Nathan Ellis relishes pressure-free approach in T20 World Cup opener

Nathan Ellis, whose well-disguised first-ball slower delivery bamboozled Ireland opener Ross Adair in their T20 World Cup opener here Wednesday, said he "doesn't want to feel any pressure" about not bowling a particular delivery just because he is starting his spell.

In the absence of men like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, Ellis stepped up as the leader of the Australian pace attack and returned excellent figures of 4/12, including bowling that beautiful slower ball from the back of his hand that crashed into Adair's stumps.

At the post-match press conference, Ellis was asked to talk through the decision and the confidence to bowl that delivery first up.

"Yeah, something that I've really tried to challenge myself on a little bit is trying to bowl at first ball. I mix it up, I bowl at first ball some games, some games I don't, but I want to be able to pretty much bowl anything, any ball that I have, first ball of a game," Ellis said.

"I use the Big Bash a lot to challenge myself to do that. You get a lot of different conditions, a lot of different wickets, a lot of different batters. So yeah, I don't want to feel any pressure or nervousness not to bowl a certain ball just because it's the first ball."  This was Ellis' career-best performance while experienced leg-spinner Adam Zampa bagged four himself.

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"I don't look at myself as the leader of the (pace) attack. It means a lot for me to be here in the Australian jersey at a World Cup. That's probably the biggest thing. 

"So we've had a really good lead in. We're all looking forward to tonight. So yeah, good to get the first one out of the way and a win on the board."  Australia, whose first-choice pacers were ruled out with injuries in the run-up to the tournament, saw skipper Mitchell Marsh miss the game due to a groin injury, further weakening the side, but they overcome that to start their campaign on rousing note.

"Yeah, he's been a little bit sore over the last few days, so poor bugger, you don't envy a man in that position. We sort of got an inkling probably yesterday and it sort of played out today, so never a great scenario for the team when you lose a captain, but also for the person who goes to bed last night thinking they're not playing and then has to come in," Ellis said.

"But in terms of disruption with the team, we've got the easiest, most easy-going group in the world. Travis Head stepped in as captain and his heart rate probably doesn't get above 25 at the best of times.

"So yeah, thankfully, obviously, we all want Mitchie there, and we love Mitchie leading us. But yeah, it wasn't spoken about too much, and we just try to hit the ground running."  Asked about an update on Tim David's chances of playing in the the next game, he said he has been training well.

"I hope so. Tim, he's chomping at the bit to get a game, and he's training really well. He's hitting the ball As far as I've seen him hit the ball, he's had six weeks at home, which he doesn't often get to try and get himself fit and strong and get in the gym.

"So, yeah, he's flying, he's running, fielding. And yeah, as I said, he's hitting the ball miles. So I hope we'd see him in the next game. If not, maybe the game after that. Not sure," Ellis said.

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