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

[doyen]

It's a terrible conversion rate and a reason why he shouldn't be batting in the top 3. How many digs did Miller have compared to Watson??? Miller was from all reports a great team player and batted for the team. Watson on the other hand os about the most selfish aussie cricketer i have ever seen. Their batting records aren't even remotely similar when you consider Miller bowled over 20 overs an innings most of his career while Watson never had anywhere near the worklaod.

I agree he should never have been batting in the top order.
I also agree with your assessment of him as a team player.
But he won't be dropped as Boof is happy to keep him;at this stage for his bowling & also in the hope of a match-winning batting display!!

 

[doyen]

:lol: you are kidding right?

Miller didn't bat in the top 3, Miller was a wonderful fast bowler not merely useful , Miller lost several years of sport to the war...

Miller was the Botham of his era

He obviously is not in the same league as Miller but his stats aren't all that bad in the batting dept in comparison to Miller;particularly as he's batted in the top order a fair bit.
Whether Miller lost time due to the war doesn't change the fact that these 2 players played about the same number of tests which provides some[maybe weak,I admit]platform for comparison!!
My aim wasn't to criticize Miller;it was only to agree somewhat with Boof's positive assessment of Watson.

I was lucky enough to watch Miller play in the flesh so I know how good & charismatic he was!

 

[Meapro Ham]

The Watson hate is strong...

I think the vast majority of you are letting your personal dislike of the guy override your judgement. Sure he doesn't get the huge scores nor bags of wickets but he is still a handy contributor and not likely to be dropped anytime soon.

Those of you criticising his bowling need to ignore the speed gun and pay attention to what's actually happening. He bowls a great length and hits the seam and beats the edge regularly and is hard to score off. When the likes of Starc were spaying them around in the last test Watson's tight bowling was invaluable. Sometimes you need to look beyond the speed gun and the wickets column. There is more to it than that.

And yeh it's getting harder to justify batting him at three but reality is there are probably no better options and unlikely the selectors will take a risk with someone else while the team is winning.

 

[umina panther]

Handy contributors don't belong in the Australian test team let alone in the top 3

 

[doyen]

Handy contributors don't belong in the Australian test team let alone in the top 3

He shouldn't be in the top 3---never should have been!

He should always have been nurtured as an all-rounder & batting down the list.This was always going to be his best role for the team.
Somehow or other he's been able to push his own cause to the team's, & his own detriment.
TBH,I've never been a big fan of Watson's;mainly due to his fragilities;both physical & mental.
But Boof is quite happy with him & it seems now that he'll return to his rightful posse down the order.
Unfortunately,he is a bit of a dummy spitter,I think.He just needs to accept a demotion in the batting order & prove that he can be a team player!!

 

[Twizzle]

You are the one stupidly saying he has to open. I have said right from the start he should bat 3 or 4. It is his natural position regardless of where he is batting for QLD.

oh please elaborate, I gotta hear this

 

[rickywalford1]

It's not as if they haven't tried other guys at 3 post Ricky. Plenty of others have been given a go at it. Pretty obvious they would love a better option to stand up.

 

[lockyno1]

oh please elaborate, I gotta hear this

Was a top to middle order bat all through his career up until his recent stunt as opener. Qld just have a lot of Middle order batsman (Khawaja, Forest, Lynn). Burns is the most flexible out of those.

 

[Twizzle]

In other words, like all good batsmen, he can bat anywhere.

Oozie has been an opener all his life btw, not a middle order batsman. He only dropped to no 3 when he played for NSW.

 

[JJ]

He obviously is not in the same league as Miller but his stats aren't all that bad in the batting dept in comparison to Miller;particularly as he's batted in the top order a fair bit.
Whether Miller lost time due to the war doesn't change the fact that these 2 players played about the same number of tests which provides some[maybe weak,I admit]platform for comparison!!
My aim wasn't to criticize Miller;it was only to agree somewhat with Boof's positive assessment of Watson.

I was lucky enough to watch Miller play in the flesh so I know how good & charismatic he was!

Well if you saw Miller you'd know... but seriously, the average is the only thing similar - Miller's bowling and # of wickets in a different league, and his centuries etc...

Watson is handy... if his delusions of grandeur hadn't got in the way, I think he's have been much better off as a aggressive bat at #6 ish. In the Botham, Gilchrist, Kapil, Miller and others mould - for some reason Australia (or Watson, actually) thought he could be a Kallis clone - his technique and ability simply aren't up to it, and Kallis was just a remarkable cricketer

Watson's shorter form batting shows that when he just plays assertively he's a better player - his ordinary technique is exposed at the top of the order in tests - lower down, playing shots he'd get away with more imo

 

[The Charlatan]

Watson is anything but handy at the moment. He holds up an end when bowling (under duress,) and he's a walking wicket.

