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Hughes should replace Watson in South Africa

Phil Hughes. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Roar Pro
12th December, 2013
55

One of the good things Darren Lehman has changed about the Australian cricket team is we are sticking with our choices and not rotating the team around. However, not everyone in the team is playing well.

The bowling performances have been fantastic but the only performers in the top six are David Warner and Michael Clarke.

We should stick with George Bailey for a little longer because he is new to the side and is just settling in.

Steve Smith should also be persevered with because he is a promising young player who has shown signs of his talent. He can also field brilliantly and could be a valuable bowler in the future as well.

If we stick with Smith he will develop into a great player.

This leaves two players, Shane Watson and Chris Rogers.

Rogers should play out the Ashes and the tour of South Africa and then retire and give a promising young player (at the moment probably Jordan Silk, with Nic Maddinson close behind) an easy platform into Test cricket against India.

He has done a great job of filling a spot, leaving these young players time to develop.

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This leaves Watson, who should be replaced by Phil Hughes in South Africa.

Hughes has played brilliantly over the season of Sheffield Shield, recently hitting another century, his third for the season.

Hughes is in great form, is a great player of pace and South Africa feature the best pace arsenal in the world.

I hope Watson proves me wrong and plays brilliantly for the rest of the series, but if he doesn’t Hughes should get yet another chance.

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