My mind and heart has been more in flood-hit Queensland than cricket, says Watson

MELBOURNE - Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has said that his thoughts have been on the Queensland floods rather than taking on England in the ongoing seven-match ODI series.

Watson’s comment comes after he scored a career-best 161 not out to help Australia win the opening ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

The all-rounder said that he would spend Monday and Tuesday in his hometown of Ipswich.

“It’s going to be heart-wrenching to see the devastation that’s there, but my mind and my heart has been there. It’s going to be nice to be able to get up there and feel like I can help out in some way,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Watson, as saying.

“I’ve organized a sausage sizzle down at Booval, which is one of the suburbs. It really does free your mind when you’re thinking about other things and it does put the game of cricket into perspective for what it really is,” he added.

The 29-year-old further said that none of his family members were affected in the natural disaster.

“My family was lucky enough not to be affected, but I know some of my friends who live close to the river, and also my primary school, the grounds close to it were all flooded,” Watson said.

Raging floodwaters have swamped thousands of homes and businesses in Queensland, leaving at least 25 people dead and over 100 missing since late November.

Rail lines and highways have been washed away in what is shaping up to become Australia’s costliest natural disaster. (ANI)