NEWS
OPINION
GALLERY
STATISTICS
INTERVIEWS

We're on the way up, says Waugh

Skipper Steve Waugh has refused to concede that Australia was virtually out of World Cup contention and said his side was still in with a chance to qualify for the next stage.

Australia hit form but was still beaten by 10 runs by a better Pakistan side in a crucial Group B match at Headingley.

World champions in 1987 and finalists in 1996, the Aussies will have to secure seven successive wins to win the cup.
"I haven't thought that far yet,'' Waugh said after yesterday the defeat, its second in successive matches after losing to New Zealand by five wickets in Cardiff.
"We're looking at Bangladesh first up,'' he said. "We played a lot better today, that's a good sign.We're capable of winning the next two games, and if we get through to the next round anything is possible.
"A lot of people have written us off already, which is good because it can motivate players. It's up to us now. We've got to dig deep and come out and see what lies ahead of us.''

The last 15 overs weren't good with the bowling side of things. 145 off the last 15 has never happen to us before,'' Waugh added.
I must admit the hitting was fantastic from the Pakistan players towards the end.''

Australia was handicapped by a lack of a quality fifth bowler as Waugh, Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn went for 75 runs in 10 overs between them after all-rounder Shane Lee was ruled out with a sore knee.
"I fancied my chances of getting a few wickets out there,'' Waugh said. "I thought I bowled okay. Hindsight is always good. That the fifth bowler went for few. Our main bowlers went for a few in the last 6-7 overs as well. So I won't put it down to the fifth bowler being the problem.''

Australia also lacked the hitting power of its opponent, managing a solitary six in the last 10 overs to Pakistan's 11 fours and five sixes.
"It was always going to be difficult for any new batsman coming in,'' Waugh said. "They bowled well and looked much sharper compared to us. It's pretty hard to hit those opening bowlers when they are swinging that far in those conditions. It was a good effort to get so close.''

The last time Australia failed to qualify for the semi-final was when it hosted the World Cup in 1992.
"We've tried hard to get ourselves up for the game. We've been a little bit flat, which everyone can see from the outside,'' Waugh said. "It comes down to, 'you've got to do it yourself'. You've got to lift yourself out in the middle, you can talk a lot off the field. We were much improved today, which is a good sign.''