4th Test Australia v England - MCG

[1eyedog]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Considering England lost 5/6 in their second innings, I couldn't call it junk time.

Exactly, also that outside this series we've been horrible all season. I had no confidence of chasing down 231 on an uneven two-paced track.

[mighty_west]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Good to see Alex Doolan being called up for the squad for Syndey, hopefully gets in ahead of Watson.

[mighty_west]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Exactly. I've seen Australia crumble so many times chasing small totals that Watson's innings can't be dismissed as junk time runs. Rogers' innings was brilliant and laid the foundation, but Watson gave him fantastic support.

Which is what made Rogers innings so great and how important a player to have up the order who values his innings like no other.

[Remi Moses]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Wow!
Fantastic performance and hearing the Barmy Army singing 4 3 and listening to boycott makes it more enjoyable .Thought it was wrong at the time to send England in, but in hindsight wonderful choice.
There has been scores run down in shield games at the G.

[1eyedog]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Not really. It was a good knock but he has the same problems of shot selection and concentration which he won't rectify. I think the pitch was very batting friendly despite some of the low scores.

I look at the way he went out in the first innings and still think he is wasting his talent.

He just needs to play every test match like a one day game and in this he needs to bat at 6. His ODI average with bat and ball outstrip his test averages which is pretty unique.

[1eyedog]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Not really. It was a good knock but he has the same problems of shot selection and concentration which he won't rectify. I think the pitch was very batting friendly despite some of the low scores.

I look at the way he went out in the first innings and still think he is wasting his talent.

He just needs to play every test match like a one day game and in this he needs to bat at 6. His ODI average with bat and ball outstrip his test averages which is pretty unique. He's batted out of position for way too long, he's clearly an all-rounder as opposed to a top order batsman.

[GVGjr]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

He just needs to play every test match like a one day game and in this he needs to bat at 6. His ODI average with bat and ball outstrip his test averages which is pretty unique.

His best scores have been in the 2nd innings of the last two tests where the pitch was at it's flattest.
I still don't buy him as a number 6 because he can't work the ones and two's like a good number 6 should. Perhaps I'm expecting to find another Hussey.

[1eyedog]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

His best scores have been in the 2nd innings of the last two tests where the pitch was at it's flattest.
I still don't buy him as a number 6 because he can't work the ones and two's like a good number 6 should. Perhaps I'm expecting to find another Hussey.

Is it just that you aren't set on an all-rounder? You seem to want more Bevan than Watson or at least a designated batsman at 6.
Watson's numbers are pretty good for an all-rounder who has batted at the top of the order for a good number of his 50 matches. Working ones and twos requires a particularly good technique and most all-rounders don't have this type of refinement. Watson is a defend or try to hit 4s batsman, as was Flintoff, O'Donnell, Moody, Botham even Shaun Pollock. As far as all-rounders go Watson is bloody good.

[azabob]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Good to see Alex Doolan being called up for the squad for Syndey, hopefully gets in ahead of Watson.

Why does Watson deserve to be dropped? Can Doolan bowl as the fifth bowler?

[GVGjr]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Why does Watson deserve to be dropped? Can Doolan bowl as the fifth bowler?

Actually the selectors have said if Watson can't bowl he won't be selected.
Do we need a 5th bowler? Smith can bowl a few overs if required.

[GVGjr]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Is it just that you aren't set on an all-rounder? You seem to want more Bevan than Watson or at least a designated batsman at 6.
Watson's numbers are pretty good for an all-rounder who has batted at the top of the order for a good number of his 50 matches. Working ones and twos requires a particularly good technique and most all-rounders don't have this type of refinement. Watson is a defend or try to hit 4s batsman, as was Flintoff, O'Donnell, Moody, Botham even Shaun Pollock. As far as all-rounders go Watson is bloody good.

I'd prefer to have an all-rounder but in 2013 Watson played a number of tests where he didn't bowl any way. The way our 4 strike bowlers have performed we really only need someone to get through a 5 over spell as a 5th bowling option.

I don't share your enthusiasm for Watson being a genuine all-rounder. Botham, Flintoff and Pollock were stronger bowlers than batsman Moody was a part time bowler like O'Donnell he was more of a one day cricketer.
The comparison that should be made is with Kallis who has performed consistently with the bat and been more than a handful with the ball. Watson has the potential to have a test average of over 45 with the bat but is a long way short of that.

Watson has a batting average of just 35 which is on the decline. I expect a better all round batsman at number 6 who can work with the tail and control the game with singles and boundaries not just a slogger.

He is also 32 and has a tendency to give his wicket away with poor shot selections. Despite two good performances in the 2nd innings of tests he has had a number of decent starts in this series that he failed to go on with. More often than not Watson's shot selection or concentration or technique has led to his dismissal. He hasn't been the victim of great deliveries or poor umpiring decisions.

I expect more from him and just feel that he is being selected because he can potentially bowl rather than what he is actually doing. It's great if you have someone who can average 45 with the bat and can contribute with the ball but he hasn't really done that. If he was 7 years younger I'd be banking on improvement through experience but at 32 and more than 50 tests behind him I don't think he is measuring up.

[azabob]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Actually the selectors have said if Watson can't bowl he won't be selected.
Do we need a 5th bowler? Smith can bowl a few overs if required.

I agree if Watson cannot bowl he shouldn't be selected. I think the fifth bowler is important to help with the rotations.

[boydogs]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

If he was 7 years younger I'd be banking on improvement through experience but at 32 and more than 50 tests behind him I don't think he is measuring up.

All that could have been said before this series started. I can't see them dropping him now after making runs in the last 2 tests.

[Bornadog]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

I agree if Watson cannot bowl he shouldn't be selected. I think the fifth bowler is important to help with the rotations.

He is not playing an all rounder role in this series as he hasn't bowled much. He is playing one of the toughest batting positions at three and has knocked up a 51, 103 and 83 at an average of 41

[Happy Days]

Re: 4th Test Australia v England - MCG

Why does Watson deserve to be dropped? Can Doolan bowl as the fifth bowler?

Doolan has never bowled in 53 FC matches. Then again Clarke tried to make Quiney a legitimate bowling option so who knows.

Hughes is stiff here. He's made a stack of runs and it's not like Doolan beat the door down.