Ricky Ponting has played down any concerns over his own form as the most important stage of the World Cup approaches, after he again fell cheaply against Canada on Wednesday. Australia face Pakistan in Colombo on Saturday and then move into the knockout part of the tournament, and in five matchesso far, Ponting hasn't made a contribution of note.
Against Canada, he came in with 19 runs required for victory and fell to the hook shot once again. He was hurried by Henry Osinde and lobbed a catch to the on-side. So far in the tournament Ponting has made 28 against Zimbabwe, 12 versus New Zealand, 36 against Kenya and 7 in the win over Canada, and he hasn't made a century for Australia in any format since February 2010.
"It would have been good to be not out but there wasn't much for me to gain going in with 20-odd to get," Ponting said. "I could have been 10 or 12 not out and probably have a slightly better taste in my mouth than I have at the moment.
"I must admit I looked up at the scoreboard and knew that we only needed six to win. I was hoping I was going to get something short and try and pull it for six and I hit it straight up in the air. Hopefully, I'm saving them for the big matches."
The seven-wicket win over Kenya also meant that Australia's hopes of getting Cameron White and Steven Smith plenty of time in the middle didn't eventuate. White has made only 50 runs from 73 balls in the tournament so far, while Smith has faced only 19 deliveries, as Australia's depth hasn't been seriously tested yet.
At least they can be confident that their openers are in fine touch. Brad Haddin and Shane Watson started shakily against Canada but soon found their form. As the chase hurtled towards its conclusion, they were launching the bowlers to all parts of the Chinnaswamy Stadium in a 183-run opening stand, breaking a 35-year-old Australian World Cup record set by Rick McCosker and Alan Turner in 1975.
Haddin was urged by the captain earlier in the tournament to go on with his starts, having fallen in the 20s or 30s on a number of occasions leading in to the World Cup. Since then, his numbers have kept improving, and the Australians have been encouraged by his past three innings of 55 against New Zealand, 65 in the win over Kenya and 88 against Canada.
"I think the way he batted against New Zealand was brilliant," his opening partner Watson said after Wednesday's game. "It definitely took pressure off me to score because he took their bowlers down so very well. I think he's finding a really good formula, a really good plan, for how he's going to play at the top of the order. How he played against New Zealand was excellent, and tonight again.
"I think we are building a very good partnership at the top of the order now. The more we bat together the more we know each other's game and how to keep each other [focused] on our game-plans and what we're doing. It seems to be working really nicely at the moment."
Australia fly to Colombo on Thursday to prepare for the match against Pakistan, but they remain uncertain where their next stop will be. Depending on the result of that match and other games culminating in Sunday's India-West Indies clash, Ponting's men could have to fly to Dhaka, Ahmedabad or stay in Sri Lanka for their quarter-final.
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