http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ian-Michael-Chappell-c63914 – Cricket News Update
Ian Chappell, Australia’s former captain, believes that Shane Watson is good enough to play in the country’s Test team as a specialist batsman and urged the selectors to have him in the squad, even if he is not able to bowl in the Adelaide Test.
The Baggy Greens’ premier all-rounder was ruled out of the first Test at Brisbane because of a calf-strain. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rob-Quiney-c2340, the left-handed batsman from Victoria, was handed over a Test cap as Watson’s replacement.
Watson has been a terrific performer for the Kangaroos over the last five years, playing a crucial role with both bat and ball. The hard-hitting batsman was named as the Player of the Tournament in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758, where he set a new world-record by winning four consecutive Man of the Match awards.
The 31-year-old cricketer is now fit once again and has started training ahead of Australia’s second Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 at Adelaide. However, there are still come question-marks about his ability to bowl.
Quite surprisingly, the Aussie selectors have expressed that Watson may find it hard to find a place in the team if he is not able to bowl in the second Test.
However, Chappell does not agree with the national selectors and feels that Watson is a good enough batsman to be playing for the country.
"If I'm a selector picking the Australia XI and Shane Watson is not in the best six batsmen, I've been watching a different game,” he expressed. "If http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 is fit to play and they don't pick him as a batsman, I find that strange. He has proven himself as a batsman."
The former captain believes that the home team hold the advantage after a spirited performance at Brisbane and said that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 and company will be strengthened by Watson’s comeback.
"http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 have taken a strong psychological edge away from the first Test, but South Africa can turn that around with their bowling," said Chappell. "You want to pick the best team to give you the best chance to win the game and that means Shane Watson should be there."
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