MELBOURNE — Nerves got the better of Australia's batting lineup in its dramatic World Cup loss to New Zealand at the weekend and it may have been overawed by the occasion, Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson said. New Zealand skittled Australia's batsmen for 151 runs in 32.2 overs before holding on for a nerve-jangling one-wicket win at a packed Eden Park Saturday. Players and pundits have struggled to explain Australia's batting flop, with some blaming the team's lack of match practice in the two weeks since their opener against England. Captain Michael Clarke suggested the team had not trained hard enough on dealing with swing bowling after New Zealand's seamers cut a swathe through their innings. But Johnson said there was no lack of preparation. “I think we trained really well, to be honest,” Johnson told Sydney radio station 2UE. “I just think we were probably a little bit nervous through that middle period. “We trained and we knew what to expect. We knew the ball was going to swing there. “We just didn't play our game when we got out there in the middle. I think the moment probably got a bit big for us.” Though Mitchell Starc took a brilliant 6-28 to give Australia an unlikely sniff of victory, fellow left-armer Johnson was torched by ‘Black Caps' skipper Brendon McCullum early and finished wicketless for 68 runs from just six overs. “He's a great player,” two-time ICC cricketer of the year Johnson said of McCullum. “He took me apart, I haven't been belted like that for a long while.” The loss to New Zealand is unlikely to affect Australia's hopes of making the knockout rounds, though it may eventually cost the team top spot in Pool A, meaning a potentially trickier quarterfinal opponent. Sri Lanka calls Prasanna as Herath cover Sri Lanka has called up Seekkuge Prasanna as World Cup cover for injured spinner Rangana Herath, the country's cricket board announced Tuesday. “Seekkuge Prasanna will go to Australia as a stand by for injured Rangana Herath who split his finger during the ENGvSL match #LionsRoar#lka,” tweeted Cricket Sri Lanka. The 29-year-old Prasanna has played 22 ODIs since his 2011 debut. He was a member of the squad which faced New Zealand in a seven-game series on the eve of the World Cup but was not selected for the showpiece tournament. The 36-year-old Herath needed four stitches in the spinning finger of his left hand after he tried to stop a full-blooded drive from England's Jos Buttler in Wellington Sunday. Sri Lanka won the match by nine wickets and the 1996 champion is almost assured of a quarterfinal spot with just two Pool A games left to play, against Australia in Sydney Sunday and Scotland in Hobart three days later. — Agencies
