Ricky Ponting hailed the performance of 'the real Shane Watson' after he hit a second successive century to guide Australia to the Champions Trophy title with a six-wicket win over New Zealand on Tuesday.
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.
It was not all plain sailing for Australia, though, after it was reduced to 2-6 in the third over of its 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 and the skipper was thrilled the opener had produced his best when it mattered most.
"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."
Ponting was especially pleased with the maturity shown by Watson and his partner 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 tonight. You're in a big game, you're in a final, you chasing a low score, you're 2-6 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."
"Today it was Shane and Cameron White that did a great job for us."
The victory made the Australians the first ever side to win the title twice and also handed them a fourth win in the past five global 50-over tournaments.
Ponting added: "This is a very special achievement and if you look at the Australian cricket team, the ups and downs we've been through over the last 18 months, then I think this is a real positive for us."
"It's great to see now that we're getting more experience in some of the younger guys that they're starting to make major impacts on the international game, as Shane has done over the past few days."
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who had to take charge of the team at the last minute following the loss of regular leader Daniel Vettori to a hamstring injury, was also full of praise for Australia's star man.
"He's done brilliantly," he said. "I think particularly the way he's come back from two noughts in his first two innings in this tournament."
"To come back and score back-to-back hundreds in the semi-final and final is a brilliant effort. It's obviously hard for him as well that he is most of the time bowling 10 overs, then walks out there and opens the batting."
"But he seems to have a pretty good grasp of it at the moment and I'm sure he'll continue to score runs and win games for Australia."