Shane Watson in the IPL ....

Henry wrote:

JGK wrote:T20 - the game where Shane Watson, Ian Harvey and James Hopes excel.

Says it all really.

Even Watson cynics would admit that he has more talent than the other two you mentioned. If he wants to play test cricket for Australia, he needs to make a lot of first class runs, and aim for a place in the top six as a Kallis type of player who'll bowl maybe 10 overs a day. Unlikely....

Why is this unlikely? The Australian selectors have already shown that they are interested in him.

FWIW, I have long said that Watto has the makings for a good test player but I have been burnt often with his constant injury problems.

I think there are stronger candidates to bat in the top six, and his bowling aint much in the longer form of the game. Anyway, why are we bothering to debate him? He'll be injured again in about 2 months anyway.......

We are debating him because he seems to have found his niche in T20 where he only has to bowl 4 overs and face a max of 50 balls in a match.

Henry wrote:I think there are stronger candidates to bat in the top six, and his bowling aint much in the longer form of the game. Anyway, why are we bothering to debate him? He'll be injured again in about 2 months anyway.......

that's the real problem with him.

In the last two matches he didn't look in the greatest shape. I could trace a slight grimace on his face when he was walking,
it seemed there was something amiss with his hamstring.

he gets away in T20 becaus it's very short. In the longer formats he will struggle due to persistent injuries.

Outside the test XI, I would think only Katich & David Hussey should be ahead of him in the pecking order for a middle order spot, although it appears Hodge is probably also above him at the moment.

WideWally wrote:Outside the test XI, I would think only Katich & David Hussey should be ahead of him in the pecking order for a middle order spot, although it appears Hodge is probably also above him at the moment.

I'd say Marsh and Voges (Who for some reason they seem to rate highly) are ahead of him as well.

...and maybe Voges

Until last year, Marsh had been an underachiever. He had a career Pura Cup average of 31.13 at the start of 2007/08. He performed well during the season but needs to repeat that in 2008/09 to be rated above Watson.

It all underlines our enviable depth of talent. It's disproportionate to our population etc.

Red wrote:It all underlines our enviable depth of talent. It's disproportionate to our population etc.

Australia's depths of talent now are nothing like what they were 10-12 years ago, when you had guys like Langer, Hayden, Bevan, Lehmann, Law, and Martyn who couldn't get into the Aussie side.

Henry wrote:

Red wrote:It all underlines our enviable depth of talent. It's disproportionate to our population etc.

Australia's depths of talent now are nothing like what they were 10-12 years ago, when you had guys like Langer, Hayden, Bevan, Lehmann, Law, and Martyn who couldn't get into the Aussie side.

Yes Trev.

PearlJ wrote:

Henry wrote:

Red wrote:It all underlines our enviable depth of talent. It's disproportionate to our population etc.

Australia's depths of talent now are nothing like what they were 10-12 years ago, when you had guys like Langer, Hayden, Bevan, Lehmann, Law, and Martyn who couldn't get into the Aussie side.

Yes Trev.

But Hayden was ordinary in his first carnation, so didn't always deserve selection, likewise Langer. Both of these guys improved dramatically in the second coming. Bevan was too inept against the short ball to command a regular place in tests. But atm we have the likes of Marsh, Pomers, Watson, Voges, Hodge, David Hussey, Hopes, Ronchi, Hilfenhaus, Katich, Tait, White, et al knocking at the door. Certainly many of these would find places at many of our inferior rivals.

Marsh, Pomers, Watson, Voges, Hodge, David Hussey, Hopes, Ronchi, Hilfenhaus, Katich, Tait, White, et al knocking at the door

I'd say out of that lot Marsh, Pomersbach, D.Hussey and Hilfenhaus have a chance to do well at test level.

Hodge is old and crap, Voges is nothing special, Watson gets injured too often to be considered, Hopes is a bits and pieces player who isn't good enough with bat or ball for test cricket, Ronchi is a front foot slogger with a poor technique, Katich struggles against high class fast bowling, Tait is a wild maverick who has no idea where the ball is going, and White is a slogger with a pretty poor defensive technique.

