Watson to replace mike hussey

[pasag]

Broke a rib laughing at this thread.

[ripper868]

Cried over spilt milk

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Cried over spilt milk

Ruptured tear duct, tbh.

[FaaipDeOiad]

I'm all for Watson being in the team if he's fully fit and capable of bowling, which he isn't, but I can't see Hussey being dropped.

[brockley]

Watson was bowling today.
This was media talk a few days ago after husseys failure,i wouldn't be surprised if watson is added to the lords squad,but hussey given the benefit of the doubt.
but if hussey fails 2nd test maybe watson the man,clarke at 4 north 5 watson 6.

[Jakester1288]

Originally Posted by brockley

Watson was bowling today.
This was media talk a few days ago after husseys failure,i wouldn't be surprised if watson is added to the lords squad,but hussey given the benefit of the doubt.
but if hussey fails 2nd test maybe watson the man,clarke at 4 north 5 watson 6.

How do you reckon Watson would perform at 4 out of interest? Clarke isn't the best against a swinging ball, whilst Watson has batted at 4 and opened for the Bulls as well as batting 1-9 for Australia in ODI's, averaging 219 facing the first ball, 41.30 opening from the non strikers end, and has never been dismissed battin at 4 (in 2 innings, including a 77*). In Tests, he has only batted 6 and 7, and performed poorly at both.

Is there anywhere where you can gather similar statistics for his First Class matches?

[Top_Cat]

I doubt there's much chance of Hussey being dropped this series. You back quality players to come good and with just about everyone getting a score last Test, the selectors would be suggesting it's a matter of time and the team can carry him for a little while. Sorry for Watto but there's probably no way into a top-6 Test spot any time soon.

[frey]

Originally Posted by brockley

Watson was bowling today.
This was media talk a few days ago after husseys failure,i wouldn't be surprised if watson is added to the lords squad,but hussey given the benefit of the doubt.
but if hussey fails 2nd test maybe watson the man,clarke at 4 north 5 watson 6.

I was originally surprised to see Watson left out of the First Test eleven. However, I feel that Mr Cricket is safe for the full series. Although he failed in one innings, he had a good game in the warm up match. I would, however, like to see Stuart Clarke selected for the next game.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Originally Posted by frey

I was originally surprised to see Watson left out of the First Test eleven.

He was injured.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

inb4 Corey makes a woefully unfunny joke.

[howardj]

One half century in his last 13 Tests.

Mr Cricket must produce at Lords, or off with his head.

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by dontcloseyoureyes

inb4 Corey makes a woefully unfunny joke.

Only doing it to cover my own failures, tbh.

[Andre]

Agreed.

I don't think the selectors will want to carry Hussey and North in the same side for too long once Watson is fit. The potential Watson offers is boundless (I think Cardiff shows we probably can't afford to take only 4 bowlers into a Test in the post Warne/McGrath era) and they'd want to get him in the side, at least for the first session of nominated Test match before he pulls a heartlidge or some other 'soft tissue' injury. North and Hussey both do a similar 'hold together' job in the middle order. Clarke also should be batting 4 ahead of Hussey - can't quite fathom that he isn't already, but I guess it is a show of faith in Hussey more than anything.

I have been of the opinion though that Hussey is on the way out of Test cricket. Not sure if he can still bat for a day at that level, him getting hit quite a few times during the Aussie summer also to me suggests that his reflexes are starting to slow, and as harder worker as he is, I'm not convinced he has the natural talent base to fall back on like a lot of other players have in the twiglight of their career.

Can't see him miss out at Lord's but without a big score he is in borrowed time.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

I doubt there's much chance of Hussey being dropped this series. You back quality players to come good and with just about everyone getting a score last Test, the selectors would be suggesting it's a matter of time and the team can carry him for a little while.

This. England would be delighted if Hussey got the chop. He's a player who has really hot streaks and given the solidity of the batting around him, Australia can afford to hang on until that hot streak starts.

[pup11]

Originally Posted by howardj

One half century in his last 13 Tests.

Mr Cricket must produce at Lords, or off with his head.

I'm not sure about that mate, scored 90 odd in the last test in India, then scored a 70 odd against the Black Caps at Adelaide, and even scored a scratchy 50 in one of the tests in South Africa.

In fairness he has had 6 torrid test matches in a row against the Proteas and another bad outing against the poms at Cardiff, but as many have said already said dropping him at any point in this series would be crazy, he is a proven performer and he should be given atleast the next 4 tests to prove himself all over again.

Though if he still fails to uplift his fortunes by the end of this Ashes, then it would only be fair enough to drop him, and move on and provide a chance to some other deserving player.