Clarke happy to be in dugout as long as wins keep coming

Barbados:

He sat in the dugout smiling as his teammates ripped apart India's bowling and Australian captain Michael Clarke says he doesn't mind being a mere spectator if the wins keep coming in the World Twenty20 here.

Australia handed out a 49-run thrashing to India yesterday in a Super Eight match riding on openers David Warner (72) and Shane Watson's (54) blazing half centuries.

Clarke didn't come out to bat during the team's innings of 184 for five and the middle-order mainstay said he is happy to push himself down the order if his batsmen can replicate yesterday's show in the remainder of the tournament.

"I just didn't see the opportunity to get out there. It might be different in a couple of days. Hopefully not. I'm happy to go the whole tournament (without batting again) if we're playing like that," Clarke said.

Clarke said he was surprised by Dhoni's decision to bowl first despite having just two pacers in the team.

"I was surprised. There were two fast bowlers and there was little bit in the wicket early on, It was a bit overcast too. To be honest I wasn't disappointed to lose the toss, as I wasn't decided on what I wanted to do," said Clarke.

Clarke didn't hide his joy after comprehensively crushing the 2007 champions.

"I think our performance in the field was really good today. We got a good start with David and Watson. If we can continue to make totals like that and back it up with the bowling and fielding like we did today, it will be hard for any opposition to beat us. We have a good group of players," he said.

Clarke said he felt blessed to have the most destructive openers in Warner and Watson in the team.

"We have the best two openers in Twenty20 format in the world. They batted fantastically together. They took their time. The first over was a maiden but they didn't get worried. They are the best combination and are two wonderful players. I am blessed to have them in my team," he said.

Clarke said Australia used the pace in the wicket to bundle out the Indians, who made 135 in reply to Australia's 184 for five.

"We did get a few wickets by bouncing at them. Probably more important is the ball after the bouncer. Execution of that ball is important. More than short balls, our bowlers used the speed in wicket very well."

Clarke felt Twenty20 cricket has evolved very quickly.

"Teams are learning quickly. The Indian Premier league has played a very big part. Of late more Twenty20 cricket is happening which has helped everyone. I guess you are learning as you go," said Clarke.

"This Barbados wicket was not as fast as the other day when we played here. Our bowlers have the confidence in these conditions. More important than bowling is execution. We bowled to our strengths and all credit to our batsmen for giving us such a good start," he added.

The Australian skipper said the strategy was to play out Harbhajan Singh and attack the other bowlers.

"He was bowling into the wind. So we were looking to get ones and twos against him, probably score at six per over with an odd boundary. We targetted the bowlers at the other end, hitting them with the breeze," concluded Clarke.

Australia will take on Sri Lanka in the second Super Eights match tomorrow.