Tim Paine enjoying Aussie stint by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	TD Paine
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 19th September 2009

 

Australian Tim Paine is enjoying life as a part of Australia's ODI team after his maiden century at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

 

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper has got off to a flying start in Australia shirt as he has seamlessly filled in for injured first-choice keeper Brad Haddin at the top of the order.

 

The right-hander scored a composed 111 from 148 balls in the sixth ODI that moved Australia to the brink of record-breaking whitewash of their greatest rivals, but which also sent them back to the top of the ICC one-day rankings.

 

"I'm rapt. Obviously I got a bit nervous there so to get it out of the way and for the team to win a sixth straight game is a great performance," said Paine who is now the second leading runscorer in the series with 233 at 38.83.

 

"It's been great to be spending a bit more time at this level and getting comfortable with big crowds and all that sort of stuff.

 

"I haven't thought too much of what will happen when Brad returns, but for now I'm just concentrating on enjoying playing for me country."

 

Paine admitted he was frustrated on not being able to convert starts earlier.

 

"My job opening the batting for Australia is to score runs and in the first few games I felt reasonably good but just didn't go on with it," he said.

 

"So it was pleasing once I got my start to cash in. I was conscious of that; if I did make a start then I had to cash in and have the mental thing to be hard on yourself and keep batting.

 

"I was pushing myself mentally and trying to bat for as long as I could. I knew if I did that I'd get the runs I wanted."