Vadodara, March 8 (IANS) Shane Watson came up with another dominant performance with the bat in the International Masters League 2025, scoring a century against South Africa Masters at the BCA Stadium here on Friday. The Australia Masters skipper rolled back the years with yet another sensational century — his third in four matches — as he dismantled the South Africa Masters attack to steer his side to a convincing 137-run victory to wrap off the Vadodara leg of the tournament in style.

Having lost the first two matches of the tournament, Watson & Co. brought back memories of the true Australian spirit, notching up convincing wins in their next couple of matches.

Put in to bat, Watson continued from where he left off in the previous outing against India Masters. With his thunderous pulls and effortless lofted drives, it felt like a throwback to his prime, when he once ruled the biggest stages of world cricket. As he raised his bat to a roaring BCA Stadium, fans couldn’t help but relive the memories of his finest knocks in the Australian colours.

Watson, who teamed up with Callum Ferguson (85 not out) to open the Australia Masters innings, almost took the game away from the South Africa Masters’ grasp with their opening partnership producing 186 runs in a mere 15 overs, before the skipper joined forces with fellow centurion of the previous encounter Ben Dunk (34 not out), to milk another 74 runs and propel the side to a mammoth total of 260/1.

With nine fours and as many towering sixes, it was a display of sheer dominance, power, and elegance, qualities that made Watson one of the most feared all-rounders of his time.

He started with calculated aggression, piercing gaps with crisp drives and brutal cuts before launching into his signature big-hitting mode. As the innings progressed, the boundaries came thick and fast, muscling the spinners over long-on, dispatching the pacers into the stands, and bringing the crowd to its feet with every clean strike with his 61-ball undefeated 122.

In response, the South Africa Masters got off to a forgettable start, losing Henry Davids cheaply, and could never find themselves back on track against a disciplined Australia Masters bowling attack.

Hashim Amla came up with a 19-ball 30, laced with seven boundaries, while Richard Levi and Alviro Petersen were the only other batters to offer some resistance, notching scores of 22 and 28, respectively.

Handicapped by the loss of their skipper Jacques Kallis, who injured himself while attempting a catch in the first innings and did not turn out to bat, South Africa Masters were eventually restricted to 123 in 17 overs.

For the Aussies, Ben Laughlin emerged as the pick of the bowlers, returning with three wickets, while Xavier Doherty and Bryce McGain claimed two wickets apiece. Nathan Coulter-Nile and Nathan Reardon also chipped in with a wicket each.

After the Vadodara leg concludes, the caravan moves to Raipur for the final leg, which begins Saturday with the iconic clash between Sachin Tendulkar’s India Masters and Brian Lara’s West Indies Masters.

Brief scores:

Australia Masters 260/1 (Shane Watson 122 not out, Callum Ferguson 85, Ben Dunk 34 not out) beat South Africa Masters 123 (Hashim Amla 30, Alviro Petersen 28; Ben Laughlin 3/18, Xavier Doherty 2/23, Bryce McGain 2/25) by 137 runs.

–IANS

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