MELBOURNE 3rd Test: Australia v India on Dec 26-30, 2014

[Twizzle]

You need to consider the fact that Watson bowling at the Gabba is akin to Lyon bowling at Adelaide Oval.

Bring Watson on at the MCG and he's batting fodder once again.

 

[The Charlatan]

If he is just edging 35 and can't take wickets at 30 or less he's not really an all-rounder. He's just a bloke who takes the odd wicket and makes sub-par scores.

He's been especially shit lately. Holding up one end under duress in Brisbane hasn't done anything to change my mind that he needs to go. Since the 2013 English Ashes he's taken 8 wickets in 13 Tests at 53.2. He's also scored 900 runs from 26 innings @ 36 (1 n.o.)

Slightly improved with the bat, but far from a #3. Absolute shit with the ball and no justification for him being there as either an all-rounder or as a specialist bat. It defies logic.

 

[The Charlatan]

Possibly. They were/are fixated lon an all rounder.
Not a fan of the Khawaja bleeding heart story. The guy didn't perform, reportedly sooked about it, and consequently didn't perform domestically when he got dropped. Unlucky champ. In saying that, I feel a bit sorry for him now. Started performing again and it sounds like the knee injury cost him another crack at it.

I agree he didn't take his chances. Just making the comparison that he was actually performing marginally better than Watson with the bat and still didn't get the leniency afforded to Watson, and I don't believe averaging 37 with the ball and under 25 with the bat constitutes a great performance from an all-rounder.

 

[rickywalford1]

Gone as an all rounder. Not sustainable for anything other than the occasional test or two when a bowler drops. Body can't cope. Thats proven.
On the verge of being gone as a batsmen. Just don't think now is the time. Mid series, Clarke gone, new captain, no one standing out as a replacement. For me, he has two more tests to show he can cut it at 3. If he doesn't, he gets cut and they go down a new path next series.

 

[The Charlatan]

Series drawn at worst, blood someone in preparation for England.

The merkin is broken down, has no ticker and is not performing. Just f**k him off and be done with it.

 

[rickywalford1]

I want to win. f**k the drawn series. You can't dump 3 newby bats on Smith. The guy has enough going on as it is.

 

[Spot On]

Watson at 6 and bowl him till he breaks then never pick him again.

This. He's obviously not a test batsmen (at the top of the order) but bowls well enough if he doesn't break down.

He and Haddin are surely playing in their second last test series, hopefully.

 

[The Charlatan]

I want to win. f**k the drawn series. You can't dump 3 newby bats on Smith. The guy has enough going on as it is.

This is a mickey mouse series compared to the Ashes. I want to see Captain Smith (pending Clarke not being able to make it,) demolish the Poms 5-0 on their own turf. Wazn is not the difference between winning and drawing the series.

Watson is performing no better than a "new bat," what harm will it do? The new guy will come in and score anywhere between 0-25 and he's performed no worse than Wazn.

 

[rickywalford1]

Not for me. I'm focussed on beating India 4-0. We can prepare for the ashes while smashing the West Indies.
It's having to babysit another newby in his first test, it's finding a first slip, it's losing more experience to lean on, it's not having the bowling option now Marsh is out. Its unnecessary. The haters can cope with two more tests of Watson.

 

[The Charlatan]

That's if the Board of Cricket Corruption in India hasn't bankrupt West Indian cricket by then.

 

[madunit]

I remember someone else saying that...pretty sure it was that last keeper that retired from England. At 37 Haddin's reflexes are gone, his batting won't improve. However, Sam Whiteman who is seen as the next test keeper is 12 months away...so the question is can we cop Haddin being a hack with the bat for 6-12 months. Then have Sam Whiteman next year at the GABBA. Possibly. Or do we go for a Chris Hartley 12 month option, won't let you down, better keeper, same runs, has experience too.

Given our tail is pretty handy with the bat, we are able to accommodate Haddin for a few more months yet.