 

[JJ]

Watson is anything but handy at the moment. He holds up an end when bowling (under duress,) and he's a walking wicket.

Has Warne raved on about Watson's body language? Perhaps that's the key

 

[rickywalford1]

Other than media statements from Watson indicating his preference to batting at the top, is there any credible evidence that he actually makes that decision ? Because I look at Boof Lehmann and the way he appears to run the show, and i can't help but think the concept is a little far fetched. Hater myth or have I missed something ?

 

[doyen]

Other than media statements from Watson indicating his preference to batting at the top, is there any credible evidence that he actually makes that decision ? Because I look at Boof Lehmann and the way he appears to run the show, and i can't help but think the concept is a little far fetched. Hater myth or have I missed something ?

Watson has become an influential part of the team.At one time his name was being mentioned for the captaincy.
His main problem,over a very long time has been his injury proneness which curtailed his progress as an all-rounder.Ponting saw him as an all-rounder batting at No.6 but with all his injuries[eg.shoulder,hamstring];HE decided he wanted to drop his bowling so as to bat higher in the order--which is exactly what happened!
IMO,he doesn't have the mental fortitude for an opener or No.3.


With his failures in these positions the pressure mounted on him, & he has,in the main,been unable to consistently cope.
He would be far better in the lower order where mostly he would be[hopefully]monstering weary attacks.
His bowling is useful due to his knack of tying up an end which benefits the strike-bowlers!!
As a matter of interest;Watson is the highest paid player outside of India in the IPL---he earned approx.$6 million in 2012-13.There is quite a lot of respect for his ability $$$wise in world cricket--I take it that one earns such monetary respect!!

 

[rickywalford1]

I get what he wants to do, but if Lehmann didn't think that was the best option for the team, is it not logical that he doesn't let it happen. People really think Watsons influence extends to dictating terms to Boof ? Surely that's in the ridiculous basket.

 

[JJ]

Dictating is a strong word... Lehmann has to take many things into account, Watson's ego is one of them...

Until Marsh re-entered the team, there was nobody else really - Clarke was reluctant to move to 4, and Smith should be left to do what he's doing... Now with Marsh, it's a case of two poor options or a debutant... I'd bat Marsh there and the newbie at 5, and look for more bowling from Watson and for him to be aggressive at 6 - but I suspect he'll stay at 3

 

[doyen]

I get what he wants to do, but if Lehmann didn't think that was the best option for the team, is it not logical that he doesn't let it happen. People really think Watsons influence extends to dictating terms to Boof ? Surely that's in the ridiculous basket.

I think his days of influence are over----he is still in Boof's favour though;but you're right,I don't think anyone would stand over Boof----maybe Shane's paying him in $$$$$ to hold his posse--he's a very rich man!!

 

[doyen]

Dictating is a strong word... Lehmann has to take many things into account, Watson's ego is one of them...

Until Marsh re-entered the team, there was nobody else really - Clarke was reluctant to move to 4, and Smith should be left to do what he's doing... Now with Marsh, it's a case of two poor options or a debutant... I'd bat Marsh there and the newbie at 5, and look for more bowling from Watson and for him to be aggressive at 6 - but I suspect he'll stay at 3

If he stays at No.3 & he fails again it will give the selectors the ammo they need to give him the spear.
I would have thought someone like Faulkner would be a better option for the team than Watson anyway.Faulkner certainly knows how to monster the bowling!!Also,as a left-arm bowler he adds variety to the attack.Faulkner is a genuine all-rounder & very much a team-man---unlike Watson with his giant ego!!

 

[rickywalford1]

Dictating is a strong word... Lehmann has to take many things into account, Watson's ego is one of them...

Until Marsh re-entered the team, there was nobody else really - Clarke was reluctant to move to 4, and Smith should be left to do what he's doing... Now with Marsh, it's a case of two poor options or a debutant... I'd bat Marsh there and the newbie at 5, and look for more bowling from Watson and for him to be aggressive at 6 - but I suspect he'll stay at 3

Ok. Pandering to Watson's ego to the detriment of what Boof thinks is best for the team ? Still don't see it. That's a fast track to internal chaos. He has to be smarter than that.

 

[JJ]

Ok. Pandering to Watson's ego to the detriment of what Boof thinks is best for the team ? Still don't see it. That's a fast track to internal chaos. He has to be smarter than that.

No, not what I said - balancing all the egos in the team, it just so happens that up till now that results in Watson at 3 - now with just 1 all rounder, and two options for #3 a different decision might be arrived at - perhaps, we'll see - if he gets bumped down the order, it will be interesting to see how Watson responds