What’s doing with Watto? Four days after pundits offered their last rites for Shane Watson’s international career following his shock axing, the burly allrounder was back.
Not just for any game, but Australia’s most important pool fixture.
It was the umpteenth time in the 33-year-old’s career he was shuffled up or down a batting order.
It was the Watto of old on Sunday – 67 runs off 41 balls, powerful pull shots and few signs of apprehension.
His medium pacers were smacked all over the park by Sri Lanka’s batsmen as Watson finished with 1-71 from seven overs, although the allrounder dismissed captain Angelo Mathews when the game was getting tight.
Dumped because of a lack of runs, Watson was actually recalled on the basis of his experience with the ball.
“You’ll have to ask the selectors,” Michael Clarke said at the toss, when asked to explain why two changes were made to the side that walloped Afghanistan.
“That’s the XI they gave me.”
They have been the party lines from Clarke ever since he stepped aside as a selector in 2013, but rarely have the messages been so mixed.
Watson’s place in the XI remains a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
He was squeezed out of the side last Wednesday when James Faulkner returned from injury.
Rod Marsh confirmed at the time it was because of poor form with the bat.
“He hasn’t been going on with it,” Marsh said.
“He might have to rely on someone else’s lack of form or an injury to get back in.”
Neither happened.
Mitch Marsh had some foot pain in Perth, but was “flying” at training on Saturday as Clarke pointed out in his pre-match press conference.
“Horses for courses,” Clarke said at the toss.
They have been the buzzwords of Australia’s campaign to reclaim the World Cup.
In that regard, a dry SCG pitch elicited the return of Watson and Xavier Doherty.
But what now?
Will Watson’s form with the bat in Sydney sway selectors to keep him in the side, restricting Marsh to drinks duty?
What does the future beyond the one-day tournament hold, will Watson stay at first drop during this year’s Ashes series?
They’re questions the selectors will wrestle with for some time.
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