This is the first time in a long time that I can remember the Australian side not having an allrounder named. Since Watson's injury the selectors have forgotten their decade long mantra of "must pick an allrounder". What started with Symonds, continued with North, McDonald, White, and Smith. You could even argue that Johnson's OK ability with the bat may have seen some of his sins with the ball being forgiven. Watson has made a reasonable fist of it, but his bowling has been curtailed by frequent injury. I'd argue the only genuine all rounder in test cricket these days is Kallis. Vettori is handy, but lack of talent in his team makes him seem a better bat then he is (or at least affords him more opportunity for time in the middle). We never needed an all rounder during the dominant Waugh era and I never understood the selectors insistence that we pick someone who wasn't really test class in either discipline just for the sake of "balance".
I can see Watson's contribution on the bowling front diminishing with each new injury, to the point where he will have to survive purely on his batting. Do you think we are finally done with the all rounder for the sake of it policy that seemed the norm of late ?
I can see Watson's contribution on the bowling front diminishing with each new injury, to the point where he will have to survive purely on his batting. Do you think we are finally done with the all rounder for the sake of it policy that seemed the norm of late ?
