Cricket Australia - The dilemma of Shane Watson’s batting position - Opinion
Australian all-rounder, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558, is considered as one of the best players in present day cricket. There are very few batsmen who can hit the ball harder than him. He is a wonderful exponent of swing bowling and is a safe fielder as well. These credentials
make one of the most effective all-rounders of the modern day game.
Watson made his International debut in 2002 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, but since then, he has struggled to maintain his fitness and as a result, he failed to cement his place in the Australian team, until 2009, when he revived his career and became permanent
member of the national squad.
As Watson is injury-prone, there are talks that he should bat lower down the order if he wants to keep on bowling in International cricket. It is going to take off some pressure from his body.
Watson has said that he is ready to bat at any position if it is for the benefit of the team.
Watson has been consistently opening the batting for Australia in all the formats of the game and is not just considered as one of the fiercest strikers of the cricket ball, he has the ability to play long innings as well.
Off-late, there has been immense pressure on Watson as he has to open the batting for his country and also bowls long spells with the ball. Some of the cricket analysts in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and around the world feel that Watson should be batting down the order so
that his body does not have to take the toll of bowling as well as batting high up the order.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 expressed that he loves to bat high up the order, which gives him maximum opportunity to bat for long, something he enjoys.
However, he said that if the team management feels that he is better suited lower down the order than he can play there as well.
“I really do enjoy opening the batting, taking on the quicks with the new ball, but it does depend on what my role is. At the moment I'm definitely opening the batting, but if my role changes a little bit I'm happy to bat anywhere to make sure we've got
the best people in the right positions," shared 'Watto'.
Watson admitted that it is a very tough job to concentrate on both batting and bowling but said that he always tries to give his best while playing for Australia in any form of competitive cricket.
"There's no doubt being an all-rounder and bowling, mentally and physically it does take a lot more out of you than guys who just bat. But that's part of being an all-rounder, being able to play a role in the game whether I'm batting or bowling,” Watson
added.
The 30-year-old Watson is surely one of the most important players for the Kangaroos and his fitness is of extreme importance. It calls for the Australian team management for handling him properly, if they want Watson to play International cricket for another
five years. Yes, he is very effective with the ball but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 must use him intelligently and should keep in mind that Watson is primarily an opening batsman and must be taken care off.
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