Henry wrote:

Marsh, Pomers, Watson, Voges, Hodge, David Hussey, Hopes, Ronchi, Hilfenhaus, Katich, Tait, White, et al knocking at the door

I'd say out of that lot Marsh, Pomersbach, D.Hussey and Hilfenhaus have a chance to do well at test level.

Hodge is old and crap, Voges is nothing special, Watson gets injured too often to be considered, Hopes is a bits and pieces player who isn't good enough with bat or ball for test cricket, Ronchi is a front foot slogger with a poor technique, Katich struggles against high class fast bowling, Tait is a wild maverick who has no idea where the ball is going, and White is a slogger with a pretty poor defensive technique.

Whitey is god.

Maybe he shouldn't be playing cricket then?

Henry wrote:Maybe he shouldn't be playing cricket then?

He decided to grace our great game. And we should be grateful to him.

PearlJ wrote:

Henry wrote:

Red wrote:It all underlines our enviable depth of talent. It's disproportionate to our population etc.

Australia's depths of talent now are nothing like what they were 10-12 years ago, when you had guys like Langer, Hayden, Bevan, Lehmann, Law, and Martyn who couldn't get into the Aussie side.

Yes Trev.

but we fielded players who were barely up to test standard in those days

taipan wrote:

Mick Sawyer wrote:I'm rapt for Watson.

:!:

taips, it's the old story. I saw quite a bit of him playing as a teenager, was mightily impressed then & continue to hold strong hopes that his career & FC level can leap forward.

This tournament is the first occasion in senior career where he has consistently demonstrated his capabilities.

I note comments from JGK & others about Watson, Hopes etc and they are right in that this is exhibition cricket. Watson has done nothing really apart from upping his asking price for the next IPL.

I'm just rapt that he has been able to play without an injury incident & to prove himself able to shine where others of superior reputation have not been able to put up.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

taipan wrote:

Mick Sawyer wrote:I'm rapt for Watson.

:!:

taips, it's the old story. I saw quite a bit of him playing as a teenager, was mightily impressed then & continue to hold strong hopes that his career & FC level can leap forward.

This tournament is the first occasion in senior career where he has consistently demonstrated his capabilities.

I note comments from JGK & others about Watson, Hopes etc and they are right in that this is exhibition cricket. Watson has done nothing really apart from upping his asking price for the next IPL.

I'm just rapt that he has been able to play without an injury incident & to prove himself able to shine where others of superior reputation have not been able to put up.

Fark, I find myself in agreement with Mick. Watto can be a solid performer for Aus if he gets his fitness right . . .

Watto can be a solid performer for Aus if he gets his fitness right

yeah! No question that he has it. The question for him is whether has has what it takes to unlock his talents in the FC game.

It's also interesting to me that good technique has (largely) outshone blind hacking in the IPL. T20 is going going to about for a while yet. I'm going to enjoy watching it evolve and develop as we've witnessed with 50 over cricket.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

Watto can be a solid performer for Aus if he gets his fitness right

yeah! No question that he has it. The question for him is whether has has what it takes to unlock his talents in the FC game.

It's also interesting to me that good technique has (largely) outshone blind hacking in the IPL. T20 is going going to about for a while yet. I'm going to enjoy watching it evolve and develop as we've witnessed with 50 over cricket.

You've enjoyed watching 50-over cricket evolve?

PearlJ wrote:Whitey is god.

Sage. Are you sure you're not me?

You've enjoyed watching 50-over cricket evolve

Yeah, I did, but thirty seven years later it bores me numb.

tac, any limited overs format is a contrivance (sp?). It is a manufactured moneyspinner that is the cricket equivalent of junk food & my body is screaming enough of 50 over supersizing, if you know what I mean.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

You've enjoyed watching 50-over cricket evolve

Yeah, I did, but thirty seven years later it bores me numb.

tac, any limited overs format is a contrivance (sp?). It is a manufactured moneyspinner that is the cricket equivalent of junk food & my body is screaming enough of 50 over supersizing, if you know what I mean.

Mick, I know what you mean . . . I don't get excited by 50-over games, but even less so by T20 . . . which seems to me to have the same unrealistic appeal as Stickcricket . . .