Sore Watson unable to bowl in tour game

But what if you could do all that, and take wickets? And bat really well? And be a good, mobile fielder? Where would we find someone like that, I wonder? Oh wait...

Yep, and he was even better against India last summer. It's not a myth that he's excellent for creating pressure - watch Brisbane Day 3 evening session, he bowls a spell just before stumps and he isn't just hard to get away, he looks like taking a wicket every ball. Watch the very next morning, he opens the bowling with three overs for one run, while four wickets fall at the other end. He's often been used by both Smith and Clarke as part of a wicket-taking tactic - contain with Watto at one end, attack with a strike bowler, usually Johnson, at the other. Clarke mentions it in that Ashes Diary book if you don't believe me.

Wickets aren't critical as a fifth bowler. If you can keep the quicks fresh and powering in all day at full pace that's critical. When Watson came on for spells the last 2 ashes, basically after his spell had finished the score hadn't changed. The last 2 ashes series whenever England were scoring freely Siddle and Watson would bowl in tandem, and often Siddle grabbed a wicket, after 5 or 6 maidens

How may tests did we win? Watsons only bowling strength is he keeps the pressure on. He doesn't bowl anything that would dismiss a patient batsman.

You obviously didn't watch the last ashes in England to closely. Watson had a huge impact with the ball.

Watson does have some talent, but not as much as he is credited with, but the biggest factor in his career is not injury, it is heart. Watson simply doesn't have the heart to be a champion.

He wasn't allowed to bowl during the U19 World Cup, so was playing as a batsman only.

Watson lives a charmed life. Always seems to be given a free run in this Aussie side. Is no longer a potent test class bowler. Yet he is constantly picked as an all rounder. CA say "it is to give balance to the side". What rot. If he was taking regular wickets I would believe that. But he is not. In his two ashes in England he has the princely tally of 8 wickets @80 (high). He took five wickets in the India series. One in the West Indies.

DON. I have been sold on this bloke since 2010 when he led the Aussie youth side to a world cup win. He was a good tactician.Unafraid to make the tough calls. He handled his strong bowling attack, led by Josh Hazlewood with aplomb. I can not remember Mitch bowling. But he played some vital and power laden innings. Since then, injuries have curtailed his early progress in first class cricket. If he gets his chance in the ashes. We will all see what a special player he is going to be.

Mitch Marsh showed last nite why he should be a permanent member of the Baggy Greens now..not later. Under no pressure to score runs. The West Aussie could have blasted from ball one to get quickfire runs the way his partner Shane Watson had done. And got out cheaply. The West Aussie is made of sterner stuff. Instead he showed a calm head and application before unleashing on the hapless Kent bowlers with precision and power that must have delited Rod and Boof no end and broken the hearts of the St Lawrence ground crowd..

I just want to re-iterate my claims for the past 2 years. Mitch Marsh is/will be a genuine top 5 batsman. His bowling is a bonus. Nevertheless, his bowling is more useful to the team now than Watson's. Pace, direction and control of length all fall in Marsh's favour. This tour will become the WA tour. Marsh, Marsh, Voges and Johnson will drive our success.

Same here. Always hoping he would become something special. Just never happened. I blame a mixture of his technique and his run of injuries. Either way he never built any momentum in his career. Just when he looked like doing something consistent at test level. Another blasted injury would cruel him. Watson has had far too many changes to prove he is worthy of his overblown pay packet. Take last nite against Kent. He scored runs under no pressure whatsoever. Trouble is when Australia needs him to perform under pressure. He is found wanting. That really sums up his disappointing career.Watto it is now time to say sayonara after these ashes and let Mitch Marsh do what he was born to do.

No...it is a not out. "Retired out" is a new terminology. It is usually just "retired". He has not been dismissed and it does not go down as a wicket for Duckworth / Lewis purposes.

It is considered an "out" for their stats as far as I know.

Hey Ronan If a batsman 'retires out', is he out as far as batting averages are concerned? Or is he unbeaten.

M. Marsh had a very tidy spell with the ball yesterday too - 5 overs, 1 for 6. Plus 131 runs for the match for one dismissal - he's certainly put his name forward. Haddin 11no from 41 balls...that's the most patient innings he's played in a long time!

I honestly don't know what to say anymore. I've been a fan of Watson in the hope of him being that top quality allrounder that potentially he could have been BUT I just don't think it will ever happen. Injuries have always killed his momentum. I just hope that the same does not happen to Marsh.

Marsh 101 (retired) Watto 81 (caught) Choked again

So he returned the same amount of wickets as he normally would. I'd say that will be enough to get him selected by some insane selector rationale

Divine intervention.