Now, first of all I'd like to do a comparison- Despite playing Test cricket for less than a year Joe Root has equalled what Shane Watson has done in 7 years of Test cricket. Score two centuries. And will more than definitely surpass anything Watson achieves on the Test scene.
He has played all over the order since his Test debut in 05', but he doesn't want to bat at 6 (Where everyone wants him) because he feels he cannot play the old ball or spinners well. Fair enough. But, if you are unable to score big, cohesive scores as an experienced opener (A position he wants to play) in Tests then there is a serious problem.
Great limited overs cricketer. But, his limited overs and one dimensional style in Test cricket has failed, the problem is people expect him to score big, but in truth Watson has never had IT when it comes to Test cricket. Therefore, don't expect him to do IT anytime soon.
The problem is not talent, but mentally not being strong enough to cope, nor score those big runs. His big ego doesn't help, but I remember him scoring his first Test century (As an opener in 2009/10)- He was in the 90's for over an hour and got dropped on 99, but eventually scored that hundred. Going over that barrier seems too much for him. I'd advise him to quit Tests, allow Australia to bring in a specialist opener to develop and score those big scores needed. Young James Faulkner, can easily bat down the order with his batting and bowling. So, when it comes to losing balance- They will not lose out.
The Myth That Is Shane Watson
posted on 23/7/13
Agree Viru. If Australia were to put a fight in this Ashes and the next, they better bring Katich and Hussey back. Katich might come back. But I doubt Hussey will. He left the test game for money. Hussey had fewer years of international cricket compared to Ponting, Hayden and others. I can understand his intentions behind quitting test cricket to make more money in the T20 arena.
Katich, Hussey and Ponting can't do any worse than Rogers, Hughes and Cowan. Certainly it'd add more drama to this series.
posted on 23/7/13
Well there is talk of Katich returning. But that would solve a current issue, not a long term batting issue that awaits Australia. But agree Katich cannot do any worse. Nor can Hussey, but a little selfish on him by saying that he quit early to avoid all this stress. Country comes first Huss!
posted on 23/7/13
yeah Watson is very poor but if you look at the current Aussie team it just has no depth. Clarke and Siddell apart, who else would possibly get into the England side? Viru, I have to disagree with you about KP and Swann - there is so much talent out there in English cricket at the moment. Root is an example of what we have at Yorkshire - and then if you just look at my own county, there are the likes of Ballance and Rashid waiting in the wings. I also like the look of players like Briggs and the giant paceman at Somerset (forget his name!) no --- i think we have a LOT of good talent out there, something that is not evident in Oz
posted on 23/7/13
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/star-opener-we-may-have-lost/story-e6frg7rx-1226683999787
TURN away now if you can't handle any more, but it's worth noting that the highest-scoring Australian batsman in England at the moment has no intention of ever donning the baggy green.
Worse still, he has his eyes on playing for the other side and could be doing so next year.
Sam Robson was born in NSW, played for Australia's under-19s with Phil Hughes and Mitchell Starc, but has opted to pursue his first-class career in England.
In a further blow to Australian cricket, the batsman left home because he gets more first-class games playing for the English counties than he would in the Sheffield Shield.
This year, Robson, 24, has scored 986 runs at an average of 70 batting for Middlesex in the first division. His top score is 215 not out and he hit 166 last week in an innings that had the purists celebrating.
The hard-working opening batsman has two passports as his mother is English, and it is the latter he chooses to utilise in cricket.
He comes home every summer and plays with the Eastern Suburbs club in Sydney where he top-scored last season, but cannot play Shield because he would have to renounce his English citizenship to do so under the game's complicated dual-nationality rules.
Robson's family say the nationality issue is a "sensitive" subject and the batsman has never completely ruled out returning to Australia, but he appeared reasonably adamant he wanted to continue striving for an English cap in a recent interview.
"I've been here since I finished school. I love living in London, I love playing for Middlesex and I have just signed a new contract so this is where it is at for me at the moment," Robson said. "To play international cricket you have to knock the door down for year after year after year, and I have had a couple of good weeks and I am happy with the way things are going this season."
Robson will qualify for England next year.
One of the few better performed batsmen than him in English first-class cricket is Joe Root, who cemented his place with 180 in the second Test.
Robson is primarily a long-form player and gets 16 county matches a summer for Middlesex. He would get only 10 if he played for NSW and would have to play Big Bash during January and February as the first-class season is suspended for that tournament.
Robson has scored more than 3500 first-class runs, including eight centuries, since making his debut for Middlesex in 2009.
His most recent knock received rave reviews.
"True, Ed Joyce batted beautifully on Wednesday in making an elegant hundred for Sussex," wrote Cricinfo's David Lloyd. "Even that innings was put in the shade, though, as Robson blunted the dangerous home attack for hour after hour while scoring his third century of a wonderfully profitable season.
"A good number of deliveries, rearing past the outside edge, were simply unplayable. But Robson chased nothing, shrugged off those balls that beat him and, with his splendidly tight technique evident throughout, accumulated runs so assuredly that Sussex were left close to despair.
"The 24-year-old opener - born in Sydney but only 12 months away from qualifying for England on residency grounds - came into this contest with 802 Championship runs to his name. By the time he trudged away in the evening, finally dismissed for 166 after 6 1/2 hours at the crease, that total had soared to within touching distance of four figures, leaving him alone at the head of the run-scoring charts."
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What a shame...
posted on 23/7/13
comment by Maяcо ЇL Faитa₴тїcо (U1329)
posted 32 seconds ago
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/star-opener-we-may-have-lost/story-e6frg7rx-1226683999787
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I wonder what they said when Andrew Symonds opted not to play for England (or was it England A?). Didn't he refuse ECB's offer? As they say what goes around comes around.
posted on 23/7/13
Ryan Harris also came out and said he came close to qualifying to play for England in 2008 whilst playing for Sussex I believe. But he decided against it.
posted on 23/7/13
I personally think Clarke has to bat at 4 and Watson 5.
Rodger
Warner/Cowan
Kawaja
Clarke
Watson
Smith
That should be the Aussie batting line up.
posted on 24/7/13
Woah... that looks much more frightening...
posted on 24/7/13
Rodgers
Katich
Khawaja
Voges
Clarke
Haddin
Watson
Smith
Lyon
Siddle
Harris
And tell Watson to stop being such a lazy bazturd or Starc will play.
posted on 24/7/13
lazy batsmen that just doesn't seem to have a cricketing brain.....
LBW candidate his WHOLE career....and just looks like he's never address it.......
also failed in 7/7 REVIEWS.....SHOWS HE'S EITHER JUST SELFISH....OR CAN'T READ THE GAME.....