He is, but in reality not that useful as a fourth pace bowler because he doesn't bowl many overs on flat decks - 7 in Adelaide and 22 in Melbourne - so not taking much pressure off your main bowlers, and consistently we hear how tired they are getting.
That aside, he's played 55 tests and taken 71 wickets - as an "all-rounder" that's more comparable with Jeremy Coney or Nathan Astle than Chris Cairns or Andrew Flintoff
As another aside, Jake Oram who was affected much more severely by injuries, played just 33 tests, managed 5 centuries and 60 wickets - and never suggested he should bat in the top 3.
Unfortunately Watson has been living of "potential" for a long while
Im pretty sure he averaged over 50 (or very high 40s) in Shield cricket when he first got the Australian gig (Locky can confirm). So he definitely deserved a crack in the top 3, unlike Jake Oram (though now when all is said and done, their test stats are errily similar).
Injuries, in and out of the side didnt help, but the selectors kept the faith. Had a purple patch around 2009-2010 I think, where he and Katich saved our bacons many times. Then we decided to get rid of Katich, and almost at the same time Watson went back to his bad old ways.
It is what it is
Ive said it before, I hope the bloke scores big in this test, and carves the poms a new one in the ashes. But the odds aint with me, not even in the same universe
