{
    "id": "7218",
    "author": "13",
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    "title": "Watson still a vital player: Mitchell Marsh",
    "lang": "en",
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    "cup_year": "2015",
    "article_type": "General",
    "excerpt": "The squeeze is on for places in Australia's one-day side and Mitchell Marsh is in no doubt that Shane Watso",
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    "editor1": "<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Melbourne, Feb 15 (IANS) The squeeze is on for places in Australia&#39;s one-day side and Mitchell Marsh is in no doubt that Shane Watson remains a crucial part of the co-hosts&#39; quest for a fifth ICC World Cup title.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Australia&#39;s selectors will have plenty to ponder about in the coming weeks as they attempt to fit captain Michael Clarke and star all-rounder James Faulkner into the starting eleven for a team that affirmed their status as tournament favourites with a 111-run victory over England in their Cup opener Saturday.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;I still think Shane&#39;s the premier all-rounder in our team and he&#39;s such a vital cog for us going forward in this World Cup,&quot; Marsh said.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Clarke will regain the captain&#39;s armband and a place in the middle-order when he returns from injury against Bangladesh Saturday, while Faulkner is making good progress from a side strain and is expected to be declared fit at some point in the group stage.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Both would be considered automatic selections in Australia&#39;s best XI, but just who they&#39;ll replace in the side will create no shortage of deliberation among the national selection panel.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Stand-in captain George Bailey all but conceded Friday that he will be left out when Clarke returns, but the Tasmanian sent a reminder of his quality with a crucial half-century against England.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Bailey has also led the side to two ODI series wins during the Australian season, against South Africa in November and in the recent tri-series against India and England.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">And Marsh, one of the players most likely to make way for Faulkner, muddied the waters further with a five-wicket haul at the MCG to go with his powerful knock of 23 from 20 balls as Australia chased quick runs late in the innings.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">The strong performances from Bailey and Marsh have put the focus on senior all-rounder Watson, who edged a Stuart Broad outswinger first ball.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Watson has scored one half-century from eight ODI innings this season, a match-winning 82 against South Africa at the SCG, and has one wicket from eight matches at an average of 200.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">But Marsh said there is no question among the playing group of Watson&#39;s position in the side.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;All of us know how important he (Watson) is for us. To be fair I think most blokes (would have) nicked that ball (from Broad). It was a cracker.&quot;&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;It&#39;s the one ball you don&#39;t want when you go in there first ball. It&#39;s obviously going to be a tough selection for the selectors this week but I think it&#39;s a good one.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;All the batters are in form which is great for us. This best thing about this squad is that we&#39;ve got 15 blokes who don&#39;t really care what the XI is, we just want to win and build momentum.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">&quot;We&#39;re all fighting for spots but at the same time we all want to win.&quot;&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n",
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