Last chance for Shane Watson?

He top scored in England this winter, didn't he? What would England give for a fourth seamer capable of tying up and end and hitting like we saw in Perth today? He has a 50 and a hundred from 6 innings this summer. He is taking wickets. Just lay off!

the reason we have only played 400 odd players is that when we see a young player of considerable talent like a pointing or a Clarke, we put them in the team at 6 and carry them through the first few years as they learn their craft. Silk has what it takes, he's scored 4 centuries in 10 or so shield matches including one in the shield final, he is a brilliant fielder, he has a name with a meaning. I think it was too soon to bring him in for this Ashes but I don't think Bailey is offering the team heaps more at 6 than Silk would. Joe "dud" Root (another with a great name for professional sport) looks the best of the english batsmen at 22 after being blooded at 6 and then moved up the order, don't see why it won't work for "smoothas" Silk. Faulkner would be a temporary downgrade to our batting in comparison watson, but I feel safe in saying that each will finish their test careers with a similar bating average. The bonus is Faulkner won't come in at 3, will probably have a better bowling average and strike rate, bowl more overs, and has his best years ahead of him.

is he? fractured thumb should only be a month or so, he'll be on the boat to south africa.

I don't share the obsession for an all-rounder, but if we accept the need for one, then Shane Watson is doing reasonably well. Alan Davidson was never questioned over his abilities, and in 44 tests he took 186 wickets at 20.53, and averaged 24.59 with the bat. Watson's bowling is nowhere near as economical or as effective after 49 tests (66 @ 31.77), but his batting is much better, averaging 35.5. When you combine this with Mitchell Johnson's all-rounder claims, his bowling is as effective as Davidson's, but not as economical (222 @ 29.54) whereas his batting is almost as good (average 22.93). In other words, in the current team, there are 2 allrounders who can be compared reasonably with Alan Davidson, Australia's benchmark. Davidson was probably a better natural fielder, and also occasionally bowled leg-spin -- but was not required to open the batting. I think many of us see that Watson could actually do better with the bat -- but the stats don't usually lie after 40 tests. He is probably a batsman who will knock up 30 runs an innings, take a wicket each test, and take a couple of catches. This is good enough to keep him in the side at the moment.

I agree deccas, this was a tailor made situation for Watson. I want to see him consistently make TEST runs in tough situations. That means 1st innings centuries when the series is still on the line. He's had every chance to do that and has shown he is not a test quality batsman. His bowling will certainly be missed but we can't pick a 1st drop batsman based on his bowling. To me it's obvious that he needs to go, the biggest question is who to replace him with. Hughes ain't the man for me, not yet anyway

This century (against a depleted bowling attack) does buy him time. His bowling has been great, and if he can maintain similar form he can keep himself in the team a while longer, and I won't even be upset. Its not him I hate, but how easily he has been picked for the last 5 years, without the form, fitness, or figures to back it up. He has doubled his career century tally in the last 4 games and if this purple patch continues that would be fine. History suggests it won't but i'd happily be proven wrong. He will still be replaced by Faulkner (or some other all rounder but I think we all know whom it will be) and an actual batsmen will bat 3 at some time in the next 3 years when injury or form leave watson one final time, but if this kind of performance can continue and he starts making runs in match situations that aren't stacked in his favour then I would be very happy.

We are not necessarily "Watson Haters". Personally, I have not met him, and doubt I would "hate" him. We just don't think he is consistent enough for a spot in the team, and can't justify investing in him for the future because age and fragile health are stacked against him.

That's the first decent negative Watson comment. Most try and turn around any positive from him. I'm a bit of a fan now, after not being one at first in his early career. You're simply right. At this stage of his career, his average is still too low and he just doesn't score enough runs. If he wants to be in the team beyond the next few tests he needs to string some regular decent totals together. Though in the last 4 tests he has scored two centuries and one half century. If he'd knocked up a 50 in Brisbane that would be a very decent return so maybe he is coming into a little consistency. It may not be enough though.

i was desperate for such attack from watson n so i glued myself to tv whenever he came to bat this series. i knew he would bash everyone today. so, i got up early, but unfortunately i had to go out. n i missed seeing most of the attack. when i came back, he hit a six off anderson, bresnan took the catch but he's out of the rope. i loved it. it was my fav. moment. there's a blockbuster movie "lagaan". the movie ends in the exact same way. indians who saw watson today would be screaming with joy.

One swallow doesn't make it summer. Love him or loathe him, the fact remains that he simply doesn't score enough runs at test match level to justify not questioning his spot in the team, especially when there are quite a few players who could fill his shoes.

the joke is on watson haters. they can never see such a knock from any other batsmen in the world against such a quality bowling. not to mention the dangerous cracks on the surface. watson the dominator in cricket, but today he dominated watson haters. he kicked their A.

So perhaps you should eat your own words. Have had enough of the negative reporting. We are doing well and yet you still search for the negativity. You dont remove the glue to a winning side and at the moment, the glue involves 11 players.

Look forward to him string together another dozen 20s or less when we are actually under pressure then. While his bludgeoning of England's 3rd string attack today typified why he is a valuable one day player, his subsequent dismissal showed how he has the concentration powers of a small poodle.

You beauty Shane! A class, team-first knock...

Watto's banked himself another 10-15 Tests after his blistering hundred.

The knockers can go back into their shell to next series now

Watson has long been a dilema for the selectors,every position he has held their have been nothing more than occasional glimpes ,his natual position in the side is all rounder where a batting average of 35 is acceptable. Problem is he has rarely played as an all rounder and selectors in their humble opinions seem blinded by the ease in which the one day runs flow hence thinking he of top order test quality,an average of 35 after 50 tests suggests he isnt. But his cheer leaders at CA and chanel 9 will continue to tell us he is a superstar and he`ll remain in the side for the immediate future.

Let him concentrate on the shorter forms of the game. Am sick of the selectors giving him forever to fail until he finally gets a score in a dead rubber or when there is no pressure on him at all. Then we are stuck with him for another 6 Tests. I am loving that the selectors seem to have stopped the chopping and changing we put up with to give newcomers a fair chance to settle themselves, but for Watto it has been 8 years... Is he really a reliable 4th/backup quick when he himself is the most likely to be injured first?

I haven't forgotten. I can see johnson lasting another 2 to 4 years and harris another 1 to 2 siddle probably has 4 or more. With have good young fast bowling stocks and any of cutting McDermott pattinson starc sayers Cummins bird sandhu and probably others capable of filling their positions. If we take a fast bowling squad of 5 or 6 on tour I think the transition will be pretty seamless with injury and progression and all.

Faulkner is going to be out for a while I'm afraid.