KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Australia captain Shane Watson said his side will be looking to build on the momentum they gained from success on home soil, when they face West Indies in the forthcoming Digicel 2012 Series.
Members of the Australian One-day and Twenty20 squads arrived on Saturday here, ahead of the Digicel 2012 Series, which includes five ODIs, two T20Is, and three Tests.
“Hopefully, we can produce some very good cricket for the fans over here,” said Watson. “We have just come off a very big series in Australia, and hopefully, we can continue the form that we showed and bring it in the games against West Indies.”
The Aussies arrived minus Michael Clarke. The regular Australia captain was sidelined with a hamstring injury and will miss the limited-overs matches on the tour.
Watson expected his side to overcome the setback and play with typical aplomb.
“We are always confident,” he said. “We know that if we are at the top of our game, we are going to be very hard to beat.
“Right now, the most important thing is to make sure we have recovered from our long flight and make the best of the next couple of days to make sure we are ready to go for the first match.”
Watson encouraged fans of the game to attend the matches, expecting spectators to get value for money from the battles on the field.
“We have some really talented players and we expect that this series will be a spectacle, so people should come out to see it,” he said.
“There is always an amazing following of the game in the West Indies and very passionate crowds always come out to the matches, so hopefully we can help to provide some entertainment that will allow the spectators to enjoy their days at the matches.”
The Digicel 2012 Series opens with the first three ODIs contested at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground here.
Australia ODI squad:
Shane Watson (captain), Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
Australia T20 squad:
George Bailey (captain), Daniel Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Nathan Lyon, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson
Match schedule:
ODI Series
Friday, 16 March – 1st Digicel ODI at Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St. Vincent
Sunday, 18 March – 2nd Digicel ODI at Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St. Vincent
Tuesday, 20 March – 3rd Digicel ODI at Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St. Vincent
Friday, 23 March – 4th Digicel ODI at Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Sunday, 25 March – 5th Digicel ODI at Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia