Danny
08-02-2005, 07:04 AM
Shane watson requires about 4 weeks rest after sustaining a left side strain, a big blow for the all rounder who is desperate to prove his worth to the Australian selectors.
Andrew Symonds will also need intensive treatment on his achilles to be fit for the Zew Zealand tour.
Watson leaves limited options
By Malcolm Conn
February 8, 2005
FOX SPORTS
SHANE WATSON has ruled himself out of the one-day tour of New Zealand and Andrew Symonds remains in doubt, forcing selectors to begin a premature search for players who will represent Australia in the 2007 World Cup.
Speaking after an MRI scan in Melbourne yesterday to assess his strained left side, Watson said he had been told to rest for three to six weeks, leaving him also highly unlikely to be fit for the three-Test series next month.
Symonds will have a scan today on an achilles tendon strain which forced him out of Sunday's deciding final in Sydney, but he remains hopeful that a week's rest will return him to fitness. The squad leaves in eight days.
The injuries have forced the four-man selection panel of chairman Trevor Hohns, Allan Border, David Boon and Andrew Hilditch to delay announcing the 14-man squad until tomorrow.
They will link up tonight to consider the likes of batsmen Brad Hodge from Victoria and Mike Hussey from Western Australia and Victorian all-rounder Cameron White. Hodge and White were on the fringe of the national side during October's tour of India.
The misfortune of Watson, compounded by the possibility of Symonds not regaining fitness, will help relieve whatever pressure there may have been on Darren Lehmann, who had a poor end to the one-day series and, at 35, is in danger of being a World Cup casualty.
Asked about Lehmann's future, coach John Buchanan made it clear that the selectors would increasingly focus on the game's most important one-day tournament.
"I think there are certain principles we need to address and one is time frames," Buchanan said, looking beyond the tour of New Zealand and the Ashes series which follows.
"We're looking to develop a broad squad. We might have 20-plus players that selectors can eventually pick from for the World Cup in 2007, which means we cover all our positions."
The biggest problem with developing a broader squad is that there are few obvious options. Most of the top run scorers and some of the leading wicket takers are players such as Greg Blewett, Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel, who have been tried and discarded.
The injury is an untimely blow for Watson, who made a comfortable Test debut last month in the final Test against Pakistan and, at 23, can expect to receive more responsibility in the one-day side as a genuine all-rounder.
To take part in the Test series it is likely that Watson would have to prove his fitness by playing for Queensland in a Pura Cup match against Victoria in Melbourne from March 3-6. The first Test in New Zealand begins on March 10.
The immediate future of Matthew Hayden hangs in the balance and may depend on the availability of Symonds.
Dropped for both of the one-day series finals against Pakistan after a poor summer, Hayden and team-mate Michael Kasprowicz will play an ING Cup match for Queensland on Friday.
It will be Hayden's first game for Queensland in either Pura Cup or ING Cup since December 2003. He last played a domestic one-day game for the Bulls in February 2002.
If overlooked for the five-match one-day series, Hayden will have a Pura Cup match in Brisbane later this month and the Melbourne game in early March to regain form before the Tests. However, Buchanan said Hayden was thinking differently.
"In his mind, he certainly wants to be part of that Australian one-day side and he would definitely like to be in that squad going to New Zealand," said Buchanan, who cannot see any fundamental problems with Hayden's game.
"Basically, his foundations are good. In the nets he's hitting the ball really well.
"It's basically trying to deal with the mental side of his game ... and that's not quite happening for him."
Form is not the only threat to Hayden's place in the one-day side. There is also Michael Clarke, who was the only stand-out batsman in the Australian side in the one-dayers.
Opening the batting in most of his matches, Clarke scored 411 runs at 68.5, with a strike rate of 85.45, and made the only century for the home side in eight matches.
"What Michael has presented to the selectors and the balance of the team is that he's a viable option at the top of the order," Buchanan said. "That's an important thing we've gleaned from the series."
Andrew Symonds will also need intensive treatment on his achilles to be fit for the Zew Zealand tour.
Watson leaves limited options
By Malcolm Conn
February 8, 2005
FOX SPORTS
SHANE WATSON has ruled himself out of the one-day tour of New Zealand and Andrew Symonds remains in doubt, forcing selectors to begin a premature search for players who will represent Australia in the 2007 World Cup.
Speaking after an MRI scan in Melbourne yesterday to assess his strained left side, Watson said he had been told to rest for three to six weeks, leaving him also highly unlikely to be fit for the three-Test series next month.
Symonds will have a scan today on an achilles tendon strain which forced him out of Sunday's deciding final in Sydney, but he remains hopeful that a week's rest will return him to fitness. The squad leaves in eight days.
The injuries have forced the four-man selection panel of chairman Trevor Hohns, Allan Border, David Boon and Andrew Hilditch to delay announcing the 14-man squad until tomorrow.
They will link up tonight to consider the likes of batsmen Brad Hodge from Victoria and Mike Hussey from Western Australia and Victorian all-rounder Cameron White. Hodge and White were on the fringe of the national side during October's tour of India.
The misfortune of Watson, compounded by the possibility of Symonds not regaining fitness, will help relieve whatever pressure there may have been on Darren Lehmann, who had a poor end to the one-day series and, at 35, is in danger of being a World Cup casualty.
Asked about Lehmann's future, coach John Buchanan made it clear that the selectors would increasingly focus on the game's most important one-day tournament.
"I think there are certain principles we need to address and one is time frames," Buchanan said, looking beyond the tour of New Zealand and the Ashes series which follows.
"We're looking to develop a broad squad. We might have 20-plus players that selectors can eventually pick from for the World Cup in 2007, which means we cover all our positions."
The biggest problem with developing a broader squad is that there are few obvious options. Most of the top run scorers and some of the leading wicket takers are players such as Greg Blewett, Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel, who have been tried and discarded.
The injury is an untimely blow for Watson, who made a comfortable Test debut last month in the final Test against Pakistan and, at 23, can expect to receive more responsibility in the one-day side as a genuine all-rounder.
To take part in the Test series it is likely that Watson would have to prove his fitness by playing for Queensland in a Pura Cup match against Victoria in Melbourne from March 3-6. The first Test in New Zealand begins on March 10.
The immediate future of Matthew Hayden hangs in the balance and may depend on the availability of Symonds.
Dropped for both of the one-day series finals against Pakistan after a poor summer, Hayden and team-mate Michael Kasprowicz will play an ING Cup match for Queensland on Friday.
It will be Hayden's first game for Queensland in either Pura Cup or ING Cup since December 2003. He last played a domestic one-day game for the Bulls in February 2002.
If overlooked for the five-match one-day series, Hayden will have a Pura Cup match in Brisbane later this month and the Melbourne game in early March to regain form before the Tests. However, Buchanan said Hayden was thinking differently.
"In his mind, he certainly wants to be part of that Australian one-day side and he would definitely like to be in that squad going to New Zealand," said Buchanan, who cannot see any fundamental problems with Hayden's game.
"Basically, his foundations are good. In the nets he's hitting the ball really well.
"It's basically trying to deal with the mental side of his game ... and that's not quite happening for him."
Form is not the only threat to Hayden's place in the one-day side. There is also Michael Clarke, who was the only stand-out batsman in the Australian side in the one-dayers.
Opening the batting in most of his matches, Clarke scored 411 runs at 68.5, with a strike rate of 85.45, and made the only century for the home side in eight matches.
"What Michael has presented to the selectors and the balance of the team is that he's a viable option at the top of the order," Buchanan said. "That's an important thing we've gleaned from the series."