- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It’s not the first time that question has been asked and Shane Watson has been like a cat with nine lives. He just keeps on surviving, but is he finally on borrowed time at Test level?
Watson’s ability to tie up an end and bowl some useful overs as the fifth bowler keeps playing a part in his selection in the Test team, but does he fulfil that role well enough?
What might save him is that the English conditions could suit him, but to get Chris Rogers back in the team for the first Ashes Test on July 8 at Cardiff, someone has to miss out.
Shaun Marsh did get a half century in the last innings of the West Indies series as Rogers opening replacement, but was it enough to save his spot? Watson didn’t set the world on fire in either Test at number six. There are so many questions to this conundrum, but not many answers.
Adam Voges obviously has to play after one of the best centuries ever made in a debut Test and Steve Smith and Michael Clarke pick themselves with David Warner.
Australia’s bowling dominated England in the previous Ashes series in Australia and they also had their moments in England in 2013 without Watson playing much of a role.
On form Watson for mine doesn’t deserve to be there and there have been many examples during his career where that could be argued, but all the selectors have felt he has that x-factor, with his crisp but inconsistent stroke play with the blade and his straight dry-an-end-up medium pace.
However, he hasn’t reached the heights he might have promised in either discipline and now looks like it might be the right time to move on for good to other options.
Mitch Marsh is probably seen as an ideal replacement particularly with his bowling, which is better than Watson’s, but again a question has to be asked, is his batting good enough at number six?
The selectors could put Brad Haddin there and push Mitch Marsh to seven.
It won’t surprise if the selectors persist with Watson and hope he comes good on a consistent basis.
The experience Rogers has in England and the fact he was coming off six consecutive half centuries in the home series against India indicates that he has to play if fit in the opening Test.
Shaun Marsh would be unlucky, but at the end of the day it’s all about grasping your opportunity and Voges has taken his, although Watson certainly hasn’t done enough throughout his interesting career.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.