Watson- ****, Hair but no Iceberg

[Neil Pickup]

Fourth in the all time list, one ahead of Lee.

 

[jot1]

but his pace will count for little unless he stops endangering the square leg umpire, the drinks seller in Row Q and the guy flying the Boeing overhead.

Sounds like me in a "friendly" the other day. How on earth do they walk, let alone run, with those pads on their legs, the darn things came up to my chin! Luckily I didn't have to wear a box........

 

[luckyeddie]

Sounds like me in a "friendly" the other day. How on earth do they walk, let alone run, with those pads on their legs, the darn things came up to my chin! Luckily I didn't have to wear a box........

After Pakistan played in the St Lucia the other week, neither does Inzy any more.

I'll let Cricinfo explain:

35.5 Gayle to Inzamam-ul-Haq, no run, full toss, tries a pull and misses
hits inside thigh and looked straight but umpire Hair thinks
otherwise, needs some attention
Inzamam coming off, eyes smarting and has to go back for treatment
as the ball hit that 'awkward' area


The phrase 'full toss' may never enter his vocabulary again.

(I am so sorry, but I AM on a roll today)

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Oh man. That almost looks like you wrote it to get the innuendo just right...

 

[aussie]

As stated by one of the tabloids in england, the name eludes me. How many members actually agree with this statement (and if its hard for u to decificer it means looks but no performance)? I for one believe he is one of the most overated crickters playing international cricket

i'm getting bored defending Watson f**k , that statement is stupid & he is by no means overrated.

 

[aussie]

Isn't Watson Australia's only all rounder since Keith Miller?

no... thier was Benaud, Davidson & Simon O'donnel.

 

[aussie]

The mention of Tait, Lee and Johnson is an interesting one. With those guys all bowling at express pace, and Watson a potential all-rounder in tests, if no spinner shows up could Australia be seen with an all-pace attack? Lee/Tait/Johnson/Gillespie or something, with Watson as back-up? There's also Aaron Bird coming through now, who reportedly bowls at tremendous pace and flattened Michael Slater in a practice match.

Would be interesting indeed.

yeah i heard Slater mention Bird when he was commentating in duirng the PAK/WI series when asked about australia bowling attack in the future & he spoke highly of the same combination.

 

[aussie]

Bit premature, don't you think? That's like saying Tait will be the Australian spearhead or Johnson will be a test quality player or Watson will be Australia's best all-rounder since Keith Miller. Far too early to judge.

I agree though that Cullen is the best spin prospect we have currently.

One team I could see in round 3-4 years time:
Hussey
Jaques
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Gillespie
Lee
Cullen
Tait

Another is:
Hussey
Jaques
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Watson
White
Haddin
Lee
Tait
Johnson/Bird/Gillespie/Bracken/whoever

It's all up in the air really. The all-pace attack thing was just a thought, since it's been a while since Australia tried that.

well after Cullen great debut season i would agree but before White was the one everyone was talking about since his junior days, and going on tradition i feel he is more likely to become Australia's next big spinner. I hope he gets back bowling a lot more overs for Victoria pretty soon.

Looking at the sides you picked thier a guy like David Hussey could be looked at & not to sound harsh towards Haddin since i strongly believe when he gets his chance he can do well in test cricket, but if not Luke Ronchi comes into the equation.

Also another bowler who could come into the equation in 3-4 years in Paul Rofe, what ur verdict on him?

 

[luckyeddie]

Oh man. That almost looks like you wrote it to get the innuendo just right...

Yes, but I would have been far too polite to mention 'pull' and 'coming off' at the time.

I've done ball-by-ball (heh) commentary, but I assure you that wasn't me. Watch out for similar innuendo in 'Devil Ducky's Ashes' - I can guarantee it.

 

[marc71178]

well they've done it with success for the past decade

The past decade has had McGrath and Warne as 2 of the 4 with Gillespie as back-up...

There's not another McGrath or Warne on the horizon (thank god)

 

[marc71178]

i'm getting bored defending Watson f**k , that statement is stupid & he is by no means overrated.

He'll need to start proving it before long.

 

[aussie]

He'll need to start proving it before long.

well he is young, he has ample time in my view.

 

[chaminda_00]

The past decade has had McGrath and Warne as 2 of the 4 with Gillespie as back-up...

There's not another McGrath or Warne on the horizon (thank god)

Well i think point is they have used four bowlers for a while even back in the 80s and 70s. The last time from memory they used five bowlers often was when Davison and Richie were in the same side and before that it was when Miller played.

 

[social]

He'll need to start proving it before long.

Watson has just had the better part of a year off bowling and, as such, requires time to improve that discipline and refine his new action (he had multiple stress fractures and needed to completely overhaul his technique).

He's a fine batsman, good fieldsman, apparently has a work ethic second to none, and can bowl 85 mph + with a solid action.

At 24, that was more than could be said of a player called Flintoff who was little more than an extremely rough diamond at the same age.

IMO, he could be Aus most important player in the next decade and it would be of no surprise to see him captain the team in the future.

 

[chaminda_00]

Well he was VC under Clarke in the U19s and for Aus A so i would say Clarke's infront of him when it comes down to captaincy ATM

Also im not sure about the Flintoff one either cus from 21 to 24 he average 23.4 with the bat and 28.5 with the bowl in ODIs. Flintoff at the same age was probably a better bowler but Watson was a better batsmen. But if your just looking at Flintoff's Test performance at the same age, then it a bit unfair as Watson only played one test.

 

[social]

Well he was VC under Clarke in the U19s and for Aus A so i would say Clarke's infront of him when it comes down to captaincy ATM

Also im not sure about the Flintoff one either cus from 21 to 24 he average 23.4 with the bat and 28.5 with the bowl in ODIs. Flintoff at the same age was probably a better bowler but Watson was a better batsmen. But if your just looking at Flintoff's Test performance at the same age, then it a bit unfair as Watson only played one test.

Clarke is definitely the front-runner but everything in subject to future performances.

Flintoff, 4 years ago, as a bowler had no run-up to speak of and relied totally on strong shoulders and natural ability. He could probably have bowled at the same pace of 6 steps.

As a batsman, he was very much hit and miss.

In summary, incredibly raw.

 

[Shounak]

i'm getting bored defending Watson f**k , that statement is stupid & he is by no means overrated.

The statement's at least a third right. Have you seen his girlfriend. Any Aussies, she's in the June Ralph.

Thumbs up from me.

 

[tooextracool]

Isn't Watson Australia's only all rounder since Keith Miller?

there was one brendon julian, who rikki recently surpassed as the worst 'all rounder' to play test cricket.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

there was one brendon julian, who rikki recently surpassed as the worst 'all rounder' to play test cricket.

I'd say Julian was better than Agarkar, personally. Both of them are specialist bowlers anyway.

 

[tooextracool]

At 24, that was more than could be said of a player called Flintoff who was little more than an extremely rough diamond at the same age.

rikki clarke is a better player than what flintoff was at 24.
does that mean he'll amount to something?
plenty of players have been better than flintoff was at 24, it doesnt actually prove that much.