Watson was selected for his first Australian team in early 2002, being selected to tour South Africa with the Test team after topping the Pura Cup wicket-taking charts for Tasmania, as well as steady middle-order batting performances. Australian captain at the time Steve Waugh stated that Watson would possibly be Australias first genuine all rounder since Keith Miller and Alan Davidson in the 1950s. Watson expressed joy at being selected in an Australian team with Waugh, whom he cited as his idol. Watson scored an unbeaten century on his debut in a tour match, but did not play in the Tests as the selectors retained the same XI that had swept South Africa 3–0 in the Australian season. Watson did make his ODI debut on tour, ironically replacing Waugh, who was sacked after the team failed to make the ODI finals in the preceding Australian summer. Watson continued as a regular member of the ODI team until he suffered three stress fractures in his back, at the start of 2003, missing the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He was replaced by his Queensland teammate Andrew Symonds, who proceeded to establish his position as the all rounder after scoring 143* and 91* during the tournament. Watsons injury sidelined him until the 2003–04 Australian season, and during his rehabilitation he played most of the season as a batsman, allowing himself to improve his batting skills while his back was still healing. During this time he smashed an unbeaten 300* for his club side, Lindisfarne. Watson returned to regular ODI duty in the 2004–05 season, as a bowling all rounder. He also played in the Third Test against Pakistan as the fifth bowler, in order to allow Australia to play two spinners and three pace bowlers on a dry Sydney Cricket Ground pitch. Following Englands Ashes victory over Australia in 2005 with a five bowler strategy, Australia responded by including Watson as the fifth bowler and all rounder in all Test matches. Watson stated his intention to emulate Andrew Flintoff, who played the analogous role for England. Watson played against the ICC World XI in the role, but he dislocated his shoulder in just his second Test in that designated role against the West Indies, after diving to field a ball. Watson was again replaced by Symonds and was unable to represent Australia for the remainder of the summer. He was recalled for the one day squad for the 2006 tour of South Africa but was dropped when all-rounder Andrew Symonds returned from injury. Watson was looking to establish a place in the Test side when he got injured, and Andrew Symonds stepped in to fill the gap. Watson had been previously criticised for his relatively flat bowling trajectory and inability to move the ball, reflected in his relatively high bowling average. Jamie Cox, a former Tasmanian team-mate and future Australian selector, felt that Watson was being mis-used as a bowling allrounder, believing that he was better suited as a conventional batsman and part-timer bowler, rather than a bowler who engaged in power hitting in the latter part of an innings. This changed when Watson opened the batting for Australia at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, alongside wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, instead of Simon Katich. In the competition he impressed with both the ball and bat, as Australia moved to their first Champions Trophy victory. Critics and captain Ricky Ponting cited his better strike rate, straight hitting and the ability to bowl as the reasons why he was selected ahead of Katich. After failing in the first two matches against the West Indies and England, Watson made a 50 in Australias victory over India, which sealed their place in the semi-finals, and in the 2009 Champions Trophy was held in South Africa, Watson again played a prominent role, making two consecutive 100s against England and New-Zealand in semi-final and final, helping Australia to defend their title. Ponting suggested that Watson would bat at the number 6 position in the Ashes series against England in 2006–07, and he was named in the squad. However, he came off the ground in a one-day domestic game the week before the first Test with a suspected hamstring tear, which ruled him out for the first three Tests. Michael Clarke was called up in Watsons place, and responded with a half-century, and then a century to cement Clarkes place in the team. Watson was expected to be fit for the fourth Test on Boxing Day and the MCG in Melbourne, and because of Damien Martyns unexpected retirement, it looked likely that Watson would be included in the side. However, another injury setback in a match for Queensland ruled Watson out for the rest of the Ashes series. Watson eventually returned in February to the ODI side, replacing Cameron White in the all rounder position, However he again broke down with injury during the 2007 Cricket World Cup and missed most of the Super 8s before returning in fine style smashing an unbeaten 65 off 32 balls against New Zealand. Injury again struck Watson in the early stages of the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 as he missed most of the tournament due to hamstring strain. He was then out of action for the 2007–08 Australian season. After Symonds was omitted from the Australian team for disciplinary reasons, and Watson took the all rounders position for the tour of India in late-2008, batting at No. 6. During the Third Test in Delhi, he was involved in a series of confrontations with Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who scored a double century and reached his century by lofting Watson over midwicket for six. During the innings, Gambhir elbowed Watson while going for a run, and claimed that the incident was not intentional at a press conference, and claiming that Watson had no capacity to dismiss him. He later pleaded guilty and was banned for one match. After returning to Australia, Symonds was recalled to the Test team and both all rounders played in the First Test against New Zealand in Brisbane. As the pitch was a green, rain-affected moist surface expected to favour seamers, spinner Jason Krejza was dropped to accommodate two seam bowling all rounders. After the match, which Australia won, Watson was dropped as spinner Nathan Hauritz was included and Symonds retained. Symonds continued to perform poorly, and there were calls for Watson to take his place, but both men then fell injured at the end of the year, Watson with a stress fracture. Watson returned to international duty in the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE, scoring a century. Watson in the field during Australias tour of England in 2009. During the Ashes he replaced Phillip Hughes as opener. He returned to the Australian Test side for the 3rd Ashes Test match at Edgbaston on 30 July 2009 when he replaced opener Phillip Hughes who had been struggling for form. In a rain interrupted match he made 62 and 53 batting alongside Simon Katich.