What's the matter with Watson's batting?

[MattO]

He won't be this time, and has never previously slotted direclty into the test team without having shown good leadup form (and only then he's basically relied on retirements or other batsmen being dropped due to poor form before selection)

As for the OD team, if you're going to try and tell me that he doesn't deserve his spot there, well that would be nothing short of being Ignorant.

No it's not ignorant. He has to prove himself with form, fitness and durability. He just can't waltz back into the team after every injury. Noffke deserves his shot in the ODI side before Watson right now if they want to select an all-rounder at No.7.

 

[chaminda_00]

Watson, SR c&b:Cullen 70 126 86 6 0

Looks ok to me and he is taking wickets as well. Gun

 

[MattO]

Watson's obviously the better allround batsman but his batting isn't particularly suited to #7. To his credit, he really did a lot to fix that up as we saw in the WC when he averaged something ridiculous at an equally ridiculous strike rate, but I think he'd be less effective there when not in top form or when still just coming back from injury (as he is ever-so-often). Hopes's batting, in comparison, is well-suited to batting down the order and he doesn't take long to get himself set.

I'm a huge fan as Watson and I'd obviously rather see him in there than Hopes, but I could certainly see a valid argument for picking Hopes within the context of the Australian side ATM.

Credit to Watson. He made 70 tonight. He needs more scores consistently and prove his durability. Players like Hussey, Jaques, Hayden, Hodge and M.Waugh had to slam the door down with runs and S.Clark took a truckload of wickets for NSW before being picked.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

He looked so good today against the pace bowlers. Back foot cover drives are unbelieveably good to watch. Needs to pull it down more on his hook shot though, and ffs, stop closing your face on the spinners.

 

[Johnners]

So gun, clearly nothing wrong with his batting.

 

[Top_Cat]

So gun, clearly nothing wrong with his batting.

Well I guess we would expect his boyfriend to support him. I bet you can tell us how his hair smells.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

So gun, clearly nothing wrong with his batting.

Nah, there's nothing wrong with his batting vs pace bowlers. His play of the spinners is terrible. I don't think I saw him face a ball from Cullen that he didn't play across the line. Not once did I see a full face, and it's terrible. There's little wonder he leading edged him for a caught and bowled, closed the face on every opportunity.

Until he rectifies it he'll make 40 50's and 0 100's at the top of the order, because he'll get out to any spinner almost straight away.

And as we all know, I'm his biggest fan.

 

[Top_Cat]

Nah, there's nothing wrong with his batting vs pace bowlers. His play of the spinners is terrible. I don't think I saw him face a ball from Cullen that he didn't play across the line. Not once did I see a full face, and it's terrible. There's little wonder he leading edged him for a caught and bowled, closed the face on every opportunity.

Until he rectifies it he'll make 40 50's and 0 100's at the top of the order, because he'll get out to any spinner almost straight away.

And as we all know, I'm his biggest fan.

You're not imagining it, though. His play against spinners has always been suspect and a large proportion of the problem is technical. This is the big worry for picking him in the Test side because even average Test-class spinners will have good days against him. Very, very tentative around his front pad.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

That said however, jeez he played Tait (at around 150) and Gillespie (who was slicking 140ish) absolutely perfectly. Was really a lesson on how to play top class pace bowling. Coped with Tait's swing really well, as well.

 

[roseboy64]

Credit to Watson. He made 70 tonight. He needs more scores consistently and prove his durability. Players like Hussey, Jaques, Hayden, Hodge and M.Waugh had to slam the door down with runs and S.Clark took a truckload of wickets for NSW before being picked.

IIRC weren't the guys in the Australian team performing well and those guys you named only got selected when there was an opening. AFAIK Watson performed and fortunately for him a spot was available when he'd performed. Can't blame him for that. The others were just unlucky, thinking more Hussey and Clark, as Hayden wasn't too flash.

 

[Johnners]

Nah, there's nothing wrong with his batting vs pace bowlers. His play of the spinners is terrible. I don't think I saw him face a ball from Cullen that he didn't play across the line. Not once did I see a full face, and it's terrible. There's little wonder he leading edged him for a caught and bowled, closed the face on every opportunity.

Until he rectifies it he'll make 40 50's and 0 100's at the top of the order, because he'll get out to any spinner almost straight away.

And as we all know, I'm his biggest fan.

Oh AWTA re: Spinners, was just baiting, 'tis all.

