***Official*** Australia in India 2012/13

[Cevno]

Gaurav Kalra ‏@gauravCNNIBN

@HomerTweets @plalor if he was meant to fly between the tests, why would he go to chandigarh? wouldn't he fly out of hyderabad itself?

Interesting Watson traveled to Chandigarh and then flew out.

 

[Spark]

He was intending to play the third Test IIRC.

 

[Spark]

5/1 Watto's retiring.

Close but no cigar. Considering, apparently.

 

[Cevno]

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[CricAddict]

But ultimately, would this punishment have been handed out during the Ashes if Aus were down 2-0 and a similar task had been handed out? I say no it would not have.

More importantly, would this punishment have been handed out if 10 guys instead of 4 didn't submit whatever he asked for? If not, its double standards imo..

 

[Jono]

Watson originally was going to fly home for the third and come back for the fourth, then he was going to play, and now that he is axed he's missing the third and fourth.

Unless his wife is due, which she is not, he should be forced to stay with the team for the third test.

 

[Spark]

Known to be intolerable towards bad attitudes or players who put themselves before the team Arthur gathered Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja aside, one by one, and spelled out a few home truths.

At home it was met with incredulity. How could professional sportsmen be treated as children? How can they be sacked for not completing homework? Is this an early April Fool's joke?
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The quartet's failure to complete the task asked of them - to deliver a presentation, by email or in person, explaining their virtues - was simply the trigger, however. The attitudes among some had been slipping before this assignment was handed out. Not all players are completing the ''wellness reports'' that they are meant to fill in every morning, and the management team - Arthur, captain Michael Clarke and team manager Gavin Dovey - argue discipline has been on the slide for some time.

If the dumping of the four players - two of whom were guaranteed to feature in the third Test - seems rash, then consider this: How difficult is it for a full-time athlete, with hours of free time on their hands every day, to do what they are asked? This is tough love of the most brutal kind, but on this occasion it is the players that must be held accountable.

Read more: Players have only got themselves to blame

Interesting to note that most of the journos on tour or close to the Australian set up are pretty cool with this.

 

[Cevno]

He was intending to play the third Test IIRC.

Shamya Dasgupta ‏@shamyad

Met him prior to the first Test. Said he would leave later - 'hopefully after the fourth Test'.

Guess, he just thought might as well leave after this. Doesn't look that good.

 

[four_or_six]

Has anyone seen if it's the same players that haven't been doing these other reports? Would be interesting.

 

[Andre]

Predictably, Watson now 'considering his Test future'.

Up in the air: Watson flies home after Test axing

Ray Charles saw this one coming.

 

[Jono]

I get the monetary fine part, but realistically losing some cash won't hurt them. I reckon they wouldn't care at all. Hopefully not playing Test cricket will, and will see a reversal. It's about application, discipline and respect to your coach and teammates - I don't want to say that Pattinson hasn't shown application this series, he's a 22 year old kid so I can cope with him not doing it, it's a dumb mistake on his part. But Watson, vice captain, aged 30? Come on. No excuse there for me. He should be enforcing this sort of stuff, not being the one not doing it.

Nah if this is a one-off incident the punishment is over the top. If they are constantly doing things which shows they have bad attitudes, then this should be made clear to the public. Reports about them ignoring coaching/management requests in the past etc.

And a serious fine would hurt Khawaja. Yes he has a contract but he's not loaded.

Plus they could embarrass the ****s in front of their teammates. Even call them out in public like Arthur has done with Khawaja in the press.

I am not defending the players. Watson is a disgrace for not doing what he was asked to do as vice captain. But there can be more than one party being wrong here. For me, players at fault for not doing the task, management at fault for overreacting with the punishment and basically showing their cards - they do not care about this tour at all any more.

It is also double standards since this punishment would not have been handed out vs. England.

 

[four_or_six]

No Watto for Ashes? Noo

 

[Cevno]

Has he announced that ? Seems to be a threat, if so. Weird.

 

[morgieb]

Watson you ****ing coward.

 

[Jono]

Predictably, Watson now 'considering his Test future'.

Up in the air: Watson flies home after Test axing

Ray Charles saw this one coming.

**** I feel like bumping every anti-Watson post I've ever made.

What a wanker he is.

 

[Spark]

Nah if this is a one-off incident the punishment is over the top. If they are constantly doing things which shows they have bad attitudes, then this should be made clear to the public. Reports about them ignoring coaching/management requests in the past etc.

Several journalists have come out tonight and said exactly that.

 

[four_or_six]

No Watto for Ashes? Noo

OMFG Johnson less likely to play in the Ashes now? Disaster!

 

[Jono]

Do you only like soft **** mentally weak cricketers or something?

There are plenty of good looking mentally tough cricketers ffs. Get off over them.

 

[Spark]

Daniel Brettig @danbrettig
Shane Watson will not quit T20 and unlikely to cut ODIs. But Tests becoming an impediment to him and he an impediment to them #cricket

?!?!??!?!

 

[Jono]

Several journalists have come out tonight and said exactly that.

Yeah and that's not good enough. Since when is that how Cricket Australia communicates to its fanbase?

Should have been mentioned in the press conference. And no, saying "this is a line in the sand" does not clearly communicate that there were past indiscretions.