Australia V England 2nd test of the 2017/18 Ashes @Adelaide Oval

[Big Bryza]

At test level they weren't. He was picked to deliver a certain level of performance and he never did that.

The reality is he continued to get selected for what he might do rather than what he did do. The fact he consistently delivered what was expected in the shorter formats only served to perpetuate the hope that one day the matchwinning, explosive Shane Watson of limited overs cricket would reveal himself at test level.

I don't believe for a single second that based on test performances alone, there wasn't a better option than Watson during his career. I think it also has to be considered that it has been well established that Watson wasn't exactly the best or most popular teammate in the dressing rooms during his career, and I don't think you can get away with that at test level.

He'll be remembered as a gamebreaking matchwinner at ODI/T20 level, and a disappointment at test level, which is pretty accurate I'd say.

Who were the better test options over Watson? I think you'll struggle to find many.

 

[BACCS]

Adelaide forecast hot off the press - no more than 1mm of rain: mainly in the morning. Expect a full day's play, folks.

Meant to be 10-20mm today in the city and has barely been a drop, has all been out far North and in the Hills. Would be very surprised if play is affected at all tomorrow, just won't be overly warm for a Summer's day!

 

[Big Bryza]

Like half of Aussie side
Hope handsbum gets some runs to go with his mouth

Handsbum.

Oh thats a good one!

 

[Restricted Free Agent]

Can't wait for the game to start!!!

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Last two series between england and india have been as full on as any i have seen i recent years, constant sledging from both sides yet it never get played up by either sides press the same way it does when we are playing those two sides.

Precisely.

 

[La Dolce Vita]

Just saw it on the BBC website. Root has lost the plot.

"we'll use their laughter to motivate us. If that's not motivation, what is?"


What a cockwombling numbnut.

Mind numbing that he has his panties in a knot about the Aussies laughing more than the actual headbutt itself

Remember how he squealed and acted like the biggest victim on the planet after the Warmer incident.

Lucky for him the Aussies are not insecure sooks like his mob

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Mind numbing that he has his panties in a knot about the Aussies laughing more than the actual headbutt itself

Remember how he squealed and acted like the biggest victim on the planet after the Warmer incident.

Lucky for him the Aussies are not insecure sooks like his mob

Sounds like they need to concentrate more on their own game rather than what the Aussies are doing.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Private life? This wasn't about his family, relationship, dodgy past, or anything at all to do with his private life. It was about him 'headbutting' an Australian player in a pub.

I'm sure there was nothing in it but it's still a ******* weird thing to do and he deserves a bit of ribbing on the field and in the press about it.

I didn't understand that bit either. Again, thought I must have missed something Went back and checked the facts about the on field incident and it was only about the headbutting thing. What is this jouno on? Agree, not his private life at all.

 

[roscreasl98]

Handsbum.

Oh thats a good one!

Must have taken him all night to come up with that pearler.....
Lo.

 

[roscreasl98]

Can't wait for the game to start!!!

Wow, you sound all excited, like a 13 year old boy.
Now, get a good nights sleep young fella, because its a day night test.
And Sarah Smiles doesn't want to be all grumpy poo's does he......

 

[krisholio14]

I agree - Watson is CLEARLY the one to blame for Hughes death.

#twatto
#justiceforphil

I hope that's sarcasm I'm detecting lol

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Wow, you sound all excited, like a 13 year old boy.
Now, get a good nights sleep young fella, because its a day night test.
And Sarah Smiles doesn't want to be all grumpy poo's does he......

Why are you such a miserable sod?

 

[krisholio14]

If you can't bounce back from getting dropped then you are not tough enough for test cricket. You make enough runs you get picked. I think your doing Phil Hughes a disservice.

Not a Watson fan, leaden footwork, he struggle against the slower ball had him batting too high for someone with his conversion rate. Though he did learn something as a

 

[010203]

I'm looking forward to the Adelaide test and hopefully cricket on the field becomes the talking point not a headbutting story a month old. I don't mind sledging as long as it's clever, funny, and stays on the field. The only time i want to see sledging played out in the media if something that shouldn't have been said was said.

 

[krisholio14]

If you can't bounce back from getting dropped then you are not tough enough for test cricket. You make enough runs you get picked. I think your doing Phil Hughes a disservice.

Not suggesting it was a case of Hughes being a sooky la la or plunging into a manic depression for getting dropped.

