We have spoken a bit how we are going to handle that situation. Obviously, we copped it in the warm-up game against England, too. But I think we are expecting it. And to be fair, I think everyone's handling it really well.
I think the way they are handing themselves has been great. Same for all of us. Personally, I don't really hear the crowd to be honest. So I think if you can block it out, you don't really hear it. As I say, the guys are handling themselves really well.
Not sure about that. I think me and Nathan have formed a really good partnership, so I think we will feature together. I don't know how much, but I think we will. And I'm also willing to bowl at any time in the game too so, yeah, predominantly through the middle, a big wicket-taking option for us is wrist-spin. So it is important to take wickets through the middle. You saw that they got a role and someone like Stoiny took two wickets in an over. That was a big game changer for us. So reading the game situation. Depends who you are bowling to, obviously. Whatever is in front of me, pretty much.
Yes, the way the ball has been coming out lately, I'm really happy with. The way I have been preparing for this tour, I'm happy with. So to get out there on Saturday — as I said, the ball didn't come out as nicely as I would have liked it to, but to make a contribution. And that's one of those things; I don't think we probably didn't play as well as we would have liked through those middle overs bowling-wise, but to get out of it at the other end and take wickets, it's a confidence booster.
As I just mentioned, I think they are going to cause some upsets. The wicket today probably didn't suit them as much as it might later down the track. The ball skidded on a bit. You saw with Mujeeb, he is probably at his best when the wicket is holding up and there is a bit of spin there and today it skidded on, particularly with the new ball. I think as I said, with the aggressive mindset with the bat, if they can get anywhere around the 250, 260, 270, with their bowling attack later down the track in the World Cup they definitely will cause some upsets.
Run rate wasn't spoken about, no. As I have already said, the quality of the spinners that Afghanistan have it wasn't going to be easy-going, particularly through the middle. We got off to a great start. Even the medium pacer, is it Hassan? He bowled beautifully, he bowled a good pace. So they didn't make it easy for us. Yeah, mate, obviously easier when you are only chasing 205, but it wasn't easy-going the whole way that's for sure.
— Courtesy: © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2018
happy to attack
Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis said he had enjoyed his role bowling early in the Afghanistan innings as captain Aaron Finch switched his bowlers around frequently in his team's seven wickets win over Afghanistan in Bristol.
Stoinis picked up two wickets with his medium-pacers from eight overs after Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins had dismissed both openers without scoring. Selected to fill the number seven spot, he was not required to bat.
Asked if the ball had still been hard when he took up the attack, Stoinis replied: "Yeah it was and there was still a little bit of swing as well, which is unusual. Apparently it hasn't been swinging here."
Stoinis said he expected the pitches to be batsman friendly during the tournament, although he added it was still early in the competition.
"I think you've got to be cagey with your variations, with your field. Perhaps my yorker, it's going to be needed at some stage in the tournament. Then you make sure that you're competing, putting energy on the ball as much as you can."
— Courtesy: © ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 18