Mumbai: In a One-day matches till date, Shane Watson has batted from the opening slot to number nine for Australia, picked up 89 wickets; scored 2020 runs including nine fifties and four hundreds, taken 22 catches and won seven man of the match awards.

In his 91st match, scheduled for Sunday Watson's hoping he'll do better than any of the previous ones. When that gets over, he'll be aiming for the 92nd.

Now, 90 ODIs and the figures attached with it are quite enough to reckon a player as having been there and done that. Let's take a moment and think about names like Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina - all from India, or even Tillakaratne Dilshan from Sri Lanka or Shahid Afridi from Pakistan. Long before they had played even 50 ODIs for their respective countries, they were all celebrities in their own right.

Interestingly at 28 years of age and in his seventh year of international cricket, it seems like it is still elementory for this Watson.

“lt's a learning experience and l'm happy with it that way'' he says as a matter of fact.

Before the match, during the match, after the match, Watson's happy doing what he's told to do. Finicky decides it and my job is to follow the role assigned to me.”

Watson's career so far has been a series of ups and downs. Ups because of the natural all-round talent that he is, bound with aggression and physique that make him seem like the perfect athlete. Down because, so far it's been a carrer often riddled with injuries and set- backs as much as success.

No wonder he likes to play it down every time you try and remind him he's good. “Thank” is his modest reply. As I said, it's all a learning experienced.”Again!

Watson, in fact, fills in the slot left vacant by Andrew Symonds very well.
Well equipped to thrash attacks, decent medium pace and agility in the field all that was Symonds’ forte have Watson qualifying quite well. To endure now that he's Australia's big all-round bet is just a responsibility he has to shoulder consistently

A conversation with him about his cricket mostly revolves around today's young Australian side, one that is replete with fresh cricketers from the multi-talented domestic stable. With the exception of Panting, the other senior pro Michael Hussey and their now-eternal speed gun Brett Lee, the rest of the Australian team is comparatively a young bunch. “we keep motivating each of and the common aim is to do will Australian,” he says.

Today while that learning bit car on, and so does the excitement to his 91st ODI, Watson has it at the back of his mind he's a vital cog now in Aussie plans. “The aim is to get a feel of India in the run-up to the 2011 World Cup. I guess we've got another tour coming up next year same time,” he says.

Players' burn-out worries Nielsen: The late arrival of a few members of the Australian one-day squad, who are taking part in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20, is a bit of a worry for the visitors, accepts team coach Tim Nielsen.

“lt's difficult. We have our New South Wales (Blues) players playing the final tonight and joining the squad tomorrow afternoon. We are supposed to play on Sunday morning. That much of traveling, that much of playing,''said Nielsen ahead of the seven-match series against India starting here october tuber 25.