![]() ![]() The blend of immense natural talent and a loose wire upstairs is eternally fascinating. Back in the 1990s, you could start a fight on any corner of any Caribbean town by saying the words ''Carl Hooper''. ![]() Even when he gets his pad in front of a straight ball or, in the latest serialisation of his dismissals, throws his hands at a new-ball outswinger on the up, he is part of the game's lifeblood. To be a fan may also be to recognise that the game would be less interesting without him. To be a fan of Watson is not necessarily to think he has warranted the faith that selectors have shown in him. On the minus side, he hadn't batted like this since he took apart Simon Kerrigan and Woakes at the Oval. On the plus side, he hadn't batted like this since he took apart Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes at the Oval. ![]() Minutes later, Watson tucked Anderson behind fine leg to bring up the century that answered and raised all the old questions. Watson reacting after nearly taking the wicket of Ben Stokes. Bresnan caught it beautifully, but fell over the rope. Bresnan didn't have to move, until a rare gasp of a Perth southerly breathed on the ball. On 90, he did his best to throw it away by lofting straight to Tim Bresnan at long-off. His brain explosions are reliable enough to be put to use in the mining industry. Watson's innings was riveting in the usual oddball way. Bailey off Anderson has a less likely ring to it than Brian Lara off Robin Peterson, but now they are bracketed together, like Mark Taylor and Don Bradman. His example inspired George Bailey to attempt and equal a world record, 28 runs off James Anderson's last over. At other times, such as in Graeme Swann's 27th over, Watson launched ball after ball onto the white sheeting covering the seats at the Prindiville Stand end with the mechanical regularity of a clay pigeon launcher. Sometimes the ball raced along the ground to a fielder for a single: as in one-day cricket, scant reward for a mighty blow. Each blow had the crowd gasping as they might at the feats of a circus strongman. His hitting has a thrilling brutality to it, and, while the context and meaning can be debated, the entertainment value cannot. Whatever the answer, he certainly whacked a few moles. Shane Watson's bizarre runout three runs after his century. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |