Shane Watson admitted he was facing “crunch time” with the bat as he battled to stay in Australia’s side ahead of their World Cup clash with co-hosts New Zealand.
In the midst of Australia’s thumping 111-run opening pool win over England in Melbourne, all-rounder Watson was dismissed by paceman Stuart Broad for a golden duck.
“It’s crunch time for me to score runs in general,” Watson said Wednesday, when asked if he needed a score to keep his place in the side. It was disappointing not to get through that first ball,” said Watson of his Melbourne dismissal.
“But it’s important for me to score runs anytime. It’s up to the selectors in the end, whether they see fit for me to play,” he added.
Prior to the World Cup, Watson scored 81 in the Sydney Test against India last month before a run of modest one-day contributions —16, 41, 22 and 34 prior to his Melbourne duck.
Watson’s last five matches for Australia have yielded just one wicket and his place would appear to be under threat once Faulkner regains full fitness.