Watson on target to secure cup allrounder role

COLOMBO - If Shane Watson is feeling the pressure of being the all-rounder hope of Australian cricket, he isn't showing it.

The 22-year-old Queensland-born Tasmanian is set to be one of Australia's key players in the Champions Trophy semi-final against Sri Lanka here on Friday, easily be the most intense match he's played.

After that there's a summer at home and, if he continues his current progress, a spot at next year's World Cup.

So far he seems unfazed by what's been asked of him and actually appears to be thriving on the challenges.

"I'm very happy with the way things have been going," Watson said in Colombo.

"I've been working really hard to develop my one-day game and everything's going to plan at the moment."

Watson, 22, has improved as a bowler since he's been on tour this season and he's shown with the bat that he can smash quick runs as well and also occupy the crease if necessary.

"With my bowling I've been working on bowling smart to get my runs per over down, that's my role - just tie it up and let other guys take the wickets,' Watson said.

With the bat, his biggest problem - if it can be called a problem - is learning to hit the ball in the air.

As a natural no.4 batsman, Watson has spent his life playing the percentages, keeping the ball on the deck and making technically correct scores.

But as an all-rounder for Australia, he's often required to blast boundaries off very few balls at the end of an innings.

"Since I've been a little fella I've concentrated on not hitting the ball in the air - that's been a really important thing because the more you hit the ball in the air the higher chance you have of getting out.

"That's something I've had to develop - the confidence to hit over the top and to pick the areas to hit."

So far, Watson appears to have achieved his goals.

On this tour he's only batted three times but has yet to get out. On the way he's made a match-saving 77 not out off 113 balls to win the match against Kenya in Nairobi while his other knocks have been 10 not out off six balls against Pakistan in Nairobi and 19 not out off nine balls against New Zealand here.

In the bowling department, he's taken six wickets in seven games since the start of this tour, while conceding only 3.09 runs per over.

It all points to Watson being the man to finally nail Australia's troublesome all-rounder spot, something Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey haven't been able to do.

"It is a very difficult role because you have be very flexible," said Watson.

"You either have to come and do what Andrew Symonds or Ian Harvey can do - strike the ball very cleanly - but then there's other times when you go in at 5-60 and get the team out of trouble, that's something I think I'm strongest at and I'm trying to develop my hitting to get balls to the boundary.

"Ian Harvey's proven to be a great one-day bowler.

"But I guess it's the all-round package the team's been looking for ... hopefully I can become that genuine allrounder."

Australia resumed full training today after a break in the Maldives, while the tournament had a rest day mode ahead of Wednesday's first semifinal between South Africa and India.