Shane "LBW" Watson has been given more than enough chances to prove his worth: first as an all-rounder, then being promoted to opening batsman in place of Phil Hughes when he was recalled during the 2009 Ashes, then at number 3, then at number 4, and now back at number 6 as an 'all-rounder', and unfortunately he simply hasn't produced the goods with the ball and has only produced the goods with the bat when there's been no pressure for him to perform (e.g. dead rubber test at The Oval in 2013), or in conditions where the ball isn't doing much in the air or off the pitch (a.k.a flat-track bully).
As someone else wrote here at the start of the Ashes, people often forget why Watson was selected in the test team in the first place back in 2005: to be an all-rounder 3rd fast bowling option which allowed Australia to play Warne and MacGill together. This became the selectors strategy after our 2005 Ashes loss, with the success England had with Flintoff as an all-rounder, the Aussie selectors thought Watson was Australia's answer to Flintoff. People also forget how quick Watson was with the ball, bowling in the mid-140's (I remember him regularly clocking 146-47km/h during the Super Series vs World XI) but after he dislocated his shoulder in his 3rd test, the opening test of the 2005/06 summer vs West Indies, he was never the same bowler, became a total plodder with the ball at test level (although his style of bowling was still useful in ODIs) and his speed dropped down to the low 130's. Subsequently, having nothing much to offer with the ball at test level, he tried to transform himself from an bowling all-rounder at #6 to a top-order batsmen as opener/#3/#4 and the transition hasn't paid dividends, other than, as I said, performing in situations where the series result was already decided and he could swing the bat with gay abandon, or on flat tracks with little to no movement nor pace off the pitch.
Funnily enough, he has actually been around for quite a long time in the ODI format: since the 2002 tour of South Africa. So, he's been around for more than 13 years at international level. I remember he replaced Steve Waugh in the middle order, who - along with Mark Waugh - were made the scapegoats of Australia failing to make the 2001/02 tri-series finals and were permanently dropped from the ODI side. That, along with Mike Hussey being excluded from the ODI series after his final test match, is one of the worst decisions the Aussie selectors have ever made.
Nice post, i really remember this period, watson was the next big thing but bowling wise neve lived yp to the hype. It was never that he was a great batsman and he should never ever of batted higher than 6 but he could bowl. Sadly with injurys it just became pathetic, but thats something that sticks in my mind alot with the aussies since the invincible days is our key players seem to get injured so reguarly whether it be a key batsman ie clarke at certain periods or to the detriment of out bowler, oviously say harris with his repetitove injuries or up and comers like pattinson or cummins, can you imagine if mcgrath or warne had of been injured as much as these guys, we may have misses that great era completeley. Anyway everyone seems to have the answer to the perfect aussie team at the moment so here's mine anyway, flame at will guys!!!!
1.warner, done enough to warrant a chance at least
2.kawaja, give him 10 tests straight no matter what, may not be good enough lets find out
3.burns, did enough to warrant the opertunity
4.smith, easy
5.lynn, hard choice i always compare 5 to steve waugh and to be honest not 1 batsman in world right now compares to how good he was, not so much in skill but in passion. Always like m.waugh better but always steve if it was for your life.
6.callum ferguson, more of a feeling than anything else, just has a swagger to him, i wanted him in, in the 2009 series cause for me just has that mike hussey salvage the innings or completety brake the opponent feeling to me
7.paine, just pick him and stay qith him ffs
8.johnson, for now keeps his place but does seem to be losing pace
9.hazlewood, keeps his place, just
10.bird, accurate let johnson do his thing
11.lyon, but only just. Really could just pick maxwell and be done with it, our spin stocks are just completely f**ked.
So thats my team, looking at it now looks a little much but i fel our spin stocks are totally f**ked so good luck there, fast bowlers well pick the most accurate and 1 gun wicket taker, could be johnson, starc, pattinson or cummins
Wicket keeper, well good luck there all about the same
Batsman, well who knows, only one i feel is a personal choice is ferguson and thats because i had a personal choice in wanting hussey in the twam in 2005 cause of his odi form and he ended up bwing great, i have always fwlt ferguson no matter what current form would be great for the aussiesand probably one of my first picks but i'll admit not really justified just a gut feeling.
As you can see no allrounder cause i believe your better of picking a bowler who you believe can avg under 25 or a batsman who can avg over 45 and go with that. Flintoff had a couple of good series against us but that was it was really a medocre player and it is just become a really weird thing with the aussie team wanting to replicate it.
Anyway just my thoughts, flame at will
