Shane Watson may give up bowling in wake of calf injury suffered against Sri Lanka at the MCG..
By Malcolm Conn Herald Sun December 29, 2012 6:31AM
Perennially injured all-rounder Shane Watson is considering giving up bowling in a desperate bid to revive his constantly stalling Test career.
Australias vice-captain has been ruled out of the third Test against Sri Lanka in Sydney with yet another calf strain.
Watson has been replaced by Victoria's off-spinning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, while Usman Khawaja is again on standby for Michael Clarke, who continues to feel his dodgy hamstring following Australias crushing innings and 201-run victory at the MCG on Friday.
Watson also missed the first two Tests of the summer against South Africa with a calf strain and all of the last Test summer with hamstring and calf problems.
"Its been frustrating," said Watson.
"Its been something thats been hanging around for the last six months, it was good after Hobart and leading into this Test it started to play up a little bit and unfortunately didnt hold together throughout this Test match.
"I am certainly doing some thinking about what my prospects are moving forward with my bowling especially.
"I have to sit down with the hierarchy and work out the best way to manage things so I can put some cricket together for a period of time.
"(I) especially want to get some continuity together with my batting.
"When you get injured it makes it difficult to build some momentum. It was nice to score some runs in this innings, but it means I am going to be out for a couple of weeks.
"At the moment I am trying to do the best job I can with bat and ball, but my batting is being affected in certain ways and obviously I cant stay on the park consistently and thats where we have to sit down and try to work through it."
Watson's second thoughts about his dual role will be news to his captain.
"Thats really decided by Watto," Clarke said.
"He wants to be an all-rounder.
"If youre an all-rounder, youve got to be able to bat and bowl. Unless that changes in his mind, it wont change in mine.
"We speak about it often. Were very lucky to have such a good player who can do both. He could be in the team as a bowler, he could be in the team as a batter."
Jackson Bird is likely to carry the drinks in Sydney despite a successful first Test, claiming two early wickets in each innings, making way for Mitchell Starc, who is a definite starter.
Promoting wicketkeeper Matthew Wade to No.6 in the batting order and playing Maxwell as the all-rounder is a bold gamble, but one worth taking.
It also means Clarke will move up to four, a position he should now consider filling permanently given his record-breaking year of phenomenal batting performances.
If Watson does make it back into the Test side for India and there is no room for him at the top of the order he should move down to No.6 and let Clarke keep the game moving at four, a position Clarke has struggled with in the past.
