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If you want to be taken seriously as a batsman, one of the worst things you can do is bowl. Every team is desperate for all-rounders, but the label gets misapplied so much it tars those who actually warrant it.
Shane Watson probably just about qualifies as an all-rounder – maybe not in Tests where you wouldn’t really want him as a key part of your bowling attack, but certainly in one-day cricket.
However, calling him an all-rounder partially masks the fact that he’s got a strong case to be regarded as Australia’s best batsman at the moment. Being Australia’s best batsman in 2011 is a bit like being the world’s most attractive deep sea fish, but it’s still an achievement of sorts.
Even if no-one cares about a Bangladesh v Australia one-day series that’s come hot on the heels of the World Cup, Watson’s 185 off 96 balls was some innings.
185 off 96 balls against a bowling machine set to ‘friendly’ and without any stumps to defend would actually be pretty decent, so don’t everybody start belittling Watson’s performance simply because he’s a titanic knobhead.
Given the carnage unfurling around him, I reckon the Man of the Match award should have gone to Shakib, who somehow still managed to return figures of 7-1-35-1.
Watson claimed during the post-match interview that he didn’t really feel like running, so hit the most runs from boundaries ever in an ODI innings.
His knobheadedness is starting to require parsecs in order to be measured. I’m actually starting to like him.
We started to like him during the Ashes, but being as he always seemed to speak to the media on days when Australia had done terribly, that’s probably just Pavlovian conditioning.
No wonder he didn’t run; he’s completely shit at running between the wickets. Totally fails to bethwart a clarity of calling, in my opinion.
Wait, is “bethwart” a verb? I had assumed it was a place preposition.
It’s a bit unfair of him to hit 2 balls at once though isn’t it?
Was it very naughty of me to Tweet @MClarke23 (yeah, him) “So, if that’s a vice-captain’s knock . . ? :D”
flat track bully. he literally pushed bangladesh to the floor and then literally set them on fire and literally kicked them in the head until they were dead.
are you saying that watto is this?: http://billharley.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/deep-sea4.jpg
That’s probably a bit too cool.
There’s no way Watson’s all-roundedness is as attractive as this:
http://bit.ly/b1PvaS
Or this: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01565/blobfish_1565953c.jpg
Damn you two, I just ate.
Any tragics out there know who else may have gotten four sixes in a row in an ODI, but also taken at least one wicket in the same match? Afridi?
Oh come now, Jayne, its not like I showed you this:
http://bit.ly/hXVEoN
@Jayne: I don’t know about Afridi, but the other great modern all-rounder, Zaheer Khan, has managed the feat – http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64682.html
P.S. – I maintain that belittling Watson’s performance simply because he’s a titanic knobhead is perfectly justified.
Zaheer khan hit four sixes off Henry Olonga in one over, (not sure if they were consecutive though). Must have taken at least one wicket while bowling, considering it was early 2000s and he had Ajit Agarkar opening the bowling alongside him
And India lost the match. I hate the flower brothers.
the best one was the three consecutive drops off zaheer’s bowling. that’s the best … thing
Surely you all have missed the big point about Watson’s 185 knock – even (with the greatest respect) you, KC.
It overtook one of Matty Hayden’s records – the “biggest Oz ODI knock” one.
Tool begets tool.
Beget is a verb, bethwart is not.
Is this the proper place to mention that it looks like Ramiz Raja hasn’t changed his hair style since 1978?
This is always the place for discussion about Ramiz Raja’s hair.