Injury puts http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558 in doubt for South Africa Tests – Cricket News Update
Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 has come under the shadow of doubt after a sore left calf forced the star all-rounder and vice-captain of the Australian team to withdraw from New South Wales’ most recent Sheffield
Shield match, played at Brisbane against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834.
The 31-year-old has had a busy year in the shorter format of the game, and was awarded the Player of the Tournament during the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 this year, after putting up a stellar all-round display throughout the competition.
He followed that up with an equally brilliant performance in the Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa for the Sydney Sixers, but was ordered to return home in the middle of the tournament, in order to prepare for Australia’s upcoming Test series against
South Africa. The early exit was arranged by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Howard-c63371, the team performance manager, keeping in view Watson’s history with injuries (including hamstring strains, back stress fractures, and calf issues), and the need to ease him back into training for the
longer format of the game.
However, the tactic does not appear to have worked. Playing his first first-class match since Australia’s tour of the Caribbean in April this year, Watson was only able to bowl one over before he was forced off-field by a sore left calf. He was sent to the
hospital by the medical staff for scans on the injury, and his place in the XI for the extended-overs series against the Proteas now appears uncertain.
This is not the first time Watson’s left calf has acted up. The all-rounder was unable to play in most of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 earlier this year
was also due to a calf muscle strain.
The loss of Watson could be a severe blow to Australia, as they look to grab the top Test team ranking from the Proteas. The recent string of domestic first-class matches has seen several of the regulars from Australia’s national side struggling for runs,
with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Australia-c844 after experiencing hamstring tightness.
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