 

[Rabbits20]

I remember someone else saying that...pretty sure it was that last keeper that retired from England. At 37 Haddin's reflexes are gone, his batting won't improve. However, Sam Whiteman who is seen as the next test keeper is 12 months away...so the question is can we cop Haddin being a hack with the bat for 6-12 months. Then have Sam Whiteman next year at the GABBA. Possibly. Or do we go for a Chris Hartley 12 month option, won't let you down, better keeper, same runs, has experience too.

Haddin is the best keeper.

Hartley isn't a better wicket keeper.

Whiteman needs 2 years more development he's not ready and won't be in 12 months.

Haddin's batting could improve you can't say it won't.

We need Haddin to start making more 30s. Not getting out for 10 or under.

 

[Rabbits20]

He could easily be worse than Watson. Just like Khawaja at 3 was worse than Watson, Hughes at 3 was worse than Watson, Marsh at 3 was worse than Watson and Doolan at 3 was worse than Watson. We've seen plenty of young 3's being worse than Watson.

Fully agree with that mate.

 

[Rabbits20]

If he is just edging 35 and can't take wickets at 30 or less he's not really an all-rounder. He's just a bloke who takes the odd wicket and makes sub-par scores.

He's been especially shit lately. Holding up one end under duress in Brisbane hasn't done anything to change my mind that he needs to go. Since the 2013 English Ashes he's taken 8 wickets in 13 Tests at 53.2. He's also scored 900 runs from 26 innings @ 36 (1 n.o.)

Slightly improved with the bat, but far from a #3. Absolute shit with the ball and no justification for him being there as either an all-rounder or as a specialist bat. It defies logic.

The team has many issues and question marks at the moment not just Watson.

Our domestic cricket depth isn't that great with anyone really putting their hand up as the next superstar.

 

[Rabbits20]

Series drawn at worst, blood someone in preparation for England.

The merkin is broken down, has no ticker and is not performing. Just f**k him off and be done with it.

You know that wont happen yet.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Watson at 6 wouldn't make sense,he averages even worse batting in the lower order and also Watson doesn't take wickets,its all good and well to say he swings it and bowls tight but he doesn't take wickets which is what bowlers/all-rounders are meant to do.

 

[Pete Cash]

I think our batting is too flimsy to carry an allrounder fullstop. Its just the selectors are obsessed with the concept. Mitch Johnson is the ideal allrounder to me a bowler who can bat a bit..

 

[doyen]

Joe Burns can't really be classed as an all-rounder.From what I have researched he has only bowled 6 balls in 1st class cricket.
He may well be a fair bowler but he certainly lacks experience at the top level in this area.
And Test cricket is a further step up!
Watson just needs to be content with his lot down the order & forget his big-headed ambition of being a No.3.
His job is to put together some handy runs & stick around with the tail & also just keep tying up an end with his tight bowling.His economical bowling is a frustration to the opposition & probably gets wickets for the other bowlers.

 

[Rabbits20]

Joe Burns can't really be classed as an all-rounder.From what I have researched he has only bowled 6 balls in 1st class cricket.
He may well be a fair bowler but he certainly lacks experience at the top level in this area.
And Test cricket is a further step up!
Watson just needs to be content with his lot down the order & forget his big-headed ambition of being a No.3.
His job is to put together some handy runs & stick around with the tail & also just keep tying up an end with his tight bowling.His economical bowling is a frustration to the opposition & probably gets wickets for the other bowlers.

Joe Burns won't bowl Doyen. The selectors want to see if he can handle test cricket batting somewhere in top 6.

With M. Marsh out selectors will expect Watson to bowl more. But Watson is likely to come down with another injury.

 

[The Charlatan]

I think our batting is too flimsy to carry an allrounder fullstop. Its just the selectors are obsessed with the concept. Mitch Johnson is the ideal allrounder to me a bowler who can bat a bit..

Johnson is handy in the sense that he always seems to fire when the team needs it. Has a tendency to throw his wicket away when we're comfortable. Is likely to turn it on in pressure cooker situation though.