The horror series against India which saw Australia suffer its worst defeat since the 78/79 Ashes has placed many players’ careers under serious threat.
None more than Shane Watson, due to his actions both on and off the field. On the field, he had a poor series, accumulating 99 runs at 24.
Off the field there were even more problems, with Watson being suspended alongside three other Australian players for not completing a task given by Mickey Arthur.
He was also questioned for not being a ”team player” by Pat Howard.
Watson has now failed to register a Test hundred for over 39 Test innings dating back to October 2010.
Despite his Test downfall, he has continued to excel in the shorter forms of the game, averaging 53 in the last year in ODIs and was player of the tournament in the ICC T20 World Cup only last September.
His Test average has dropped from 42 to 35 in the last 18 months, but in ODIs his average has hovered around 40-43 throughout his career.
Although chairman of selectors John Inverarity stated that he cannot guarantee Watson’s place for the Ashes, there is a fair chance the selectors will stick with him simply because he has the vice-captaincy.
In the three months leading to the Ashes, Watson should consider these three things as options for his future:
– Relinquishing the vice-captaincy from all forms of the game;
– Retire from Test cricket to prolong his ODI and T20 career, giving him a chance of playing in the 2015 World Cup;
– Retire from ODI and T20 cricket prolonging his Test career.
For some, it may be hard to believe that Watson has not been able to convert his ODI and T20 form into Test form, given he has remained extremely consistent in those formats.
Some may believe he is not up to Test standards.
There have a been a few factors that explain Watson’s Test form.
Firstly, injury from bowling, poor preparation due to not playing enough first-class games and his demotion from opening to no. 3 or 4.
It is also worth noting that his average has also started to fall ever since he loss Katich as his opening partner and when Ricky Ponting retired from the captaincy in 2011.
Playing as a specialist batsman in India was also a huge mistake.
This it meant if Watson didn’t score runs, his position would be at risk given he didn’t give himself the chance of taking wickets.
Between now and the Ashes there is the IPL, where it is likely that Watson will be one of the top run scorers and chip in with handy wickets.
Whether he can transform that form into Test cricket is a totally different story.
Shane Watson will probably get nowhere near reading this article or even know I wrote it but before or after the Ashes he must consider those three options which will play a huge role for his future in the Australian side.
He also must use the time between now and the Ashes to get back into bowling form and strengthen his fitness so he can play as an all-rounder in the Ashes.
Personally I believe he should not be an automatic selection for the first two Tests of the series, even though the selectors will probably pick him.
But Watson is a good player, capable of dominating teams all round the world as he has shown in the past and in the shorter formats. The question is, can he deliver this Ashes series?
I’ll leave it to you, Roarers.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Agreed mate
The Bush
Roar Guru
I would thank Watson for his time, invite him to stay on in both short formats and then drop him. At 32 his time is done. I would then put this all-rounder experiment to bed. It's hard enough carrying underperforming players in general, it's impossible to carry a player who will never contribute fully.
dcnz
Guest
after the manner of his dismissals in the fourth test especially the wild head in the air slog and miss (to be bowled), he should never wear the whites again. his technique against quality bowlers is terrible and he should be moved on.
twodogs
Guest
hi brian. good pointers. a fair portion of the team have been or have begun suffering similar woes. shield cricket is still the best breeding ground the world over and believe it or not these players are all highly skilled and capable against the best. but something else must be amiss. something intangeable. something which creates an atmosphere of magic even tv viewers can sense. is this created by coaching staff , the players or a mix of both? likely the latter but if that's the case arthur and co. are poorly lacking. watto is a real good player but i reckon he's carrying way too much upper body weight for bowling and therefore overstressing the legs. eh? no it's all muscle watto! so, the diagnosis is...... we need an aussie coach who likes a beer after work, a performance manager (the coach) a fitness trainer (who also likes a beer after work) maybe a masseuse, tour and venue manager ( that would be cricket australia and they stay at head office- no junkets boys) oh yeah, and the selectors (they also stay at home because theyre just on the gravy train also. so there you go cricket australia, just saved you about $1.6m a year and the aussie coach - lehmann? will get better results than the dud you have at present! sorry brian got off the rails a bit there. watto? bit like mtv isnt it? see, you dont necessarily have to be a good muso- ya just gotta look good and dance around a bit! but fair dinkum he's better than that- hope we see it or they will roll him.:-)
Scifi
Guest
3 options for Watson? Frankly there is only one for Tests. He must be bowling or he cannot be a starter. Number 6 or lower batsman and bowling or nothing. If I was selector that is the message I would give Shane, if he balked then the red texta would come out. He cannot open ever again in Tests.
