ANALYSIS
If Sydney Thunder have not yet persuaded Shane Watson to join them then rival Big Bash League teams would be well advised to try and steal a march on them, based on the increased potential of him being available.
Watson's near-guaranteed position in the Australian team for most of the past seven years has meant BBL teams have had little incentive to sign him beyond the right to feature him in promotions.
The Thunder, who already boast revered all-rounder Jacques Kallis, made their strong interest known well before Australian selectors this week indicated James Faulkner and Mitch Marsh were currently above him in the pecking order.
Over the past 16 months injuries have limited Watson to 17 one-day internationals. Over that period, he has averaged 24.5, with a solitary half-century. What has made that record more disappointing is that he has faced at least 20 balls in all but three of those innings, indicating he has typically got a start.
That record pushed Watson to the brink of omission. What likely pushed him over the edge, once both Faulkner and Mitch Marsh were available, was his culpability in his dismissals this home summer. His problem has not been a technical flaw, such as leaden footwork, but poor placement and shot selection. His axing came after he made 23 against New Zealand.
While only two teammates outscored him in that match it was his dismissal, picking out a boundary rider off the bowling of Dan Vettori, that began the extraordinary collapse in which Australia conceded 8-26.
Watson's crisp hitting when in form is of such value, and his bowling so reliable, that there is no justification for putting a line through his name when it comes to international selection – despite the inexplicably high public appetite for that to occur.
Nevertheless, the willingness of selectors to discard their No.3 batsman at such a crucial time, during a World Cup, suggested it was feasible they could do the same in Tests at the most crucial time for Australia, an Ashes series, if his red-ball form continued to underwhelm.
