SHANE WATSON APPRECIATION THREAD

[JLC]

There ya go all the Shane Watson fans can post here and give him some encouragement. Just to show im a good sport ive even given you guys the first article.

What a day for Watson
January 12 2003
By Mark Fuller
Hobart

Australia's rookie all-rounder Shane Watson came of age as an international one-day cricketer yesterday when he produced a nerveless last over to deny England victory before his home crowd at Bellerive Oval.

The 21-year-old, anointed as the man most likely to answer Australia's frustrated call for a world-class all-rounder, was called on by captain Ricky Ponting to bowl two of the three overs with a well-placed England needing 21 from 18 balls with five wickets in hand.

Watson showed admirable composure before a sell-out crowd of 16,719, pitching full and straight to take a wicket in both the 48th and 50th overs while conceding just four runs from each.

England needed 12 runs off the last over to pass a challenging Australian total of 271, achieved primarily through a wonderfully paced 101 not out from man of the match Damien Martyn.

With the match down to the wire, Watson was asked to go head to head with England captain Nasser Hussain, and he did not disappoint. He beat Hussain with his first ball, restricted him to two with his second, then bowled him with his third to put the issue virtually beyond doubt.


Bowler Andy Caddick scored just two off the next three balls for Australia to win by seven runs.

Ponting, captaining Australia for the first time in front of his home crowd, said he was confident Watson would respond to the pressure.

"I don't mind bowling him at the end. He's done it for Tassie a couple of times in games that I've captained as well, and he does a pretty good job at it," he said.

"For a young bloke to be able to do that today and do it pretty well says a lot about him. He was pretty happy when he came off the field, and I was pretty happy for him as well that he handled it as well as he did."

Ponting said Watson's development at international level would benefit from such challenges.

"The more I put him into those situations the better off he's going to be. If he keeps coming out on top like he did today then it's going to be great for him," he said.

The Australia captain said the win was important for his side after its 79-run thrashing by Sri Lanka in Sydney on Thursday, and he was pleased with the fight shown by his players yesterday when the match appeared to be racing away.

It was accomplished for the most part without pace spearhead Glenn McGrath, who injured his back after bowling seven overs and did not return to the field.

England openers Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight did not inflict as heavy a toll as Sri Lanka's rampant pair of Sanath Jayasuria and Marvan Atapattu on Thursday, but their 165-run stand had Australia on the ropes nonetheless.

Both played aggressively and assuredly, Trescothick making 82 from 105 balls and Knight 85 from 103 balls, but they were assisted by some poor catching from the Australians.

Andy Bichel then bowled Knight and Martyn removed Trescothick to bring put Australia's back in the game.

Left-arm spinner Brad Hogg had conceded 27 from his first three overs, but he came back impressively to take three wickets and, in partnership with Bichel, put Australia in a winning position.

Australia's innings did not begin well, and for that vice-captain Adam Gilchrist must carry the blame. Given the pranks perpetrated by umpire David Orchard during the recent Test series, Gilchrist should have known that edging on to his pads was asking to be given out lbw, and so he was.

He was gone for two in the second over, his team was 1/7, and he was none too pleased about it. The Australian keeper stood brewing in disbelief long enough to get his message across, then wandered off, occasionally looking over his shoulder as though expecting to be let in on the joke.

This brought Ponting to the wicket, whereupon local shops closed their doors and Launceston lawn mowers stalled.

Ponting's Big Day, as the local newspaper renamed the match, was almost over before it began. The local hero had made four when he cut James Anderson to Paul Collingwood at gully, where England's best fieldsman dropped a straightforward chance.

Given that Anderson had been the beneficiary of the Gilchrist decision, he could hardly complain, but the 20-year-old quick was surely aggrieved when Ponting hit him for four and six from consecutive balls next over.

Next ball, though, Ponting drove hard at an outswinger from Anderson and edged to Stewart to be out for 15.


Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Donny]

Yep. You are a good sport, m8, and thanks for the report. To return the favour and because you didn't get to see Watson's gutsy performance, I submit the following ball-by-ball account of the last three enthralling overs:

End of over 47 (10 runs) England 249/5
N Hussain 34* (29b 3x4) AJ Stewart 15* (10b 2x4)

31 runs off the last 3 overs has let England back into the game
47.1 Watson to Hussain, one run, drives through covers
47.2 Watson to Stewart, one run, slower ball, driven to deep mid on
47.3 Watson to Hussain, no run, down the pitch, a swing and a miss
47.4 Watson to Hussain, one run, swung forward of square leg for a single
47.5 Watson to Stewart, OUT: skies the ball high over wide mid on,running back Martyn takes an excellent catch

England 252/6, Partnership of 41
AJ Stewart c Martyn b Watson 16 (12b 2x4 0x6)
N Hussain 36* (32b 3x4) SR Watson 6.5-0-31-1

47.6 Watson to Hussain, one run, drives through point for a single

End of over 48 (4 runs) England 253/6 SR Watson 7-0-32-1 -
N Hussain 37* (33b 3x4) RC Irani 0* (0b)

48.1 Lee to Hussain, one run, drives for a single
48.2 Lee to Irani, one run, driven straight back down the wicket, takes lee's boot and rebounds just wide of the stumps
48.3 Lee to Hussain, three runs, square drive, brilliantly fielded by a diving Hayden on the rope
48.4 Lee to Irani, no run, swing and a miss outside off
48.5 Lee to Irani, no run, driven straight back to the bowler who fields
48.6 Lee to Irani, two runs, swung to wide mid on, good runninh by Hussain enables a second run

End of over 49 (7 runs) England 260/6
N Hussain 41* (35b 3x4) RC Irani 3* (4b)

Watson to bowl the last over
49.1 Watson to Hussain, no run, outside off, just short of a length, swing and a miss
49.2 Watson to Hussain, two runs, driven to long on, batsmen return for a second, a good throw, Watson breaks the stumps, third umpire says not out
49.3 Watson to Hussain, OUT: pitched up, swings across the line, clean bowled

England 262/7, Partnership of 10
N Hussain b Watson 43 (38b 3x4 0x6)
RC Irani 3* (4b) SR Watson 7.3-0-34-2

49.4 Watson to Caddick, two runs, drives square of the wicket, return for a second on the throw
49.5 Watson to Caddick, no run, swing and a miss outside off
49.6 Watson to Caddick, no run, swing and a miss outside off again to finish the game


Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[molloymagic]

I was there and it was a fantastic performance,lets hope he can continue!!!!!!.



Jarrod Molloy RULES!!!!
*2003:The beginning of molloy's injury free footy seasons*
*2002 Joint V.C*

[CQ]

well i watched nearly the whole game on tv (hehe fell asleep for a while half way through) and saw the end and i was impressed by his composure for someone so young and pretty much inexperienced at that level.

TARKO TARKO MAN!
I WANT TO BE A TARKO MAN!

[JLC]

Please note that this thread will be closed until further notice

I will let you know when Watson is "back"

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[couragous cloke]

hey i think he bowled awesome in the death that game and is a real long term prospect!

footy ROX!