 

[pup11]

Nah, there's nothing wrong with his batting vs pace bowlers. His play of the spinners is terrible. I don't think I saw him face a ball from Cullen that he didn't play across the line. Not once did I see a full face, and it's terrible. There's little wonder he leading edged him for a caught and bowled, closed the face on every opportunity.

Until he rectifies it he'll make 40 50's and 0 100's at the top of the order, because he'll get out to any spinner almost straight away.

And as we all know, I'm his biggest fan.

AWTA! Really i am Watto fan to but i have never been too convinced about his technique against (even ordinary ) spin bowling, if he has any ambitions of becoming a good top-order batsman then he has to seriously improve his ability to play spin bowling.

 

[James90]

I think it is arguable that Hopes could perform the no. 7 role as well as Watson could.

Queensland a bit spoilt with Simpson, Watson, Hopes and Noffke. If only we could find an opening batsman

 

[JBMAC]

Queensland a bit spoilt with Simpson, Watson, Hopes and Noffke. If only we could find an opening batsman

And Jimmy Maher is a tailender???????????????????

 

[iamdavid]

His pain threshold is extremely low. Players like Border, Boon, Taylor, the Waugh's, Healy and McGrath have extremely great durability and either played through pain or managed to miss very few games or both.

Even someone like Merv Hughes bowled himself through complete pain and Dean Jones batted as if his life depended on it during the Tied Test. Watson could never do any of those and takes the easy way out.

Errm which incident in particular are you reffering to so far in Watson's career ??
Are you suggesting that Border and Boon would have played on with a severe hamstring tear?, or that Merv Hughes would have bowled on knowing he had a stress fracture in his back?

Watson does have a poor track record where injuries are concerned but you cant blame his pain-threshold as they've all been pretty serious injuries which he (nor anybody else) could not have played on with or they'd have risked great long-term damage (plus not been able to fulfill their duties). Cant blame it on his fitness or work-ethic either as they guy is clearly as fit and strong as they come, think it's down to poor luck, coaching errors when he was younger and possibly over-enthusiasm on his part (which is hardly something you can critisize).

 

[Johnners]

Errm which incident in particular are you reffering to so far in Watson's career ??
Are you suggesting that Border and Boon would have played on with a severe hamstring tear?, or that Merv Hughes would have bowled on knowing he had a stress fracture in his back?

Watson does have a poor track record where injuries are concerned but you cant blame his pain-threshold as they've all been pretty serious injuries which he (nor anybody else) could not have played on with or they'd have risked great long-term damage (plus not been able to fulfill their duties). Cant blame it on his fitness or work-ethic either as they guy is clearly as fit and strong as they come, think it's down to poor luck, coaching errors when he was younger and possibly over-enthusiasm on his part (which is hardly something you can critisize).

Would probably expect Watto to play with a broken back, and even then he'd critisize him for being to soft. Entirely agree with you though.

 

[Top_Cat]

And Jimmy Maher is a tailender???????????????????

Like he said, if only they could find an opening batsman.......... who's scoring runs.

 

[Perm]

It's quite funny how quickly Watson's 'boyfriends', as T_C called them, leap to his defence. Clapo, dcye and Prince EWS are on the case straight away. Good to see such strong support, but sometimes it goes a little too far. Have seen a few roll-eyes whenever somebody speaks ill against Watson, which is harsh TSTL.

In saying this, I'm glad he's scored a few runs, but he should never be opening the batting in the longer form of the game. Seriously, with the injury problem he's had there is no way he'll survive two consecutive games as an opening batsmen and a bowler capable of bowling 140+kph.

 

[four_or_six]

In saying this, I'm glad he's scored a few runs, but he should never be opening the batting in the longer form of the game. Seriously, with the injury problem he's had there is no way he'll survive two consecutive games as an opening batsmen and a bowler capable of bowling 140+kph.

Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't quite get the problem with opening as far as injury is concerned. I mean, sure... if you field first, you've been bowling and then you have to bat straight away (as was the case yesterday... he bowled at the death and then opened 20mins later). But if you bat first, your're likely to encounter the same 'problem' if you're batting at six and then go out to bowl.

And I don't remember Watson ever breaking down near the end of a day having bowled lots, it seems to be that if he goes, it's early. Once he's got going, he's fine.

 

[Perm]

If he bats #6 for Australia then he generally won't be out there for too many overs, just enough to hit a quick 30* or so on most occasions. However, opening, the pressure will be placed upon him to bat through, since he doesn't score as quickly as the other batsmen in the line-up, and he could well spend a long time at the crease. If he bats for a long time and becomes fatigued, then Australia have a bowler who won't be as fresh as he should be.