sittingbison
Guest
that would be August 2009 (four years ago come this series) and December 2010 (pushing 3 years ago). Its been the intervening 3 years thats the problem Martin, averaging 24 as both opener and first/second drop
Martin
Guest
He averaged 48 as an opener in the last 2 ashes series
Lancey5times
Guest
If he's not taking wickets than he is a batsman and he's shown that batting is beyond his skill set. He takes 4 wickets a test and bats at 7 or doesn't play. I would prefer the latter
Disco
Roar Guru
"Back yourself."
Kev
Guest
Watson isn't a test level batsman, plain and simple. The choice shouldn't be up to him because if his media comments are anything to go by, Watson changes his mind on whether he wants to be a specialist batsman, bowler or all-rounder every week. He should be in the side for his bowling only. If he can make runs and that's a massive if, then that's a bonus. His rubbish half century to century conversion rate does not warrant him being called a specialist batsman and after nearly 10 years in the side, I think it's time to stop calling him an all-rounder because his batting leaves a lot to be desired.
brian zhang
Guest
i apologise sittingbison, i was looking at his stats after the second test Still he provides balance to the team with his bowling just like Andrew symonds He doesn't need to take big wickets, he just keeps its quiet at one end whilst the siddle or Pattinson takes the wickets
sittingbison
Guest
Red Kev and I have been quoting his stats since Boxing Day 2010 for months now....avg about 24 with the bat, only 20 wickets in 21 innings. He opened in 2011, also avg 24. His avg of 43 opening is entirely due to 18 months in 2009 and early 2010. Before and after he has done SFA
sittingbison
Guest
those michelles are close to three years ago...hardly "recent times" lol And how does 99 runs in 6 innings give an average of 24?? His average in India was 16.5 His average over the past 27months since the 2010 Boxing Day Test is about 24. And his bowling in the same period is only 20 wickets in 21 innings (did not bowl in 8 innings) in 210 overs. This includes a single michelle in the infamous Cape Town Test, and 47 overs in a single match (Hobart)
brian zhang
Guest
He did play as a bowling all rounder earlier in his career but that was the reason why he broke down so many times, because his bowling workload put a lot of strain on his body His bowling actually has excelled significantly over his batting in recent times 5/40 and 6/33 against Pakistan in 2010: in England and 5/17 against south Africa in 2011 If he can get back to bowling fitness and bowl like he did in England against Pakistan, because he can swing the ball, it can prove a handful for the English batsmen I reckon he should retire from test after the ashes so he can extend his odi career to be a chance of the 2015 world cup or else retire from the shorter forms because that's where all his injuries are coming from, too much odi and t20 workload
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Agreed. From memory, in his last two series as opener he averaged less than he does a middle order player. He had good form a few years back, opening may or may not have assisted his form but it dropped away before he dropped down the order. The idea that opening will cure his ills is fraught with danger, particularly when the opening partnership (despite its inherent weaknesses, which I shall call Warner and Cowan) is one of the better performing aspects of the batting lineup; that is, after Clarke and the tail.
Brett McKay
Expert
Certainly the only option for his ongoing Test career is to resume bowling and to get used to the idea of batting no higher than 5. His record as an opener over the last 2-3 years doesn't give him the credit he thinks it does..
Matt F
Roar Guru
Why waste your energy Kev? Just spray him with some Brut. The stench of that stuff could kill anyone! edit - Damn, the good brother mouzone beat me to it!
Lancey5times
Guest
He is most valuable to the team as the 3rd seamer batting at 7 with the keeper at 8. I put this forward months ago and got shot down. He is not a batsman. Pick him as a bowler if he proves fit and effective. Then any runs are a bonus
brother mouzone
Guest
the smell of brut is usually enough
Red Kev
Guest
Watson's three options are retire from tests, get dumped from tests, or do another Brut ad and die painfully when I beat him to death with a deodorant can.