Shane Watson unlikely to bowl in the Boxing Day Test - Cricket News Update
The prolific Australian all-rounder, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in Melbourne due to the hamstring injury.
This was confirmed by the 30-year-old http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834 all-rounder on Wednesday, saying that he was practicing in the nets and was hopeful of making the Australian squad for the opening Test of the four-match series, starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on
December 26, 2011, but in the capacity of a top-order batsman only.
"It's unfortunate I won't be able to get any game time leading up to Boxing Day apart from the nets," said http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 while talking to the media reporters on Wednesday.
"But my leg should be right. At the moment I'm just trying to get up to running speed and being able to bat over the next couple of weeks. But it would most probably be primarily as a batsman," he added further.
Watson sustained the hamstring injury during the Johannesburg Test against South Africa last month, and was ruled out of the two-match home Test series against New Zealand. He was also reckoned to be a doubtful starter for the Boxing Day Test against the
former World No. 1 Test side India.
However, the all-rounder told the media reporters today that he is back to the nets and will make an appearance at the MCG, but as a batsman.
The Queenslander, Australia’s player of the year for 2010 and 2011, has lately been regarded as a specialist spinner in the side and he did prove his increasing importance as bowler by claiming five wickets during the Centurion Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757
last month.
Watson has been opening the batting for Kangaroos over the last three seasons but the recent injuries have prompted him to lobby for a move down the order so that he could bowl as well, and that too safely, without a scare of tearing any muscles.
On the other hand, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mickey-Arthur-c1969 wants this debate to come to an end as soon as possible so that Watson and other players can focus on their game rather than place in the order.
"We have to come to a point where we make a decision where Shane is going to bat in the batting order and how many overs we expect of him so there is no more debate about the issue," Arthur told reporters in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tasmania-c854.
"We need to give him a clear role definition before the Boxing Day test," he added further.
Australia’s batting has been the subject of much debate after the side succumbed against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TD-Paine-c2652 and Shane Watson could make them more vulnerable against a formidable Indian line-up,
featuring the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229.
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