Even as a young bloke, I think he'd done enough to be persisted with for at least another couple of tests. He looked ordinary in his debut test in SA before tonning up in both innings in his second. As another player (like Steve Smith) who had an unorthodox technique, I generally feel like it works best when you give em a couple of extra tests to adjust, those sorts of guys find their feet pretty quickly.

Now again, I don't believe Hughes spat the dummy or dropped his bundle, nor do I think he felt he'd secured his place in the XI. What I do think happened, and I've seen it happen with other players over the years, is that in his mind the selectors sent a message that his technique had been exposed and he'd have to change it if he wanted back into the side.

Watching him bat at state level in the years after, I observed that he was often trying to shy away from his natural game and instincts, and that the freedom and confidence I'd seen him bat with for many years prior was noticably absent. As a player I had always enjoyed watching, it was hard watching him second guessing his own batting while at the crease.

Regardless of the above, he was still talented enough to make his way back into the national side, more than once.

 

[largebus]

It's great that the Adelaide pitch isn't a highway anymore but I hope the game goes on longer than last year's test

 

[Voice of the G]

Meant to be 10-20mm today in the city and has barely been a drop, has all been out far North and in the Hills. Would be very surprised if play is affected at all tomorrow, just won't be overly warm for a Summer's day!

Thank gawd this test is not in Melbourne right now,weather forcast terrible for the next 3 days

 

[eddiesmith]

Thank gawd this test is not in Melbourne right now,weather forcast terrible for the next 3 days

Although now they have cancelled all cricket and predicted doom and gloom, odds are the sun will be out all day tomorrow!

 

[funk44]

 

[undefined]

It's great that the Adelaide pitch isn't a highway anymore but I hope the game goes on longer than last year's test

Smith said there's hardly any grass in it - will lack in sideways movement. England will be hoping for overcast conditions/an Anderson swing bowling masterclass with the pink ball.

Barring a greentop in Sydney, this test will be their only realistic opportunity throughout the series.

 

[Dadda Dave]

That looks like where a Collingwood player relieves himself after a big night

 

[Donnie Darko]

Mind numbing that he has his panties in a knot about the Aussies laughing more than the actual headbutt itself

Remember how he squealed and acted like the biggest victim on the planet after the Warmer incident.

Lucky for him the Aussies are not insecure sooks like his mob

You must have fake memory syndrome.
Root didnt make a big deal about the Warner business . Your team still havent stopped crying about being forced to play on a pitch that had a small covering of grass . With you being only used to playing on flat decks.

 

[pugsville]

Even as a young bloke, I think he'd done enough to be persisted with for at least another couple of tests. He looked ordinary in his debut test in SA before tonning up in both innings in his second. As another player (like Steve Smith) who had an unorthodox technique, I generally feel like it works best when you give em a couple of extra tests to adjust, those sorts of guys find their feet pretty quickly.

Now again, I don't believe Hughes spat the dummy or dropped his bundle, nor do I think he felt he'd secured his place in the XI. What I do think happened, and I've seen it happen with other players over the years, is that in his mind the selectors sent a message that his technique had been exposed and he'd have to change it if he wanted back into the side.

Watching him bat at state level in the years after, I observed that he was often trying to shy away from his natural game and instincts, and that the freedom and confidence I'd seen him bat with for many years prior was noticably absent. As a player I had always enjoyed watching, it was hard watching him second guessing his own batting while at the crease.

So you think selectors HAVE to persist with players or they will be scared and doubt themselves. It's test cricket. You got a problem with picking the best team. I don't think it's the job of selectors of the National team to molly cuddle players. They have know their own game. Blaming the national selectors just wrong. His technique had been exposed. It was up to him to adapt, to find a way. Test cricket isn't easy, and its about mental strength and thats down to the player.It's a rare player who isn't dropped a couple of times in a reasonable test career.. 26 tests in al little of 4 years. 1535 @ 32.65 3 tons.

 

[Black white]

That looks like where a Collingwood player relieves himself after a big night

carlton tears as another year goes by without a flag

 

[Black white]

Sounds like they need to concentrate more on their own game rather than what the Aussies are doing.

The media has turned sledging into a ridiculous part of the game.
Waiting for racist, offensive charges to be handed out to international cricketers.
Both Aussies and Poms seem to be rather sooky though to add to the ridiculous hype