Watson set for New Zealand clash

Shane Watson, the Australia allrounder, is fit to play in the Super Eights match against New Zealand in Grenada on Friday. Watson, who missed the last three games after straining his left calf, is likely to replace Brad Hodge in the starting XI.

"He's straight back into the side, he's done everything that's been asked of him in the last couple of weeks with all his rehab work," Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, told AFP. "He's had quite a few good bowling spells under his belt. The most impressive one was yesterday [Wednesday] when he bowled five overs at 100%."

Watson hurt himself against Bangladesh and his initial thoughts were not encouraging. "But after a couple of days' recovery, I was getting more and more confident every day," he said in the Herald Sun. "Today was great to get back that full confidence and know that I am 100% and ready to go."

He said he would try to "let your mind go free" after being tentative in previous comebacks. "You have to fight those demons a little bit, definitely," he said. "Coming back from a hamstring injury for the second time [last summer], I probably did let those demons get to me in those first couple of games, holding back a little bit.

"But I definitely realised that and I know that you just have to let your mind go, and go 100%. Worst-case scenario, the injury just happens and you can't do anything about it anyway, you just have got to go out there and let go and have fun."

Ponting said the fact Watson was fully fit meant Australia avoided a selection dilemma. "If he hadn't impressed as much as he did yesterday, it would have been a little bit tougher," he said. "He's good, he feels good about it himself as well and obviously he's very excited to be back. He's worked his backside off over the last couple of weeks, every day."

Asked if Watson's return meant Australia were now fielding the XI they wanted to win a third straight World Cup title, Ponting said: "It would be pretty close to it. I've made it pretty clear right through that I didn't want to be making too many changes to the team and, touch wood, we've only had the one little injury, which was Watson.

"The other guys have looked after themselves very well and now it's important we do that in the next week and a half and, more importantly, play some great cricket. What you've seen so far is a team that is very capable of winning a World Cup if they all perform somewhere near their best."