COLOMBO – Stand-in coach Allan Border is confident the Australiancricket team he hands back to John Buchanan today is on the right path.

Michael Donaldson09-Sep-2002COLOMBO – Stand-in coach Allan Border is confident the Australiancricket team he hands back to John Buchanan today is on the right path.Buchanan is over a back injury and ready to rejoin his team in Colombofor the ICC Champions Trophy, while Border is on a long flight back toAustralia after a stint in charge in Nairobi.”It’s been a good start to a long summer,” Border summarised.”It’s been very impressive cricket all round, very dominatingperformances, the bowling was outstanding, the fielding was brilliant aswell and Matthew Hayden is just in unbelievable touch with the bat.”Border was quite happy to hand things back to Buchanan – especially asit will mean fewer emails to read each day.”I’ve seen about 250 emails from John,” Border joked.”He’s been watching the games and sending his thoughts.”He’s a very thorough bloke, he’ll probably turn up in Colombo with ahuge manila folder of stuff for the boys to contemplate.”But, more seriously, Border added: “John Buchanan’s where coaching’s atthe moment – I just enjoy these little sojourns with the team. With thedifferent positions I hold with Australian cricket it just gives me someinsights in terms of selection, and the [Australian Cricket] board.”As a selector, Border was happy with the minor evolution in ShaneWatson, whom he described as taking “half-steps” towards making himselfAustralia’s dominant all-rounder.”I think he’s maturing all the time, he’s really starting to feel a partof the team,” he said.”Certain personalities turn up and they just feel part of it, it’s intheir make-up, their character, but for most guys – especially a youngplayer who’s come from nowhere really – it just takes a while to findyour feet.”As the young player we’re looking for he’s taken another half-stepforward – he’s making progress, no doubt about it.”Border said he could not emphasise enough how important it was forAustralia to have a powerful hitter in the lower middle-order, such asSouth Africa’s Shaun Pollock or Pakistan’s Abdur Razzaq.Border was also impressed with the way Ricky Ponting was developing as acaptain after succeeding Steve Waugh six months ago.”I think he’s really growing into the job,” he said.”Sometimes you’re given this role and you’re not sure 100 per cent howyou’re going to accept it.”You’ve had a certain position within the team, one of the boys and allof a sudden you’re given this responsibility and your whole statuschanges with that bunch of blokes.”Sometimes it takes a while, but I reckon he’s really grown into thejob.”The only minor concern for Australia heading into the Champions Trophy,Border said, was a little problem with an ingrown fingernail belongingto master legspinner Shane Warne.But Border felt it was nothing to worry and was happy with the way Warnebowled in unsuitable conditions in Kenya.