Ponting salutes match-winning Watson

The all-rounder, who blasted a hundred against England in the semi-final last Friday, was named man-of-the-match at Centurion after his unbeaten 105 took the defending champions past the 201 target set by their trans-Tasman rivals.

"I think the last couple of months of his cricket life probably, we've started to really see the real Shane Watson," Ponting said.

"Getting his opportunity in the Ashes to open the batting, a position he is not really accustomed to, he played beautifully there.

"Now sort of back to his full fitness, he's showing everybody just how good a cricketer he can be. The way he bowled against England I thought was terrific and then to come out and make 130-odd was a great effort."

It was not all plain sailing for Australia, though, after they were reduced to six for two in the third over of their chase following the early dismissals of Tim Paine and captain Ponting.

After weathering an early storm, Watson and Cameron White (62) dug in with a 128-run stand that proved decisive.

Ponting was especially pleased with the maturity shown by Watson and White, who were batting in hostile conditions in the face of Shane Bond and Kyle Mills.

He continued: "You can't get a much harder situation than you did. You're in a big game, you're in a final, you chasing a low score, you're two for six and you got two relatively young guys at the crease.

"To see those guys stand up and get us across the line was very satisfying. It's always been one of our great strengths in the Australian team that if some of the bigger names don't stand up, then we'll generally find someone that will put their hand up and do it."