Shane Watson?

[Mister Wright]

Watson hospitalised as Australia suffer

 

[Johnners]

Tis all a setup by india so they play a weakened Australian lineup imo

 

[Mister Wright]

Tis all a setup by india so they play a weakened Australian lineup imo

Still got 5 and a bit days to go. So if Australian players are still sick by then it would have to be a fairly serious sickness.

 

[archie mac]

I also think Lee is a cert. Still think Mcgrath should have stayed in Aust. and bowled some decent spells in the Pura cup. After all it is the toughest domestic comp. in the World.

Never write off a champion, but if the team was picked tomorrow I don't think on form he should be selected

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If this turns out to be something serious I'm going hit a bitch.

 

[Great Birtannia]

He also has the potential (as he's shown on the international stage before) to be straight up and down at ~139kmph and get belted to all corners of the ground.

S.Clark has had his fair share of tonkings in one dayers on placid pitches and Gillespie is bowling pies in domestic cricket. Got to take the punt with Johnson IMO.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Clark has the yards behind him though, and would be able to deal with that. Johnson would be playing his first (or second or third etc) test with really only one year in the Pura Cup and 10 ODI's behind him. Don't know how he'd deal with getting pasted to be honest.

Anyway, I reckon it should be MacGill instead of either of them.

 

[Burpey]

If Australia pick three specialist seamers and Watson, he's not going to get much of a bowl. In light of that, I'd pick a batsman (ie Clarke) instead of him. However, having Watson is good for when the selectors pick MacGill so he can cover as a third paceman.

 

[Matt79]

Chappelli on Watson:

"Shane Watson has a long way to go with his bowling before he is in the allrounder class for Test cricket,"

"Every time Watson claims a victim, Australian players converge from all parts of the ground and the congratulatory ceremony leads you to assume he's performed a minor miracle and dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara with the same delivery.

"It is almost as though the team are willing Watson to perform well in order to be the bowling allrounder to answer their prayers.

"He is quite capable of performing that role in one-day cricket but I'm not convinced about his ability to achieve that level in a game where batsmen aren't so prone to throwing away their wicket."

Just part of Chappelli's media blitz to get Clarke back in the team. Honestly, the guy was a good captain but he's the worst pundit.

 

[Mister Wright]

Just part of Chappelli's media blitz to get Clarke back in the team. Honestly, the guy was a good captain but he's the worst pundit.

Maybe so. However, Watson is the biggest confidence player I have seen. If he's doing well then he's all smiles and niggling batsman jumping for joy around the field. When he's not his head is down, his bowling is poor and it affects all parts of his game.

 

[archie mac]

Maybe so. However, Watson is the biggest confidence player I have seen. If he's doing well then he's all smiles and niggling batsman jumping for joy around the field. When he's not his head is down, his bowling is poor and it affects all parts of his game.

One of the commentators at the Malaysian tour said Watson had undertaken some positive body language classes

 

[Mister Wright]

One of the commentators at the Malaysian tour said Watson had undertaken some positive body language classes

Didn't show when he was bowled by Anderson. It looked like Watson had been put under pressure by Sipowicz & Clarke to give up his best friend in some kind of armed robbery sting.

 

[vic_orthdox]

One of the commentators at the Malaysian tour said Watson had undertaken some positive body language classes

The fact that he had to take classes in the first place says a lot, IMO.

 

[Burgey]

True, but the same might be said for Monty, who's having pre-emptive therapy before coming over for the Ashes.....

 

[vic_orthdox]

True, but the same might be said for Monty, who's having pre-emptive therapy before coming over for the Ashes.....

That's a precautionary rather than a reactionary measure though.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, but imo the same thing applies.

I think they're both good prospects tbh. From an Australian point of view, I'd love to see Watson kick on. Our last really good (great?) all rounder was probably Davo.

 

[archie mac]

Yeah, but imo the same thing applies.

I think they're both good prospects tbh. From an Australian point of view, I'd love to see Watson kick on. Our last really good (great?) all rounder was probably Davo.

He was a great bowler and decent bat, but was never able to score a Test ton. I would think our last genuine AR was Miller in the 50s

Which for such a great cricketing nation is surprising

 

[Matt79]

Paul Reiffel might have been close to AR status for the last couple of years of his career?

Otherwise, either of the Waugh boys, although they were definately batting allrounders, rather than genuine AR?

And Jason Gillespie does have a 200 to his name, need I remind you!

 

[marc71178]

True, but the same might be said for Monty, who's having pre-emptive therapy before coming over for the Ashes.....

If you believe everything said in the papers.

I'm a tad sceptical about that to be honest - why would he advertise such a thing?

 

[Mister Wright]

Paul Reiffel might have been close to AR status for the last couple of years of his career?

Otherwise, either of the Waugh boys, although they were definately batting allrounders, rather than genuine AR?

And Jason Gillespie does have a 200 to his name, need I remind you!

Steve Waugh began his career as a bowling AR. And for the most part of his OD career he was a genuine AR.