[7] He scored his second highest Test score of 96 against the West Indies in the Second Test in Adelaide in December 2009. He and Katich put on a century stand and he had reached 96 at stumps, only to inside edge his first ball of the next morning onto his stumps while attempting to hit a boundary to reach his century. In the Third Test, he made 89 in another century stand with Katich. In the second innings, he removed opposition captain Chris Gayle and then charged towards him, screaming in celebration directly in front of him. This earned him a fine from the match referee, and considerable criticism from much of the Australian public. In the First Test against Pakistan, he made 93 runs on Boxing Day and featured in his third century stand in as many matches with Katich, but was run out after a mix-up with Katich in which both players ended up running towards the same end, again falling short of his debut Test hundred. On Day four, Watson finally made his first Test hundred. He went to lunch sitting on 98* and including the lunch break was stuck in the 90s for 106 minutes. After the lunch break he got to 99, and was then stuck there and could only get dot balls. He brought up his debut Test century in interesting style, hitting the ball hard to Abdur Rauf at point who put the catch down. The ball spilled away and gave Watson enough time to run through for the single he needed. His century came after 293 minutes off 186 balls with 9 fours and a six. When Ponting declared, he remained not out, making 120. Watson was awarded man of the match on 30 December for his role in Australias Test victory. In the second innings of the Second Test at the SCG, Watson fell short of another century, dismissed for 97. During this Test, the Australian Cricket Media Association presented Watson with Australian Cricketer of the Year Award.[8] In the first test of Australias 2010 tour of India, Watson opened his account with his second test century – an attritional 126 runs off 338 balls on a slow, low Mohali pitch. The innings capped an excellent start to the tour, as he also scored a century in each innings of the warm-up match, albeit at a much brisker pace. He topscored again in the second innings with a run-a-ball 56, which proved vital in setting a competitive target as Australias middle order again collapsed in spectacular fashion following his dismissal. On 30 March 2011, Watson was named test and ODI vice-captain.[9] On 11 April 2011 he made 185 not out off 96 balls against Bangladesh. Watson hit 15 sixes in this innings, breaking the record previously held by Xavier Marshall. He also scored the highest one day international score by an Australian batsman passing Matthew Haydens score of 181 not out set in 2007.[10] Due to injuries in the home series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, he decided to become a top order batsman instead of an allrounder. Before the 3rd Test against India in March 2013, Australia dropped Shane Watson, along with James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja following a breach of discipline.[3] Watson had subsequently flown back from Australia due to the birth of his first child.[11] Michael Clarke, the captain, subsequently stated that the extreme step had been taken as a result of repeated infractions which led to Watson flying back home and contemplating Test retirement.[4] Several former players reacted with astonishment at the harsh decision taken by the team management.[12] T20 World Cup 2012[edit] In the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, he showed sublime all-round form. In the first match against Ireland at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, he opened the bowling & took 3/26 (wickets of opener-captain William Porterfield, keeper-batsman Niall OBrien and dangerous Kevin OBrien) and then scored a breezy 51 from 30 to help his side win the match in 15.1 overs. He was subsequently awarded the Man of the Match. In the next match against West Indies he again opened bowling & batting, took 2/29 from 4 overs(wickets of devastating Chris Gayle & Kieron Pollard) and then scored 41* from 24 balls to win Man of the Match as his side won by 17 runs (by Duckworth-Lewis method). Against India, he was used as 2nd change bowler & took 3/34. It was he who had changed the game by taking the wickets of Yuvraj Singh and opener Irfan Pathan in 11th over. He also dismissed dangerous Suresh Raina in the last over. he followed it up with a 72 from 42 balls (7 sixes & 2 fours), and had an 133-run opening partnership in 13.3 overs with David Warner making a mockery of the target 141. Against South Africa, he took 2/29 (wickets of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers) and then followed it up with 70 from 47 balls to win 4 consecutive Man of the Match awards. Indian Premier League[edit] Watson played in the Indian Premier League for the Rajasthan Royals team. Signed up for US $125,000, he performed well with both the bat and the ball scoring four half-centuries to anchor his team to victory in three matches of the tournament and in the semifinals. He also picked up 17 wickets, won four man of the match awards in his first twelve games and also won the Man of the Series award.[13] On the back of his IPL performance, Watson was subsequently selected to replace Matthew Hayden in the one day series as part of Australias tour to the West Indies, after Hayden had injured himself during the IPL season.[14] Watson went on to establish himself as an ODI opener in the series. Watson missed the second IPL season due to national duty and injury, and Rajasthan failed to reach the top four in the qualifying rounds. For 2011 season, Rajasthan Royals successfully retained Shane Watson along with the skipper Shane Warne.[15] On 22 April 2013 he scored his first century in IPL playing against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, India. He scored 101 runs of 61 balls hitting 6 boundaries and 6 sixes. This was also his first hundred in Twenty20 cricket.[16]
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 15:11:19 +0000