akd545
NormGamble on Watson? Not Likely
November 20th 2006 12:28
As the Ashes countdown continue, the Australian squad have already experienced their first hiccup as the man of the hour last week, Shane Watson, went down on Friday with a hamstring injury.
Watson, who has not been in contention for a spot in the squad in the last six months due to injury, has a major question mark over his head, whilst a quality batsman, Michael Clarke, can only sit and wait for a response.
During the training session today at the Gabba, Watson was only able to run for 45 minutes, before bowling three overs in the nets and holding a meeting with the physio to examine his hamstring. All officials are commenting that he is improving better than they thought, and he is at about 70% fitness at the moment.
It’s that other 30% troubling me though.
My thought on all this is whilst it’s great that Watson is recovering nicely, and he might be fully fit by the opening session on Thursday for the first Test. Does Australia really want to risk the team’s performance, on let’s admit it, a expendable player?
Do not get me wrong, Watson fully deserves to be selected in the top XI, but only if he is fully fit. If he is opted out of selection, players such as Tait and Stuart Clark, who both showcase the same amount of skill and finesse of the game, are able to fill the slot with relative ease.
Plus, if Watson is out of selection, this opens up a another space for Michael Clarke. Even though I think the selectors did chose wisely in filling as many spaces with pacemen for the fast Gabba pitch, they should have found space for him. True he is not holding the same form that he held a few seasons back, but a spot in the first eleven might give his confidence a boost that is required to get him back on track.
Remember that Hayden was in the same boat in the last Ashes, until he stormed home in the final test. We have seen it before, and chances are we would see it again with Clarke.
If I was in the selectors shoes, I wouldn’t be fretting too much on Watson. There are four other Test matches he can prove himself, plus give himself the guarantee that he would be fully fit for the game. The gamble on Watson is just too risky when so much is at stake from the opening ball.
Until next time, sports minds.
Watson, who has not been in contention for a spot in the squad in the last six months due to injury, has a major question mark over his head, whilst a quality batsman, Michael Clarke, can only sit and wait for a response.
During the training session today at the Gabba, Watson was only able to run for 45 minutes, before bowling three overs in the nets and holding a meeting with the physio to examine his hamstring. All officials are commenting that he is improving better than they thought, and he is at about 70% fitness at the moment.
It’s that other 30% troubling me though.
My thought on all this is whilst it’s great that Watson is recovering nicely, and he might be fully fit by the opening session on Thursday for the first Test. Does Australia really want to risk the team’s performance, on let’s admit it, a expendable player?
Do not get me wrong, Watson fully deserves to be selected in the top XI, but only if he is fully fit. If he is opted out of selection, players such as Tait and Stuart Clark, who both showcase the same amount of skill and finesse of the game, are able to fill the slot with relative ease.
Plus, if Watson is out of selection, this opens up a another space for Michael Clarke. Even though I think the selectors did chose wisely in filling as many spaces with pacemen for the fast Gabba pitch, they should have found space for him. True he is not holding the same form that he held a few seasons back, but a spot in the first eleven might give his confidence a boost that is required to get him back on track.
Remember that Hayden was in the same boat in the last Ashes, until he stormed home in the final test. We have seen it before, and chances are we would see it again with Clarke.
If I was in the selectors shoes, I wouldn’t be fretting too much on Watson. There are four other Test matches he can prove himself, plus give himself the guarantee that he would be fully fit for the game. The gamble on Watson is just too risky when so much is at stake from the opening ball.
Until next time, sports minds.
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Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
I'm sure there is someone out there with the capacity of replacing a 70% fit Watson.
So why risk further damage and jeopardising his immediate playing career by playing him in the 1st test when there is time for him to recover and play a part in the subsequent tests.
Charles.
Comment by StephenP
Australia's bowling attack will be formidable enough with McGrath, Lee and Warne - I beleive we should have picked Bracken ahead of Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait. Bracken offers an alternative to the right arm quicks, while Johnson is probably another year away from deserving a baggy green.
In which case, my team would be -
Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Bracken
McGrath
If Watson is fit for the second Test, then unfortunately you would have to drop Clarke. I beleive Martyn should be dropped in favour of looking to the future, but Martyn was in pretty good form in the ICC Trophy, and deserves first crack.
Cheers,
StephenP
Comment by TheCoach
Totally agree with dropping Clarke for Watson, but if he able to hold his own and Martyn loses his sight, he might be able to jump up the order a little bit.