Watson announces Test retirement
Calf injury leads to allrounder calling time on 59-match career in Baggy Green
Shane Watson has announced his retirement from Test cricket effective immediately after another injury setback cut short his ODI tour in the UK.
Watson called time on his career Test career today after he sustained a series-ending calf injury in yesterdays controversial 64-run ODI win over England at Lords.
The 34-year-old, who has repeatedly dealt with injury throughout his 10-year Test career, broke the news to his teammates at their London base this morning (Sunday).
"I've been through a lot of different waves of emotion about what is right for myself, my family and most importantly the team as well," Watson said.
"Over the last couple of days there was a lot of clarity (for me) of what the right decision was. I just know that I've given everything I possibly can to get the best out of myself."
Watson played 59 Tests for Australia, scoring 3,731 runs and taking 75 wickets.
The allrounder leaves Test cricket as a 20-13-14 Ashes winner, 2011 Test
player of the year and two-time Allan Border Medal winner.
Debuting at the SCG against Pakistan in January 2005, the strapping blond-haired 23-year-old scored 31 and captured the prize scalp of Younis Khan as his first Test wicket.
Watson, picked primarily for his batting prowess, was in and out of the side in his formative years but became a permanent fixture of the Test team from 2009 onwards when he replaced Phillip Hughes at the top of the order for the Third Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
It was in the opening spot that Watson found most success, scoring more than 2,000 runs against the new ball, averaging 42 and posting two of his four centuries.
Two Ashes centuries in 2013 rounded out a career in which his undoubted
talents were too often stymied by the ever-present threat of injury.
Regularly dropping in and out of the team with hamstring, calf and back injuries, Watson appeared in roughly half the Tests Australia took part in from his 2005 debut.
His most recent absence form the side came not due to injury but form, after twin lbw dismissals - his constant nemesis, particularly against England - and the outstanding form of natural replacement Mitchell Marsh led to selectors reconsidering his place in Australia's best XI following a first Ashes Test defeat in Cardiff.
That match, in which the right-hander made 30 and 19, proved to be his last in Baggy Green.
I am not exactly sure at the moment what my immediate future holds, Watson said following that first Test axing.
After the first Test I was very disappointed to miss out but in the end I only have myself to blame.
I have been very lucky and fortunate through my career to have plenty of opportunities and I just didnt score enough runs, its as simple as that.
In the (preceding two-Test series against the) West Indies and the first (Ashes) Test as well.
I am just disappointed in myself that I wasnt able to perform well enough to be a part of such an exciting Ashes series.
Ill just have to see what happens in the future.
