Watson wants to be test opener.

[pup11]

Ok... so Watto has expressed his desire to replace Langer as the next Aussie test opener making it a 3 man fight in battle for the Aussie test match opening slot between Jacques,Rogers and Watson.

This is the article regarding the same :-
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/294162.html

So is Watto good enough to do the job for Australia?

 

[chaminda_00]

His a goog enough batsmen, but i don't think his body could take opening and bowling 15 overs a day.

 

[Fiery]

no comment

 

[Prince EWS]

He certainly has the technique to do it. I don't really think it's the best option for the side though to be honest, given he probably couldn't bowl very much at all if he opened.

 

[pup11]

Hahaha.. Fiery comeon mate you can do better than that.

 

[pup11]

Watto himself is willing to take up the role of the opening batsman in test matches, i guess Jacques and Rogers won't be too happy to hear this news.

 

[Fiery]

Hahaha.. Fiery comeon mate you can do better than that.

OK. I don't think he's good enough yet. He would walk into the NZ team probably but I'm sure Australia have plenty of better openers than him going around

 

[Simon]

surely if it was a straight swap Langer for Watson it'd be a lot more likely Hussey would go to the top. I suspect Watson is only saying this to give himself a better chance of making the test team (and fair play to him) but i dont think the balance would be well suited to Watson batting at the top and bowling a lot...

 

[Perm]

Watson should bat at 6.

 

[pup11]

If Watson can manage to open the batting in test matches and bowl steadily it would give Australia the luxury of having 2 all-rounders (Symonds and Watson) in the playing XI.

 

[Perm]

Pretty sure Symonds won't be playing Test matches unless there are injuries. I expect Ponting, Hussey, Clarke and Watson to fill the middle order. Besides, Symonds isn't a real all-rounder at Test level anyway.

 

[pasag]

Pretty sure Symonds won't be playing Test matches unless there are injuries. I expect Ponting, Hussey, Clarke and Watson to fill the middle order. Besides, Symonds isn't a real all-rounder at Test level anyway.

Can't imagine Symonds not getting picked tla, if he kept on getting reselected when doing sfa, then how much more so when he scored 156 two innings ago. I'm not saying it's right obviously (although I'm rather indifferent to him being there) but that's just the way it is. I'd be suprised if he wasn't selected.

 

[Fiery]

Can't imagine Symonds not getting picked tla, if he kept on getting reselected when doing sfa, then how much more so when he scored 156 two innings ago. I'm not saying it's right obviously (although I'm rather indifferent to him being there) but that's just the way it is. I'd be suprised if he wasn't selected.

tla? (Grinds my gears when I can't work it out myself)

 

[Perm]

Can't imagine Symonds not getting picked tla, if he kept on getting reselected when doing sfa, then how much more so when he scored 156 two innings ago. I'm not saying it's right obviously (although I'm rather indifferent to him being there) but that's just the way it is. I'd be suprised if he wasn't selected.

There are better options, but I do understand where you are coming from. He isn't good enough, but his recent form might be.

 

[four_or_six]

Pretty sure Symonds won't be playing Test matches unless there are injuries. I expect Ponting, Hussey, Clarke and Watson to fill the middle order. Besides, Symonds isn't a real all-rounder at Test level anyway.

You really think they'd drop a player who scored 150 two matches ago? That'd be pretty unlike the aussie selectors.

 

[NZTailender]

You really think they'd drop a player who scored 150 two matches ago? That'd be pretty unlike the aussie selectors.

Brad Hodge, Jason Gillespie...

 

[Perm]

You really think they'd drop a player who scored 150 two matches ago? That'd be pretty unlike the aussie selectors.

We all know he wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for injuries anyway. He batted well, but there are better options available.

 

[pasag]

There are better options, but I do understand where you are coming from. He isn't good enough, but his recent form might be.

Yeah, it's about the Aussie selectors idiosyncrasies and personal favourites more than anything else, I reckon.

Fiery, see the Forum Challenge in OT. tla means 'three letter acronym', picked it up from Matt79 (although I think he was making fun of me at the time. )

 

[chaminda_00]

If you were picking a straight opener and forgeting the effect this would have on his bowling and body. Watson would still be below Jaques, Rogers, Di Venuto, Hussey, Maher and Paine in the peaking order. Its hard to justify his spot as opener infront of those guys and it hard to justify playing him as opening batsmen all rounder when you consider the effect it will have on his body. There still would be questions whether its up to batting at 6 and bowling 15 or so overs.

I have to admitt though i like the way he puts his name infront of the selectors eyes. Hodge and Jaques should be going the same thing IMO. Hodge "I want to open the batting for Australia in Tests." Jaques "I want to bat in the middle order for Australia" etc.

 

[pup11]

My Aussie XI for the 1st test v/s SL

1.C.Rogers
2.M.Hayden
3.R.Ponting
4.M.Hussey
5.M.Clarke
6.S.Watson
7.A.Gilchrist
8.B.Lee
9.S.Tait
10.S.Clark
11.S.MacGill

But i still think Roy might be picked ahead of Watson, and thats why probably Watto is even willing to open in the test matches.