Beware South Africa! A 'tornado' called Shane Watson is about to strike. It has already blown away Ireland, West Indies and India. This is a warning the Proteas better take seriously, before going into a potentially exciting Super Eights clash of the World Twenty20 against Australia at the Premadasa on Sunday afternoon.
Everything Watson is touches since he landing here, seems to be turning into gold. The 31-year-old all-rounder started this tournament with a bang, taking Irish skipper William Porterfield's scalp off the first ball he bowled. He took three for 26 and scored 51 against Ireland, a team the Aussies were determined to crush - since they were rankled after being ranked below them thanks to some poor form - and never looked back.
Against the Windies, Watson dropped dangerman Chris Gayle, but recovered from the horror quickly to take the Jamaican's wicket, and then score a quick, unbeaten 41 that helped the Aussies win despite the Windies having scored 191 earlier. It was on Friday, however, when Watson unleashed his real terror.
After taking three Indian wickets, the Queenslander sent the ball into the orbit seven times in an entertaining 72 off 42 balls.
It was a performance that won Australia the game in a canter, and it gave Watson his third man-of-the-match award.
Together with 'pocket dynamo' David Warner, Watson forms the most fearsome opening partnership of the tournament, as was visible during their 81-ball 'destruction' against India, that yielded 133 runs.
In Dale Steyn, the best fast bowler in the world, and Morne Morkel, the Proteas have a fabulous new ball pair. So this would be one battle that could effectively seal the fate of the contest pretty early!
South African coach Gary Kirsten's biggest challenge here is lifting the team after the morale-sapping two-wicket defeat against Pakistan on Friday. Having reduced Pakistan to 76 for seven after making 133 for six, they seemed to have nicely wrapped it up till Umar Gul and Kamran Akmal added 49 runs in 27 balls to stun them into silence. The old bogey of 'choking at the sight of victory' is staring at SA again.
"I'm proud of the way we fought back. We lost it in the last five overs," SA skipper AB de Villiers admitted after the loss.
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