman24]

How many balls did he get his hundred in?

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by Cracket Reading comprehension fail bro. When I said "he couldn't do that", and I'm quoting Ponting here, the context was the score BD put up just wasn't enough, not that Ponting couldn't block. Ponting was at 30 or so when he told Watson to go for a double and Watson was at 148 (according to him). By the time Watson ended the game Ponting had only reached 35. He clearly wanted to give as much strike to Watson as possible and then admitted that to Raja.

"Ponting said he told Watson when he was at 148 that he is just going to block everything for Watson to get his 200, but it couldn't happen."

Sorry, surely this part of the comment means that...

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by salman24 How many balls did he get his hundred in?

69 balls.

[Cracket]

I said "it couldn't happen" , the 200 couldn't happen not "he couldn't do that". Ponting said the same thing. You're just nitpicking the sentence like a 6yr old would to prove his point that is absolutely nothing. Or you could just see the interview yourself.

[Fireworks11]

No worries, one of those that can be looked at both ways. I didn't see the interview mate.

Anyways, this was the game when Aus wouldn't have cared to concede a few more.

[1137moiz]

Originally Posted by Love Pakistan Look man, it was Bangladeshi bowling............. What he did was extra ordinary but I would like him to do this to one of the better bowling units around the world....... i.e SA or Pakistan etc...

come on, I for one won't downplay Afridi's similarly exhilarating 124 off 60 against the same attack last summer

I'm not sure if they're still there after yesterday's destruction, but before that over the last 3 years Bangladesh's bowling record was better than England, India, West Indies and New Zealand. So you can't just downplay the innings saying it "was only Bangladesh" because it's Bangladesh's batsmen and not bowlers who don't usually deliver

[Cracket]

Yeah Watson just needed 15 or so more runs and clearing the ball like crazy. Could've been 250 from the way he was hitting consecutive sixes.

[salman24]

Originally Posted by fireworks11 69 balls.

thanks

[Saqs]

The most improved player in recent times, alongside ABD and Amla.

[Fireworks11]

Originally Posted by Saqib Salman The most improved player in recent times, alongside ABD and Amla.

Yes. Graeme Swann also.

[ddss]

Originally Posted by fireworks11 Yes. Graeme Swann also.

If we are only counting improvement, also?

[1137moiz]

Originally Posted by ddss If we are only counting improvement, also?

Not as much as Swann, AB, Amla and Watto. But I hope Hafeez keeps improving

[kkmix]

Originally Posted by 1137moiz Not as much as Swann, AB, Amla and Watto. But I hope Hafeez keeps improving

swann is overrated yaar, dont even go there.

[1137moiz]

Originally Posted by kkmix swann is overrated yaar, dont even go there.

But improved from the 1999/2000 version

[Dr. Schaden Freud]

Originally Posted by AZ I remember that one...very strange stuff from Dhoni.

The only time I saw sixes being booed in a screening.

[PakPrince]

Originally Posted by kkmix swann is overrated yaar, dont even go there.

tahts why he troubles anyone he plays?