Doherty under pressure to prove himself in World Cup

Melbourne, Jan 14: Australia's left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty today said he was feeling under pressure to prove that his World Cup selection ahead of Nathan Lyon will not be seen as a mistake. The 32-year-old was selected in Australia's 15-member World Cup squad ahead of Lyon amid a lot of speculation.

Australia's World Cup squad;

"It's a nice one to get and you never know. I had myself in the team, then out of the team, and gradually the closer it got I wasn't sure at all. So when the phone call came I was pretty excited," Doherty said.

"I tried to avoid all the talk and the speculation but any time you seem to turn on the TV someone's throwing a name up there and a smokey position and usually for that spinning spot.

"Given there was so much speculation, I probably do feel that expectation to really nail it, and when my opportunity comes to take it."

Considering the pitches of Australia and New Zealand, Doherty knows he won't be picked for every game but he said he will look to bowl his best and make it difficult for the selectors to keep him away from the playing XI.

"The spectators want to see runs and boundaries and sixes and that sort of thing, so I think that's the way the game's been going for a few years now and that's probably why the fielding restrictions have changed from five men to four to really up those scores a little bit. That's something we've all got to accept and try and deal with as best we can," he was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

"I'm under no illusion I probably won't play every game, and there are probably certain pitches where I'll be looked at to come into contention. Given the way the team's been picked over the last few years, there's a game in Perth and Brisbane, and given the strength of our fast bowlers that would be the way they would look. But I feel if I'm bowling at my best I can make it pretty hard for the selectors as well."

PTI