GIVE WATSON HIS FREEDOM

During Australia’s opening match in the Champions Trophy BBC commentator Jonathon Agnew stated on air, how Shane Watson looks were slowly catching up to his age. When the baby face Shane Watson first donned his coloured Australian cap over a decade ago he was surrounded by the likes of Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan and Shane Warne.  

It was a great team to walk into, he was surrounded by experience, champions and players who knew how to win.  Watson’s role was simple bat with free will and apply pressure with the ball, add to it the constant encouragement. More often than not he excelled and when he failed the greats around the team ensured the consequences weren’t catastrophic. 

It was a nothing to lose situation for Watson and he thrived on such a wonderful opportunity. Since that moment Watson has always had freedom knowing his mistakes would be eradicated by others.

Over the past year you get the feeling Watson has suddenly realised he is core of the Australian batting and his mistakes often dictate the fortune of the match. Suddenly he has tightened up and pressure has got the best of him, the freedom has been lost.

More often than not his best outings have come when the expectation were low or it is also case that Watson fails under pressure. The word responsibility is still unknown to him or deep down he knows he will not thrive with the extra burden of accountability. Last year in the ODI series against India he was asked if he had ever captained before to which he stated “no, maybe in under 10s”.

Past 12 months there are clear signs, Watson needs the freedom and less of the constant monitoring by Cricket Australia and their team of scientist. In context of his career it will be seen as a backward step but it could be just what Watson needs to reignite his test career. 

Every occasion Watson has been advised by Cricket Australia not to bowl, it seems to affect his batting. Watson has stated in the past it is completely his own decision and not cricket Australia’s is a statement beyond a joke and a sign he has been pressured to follow strict guidelines.

The minute Watson decided to give us the vice-captaincy, the same night he scored a blistering hundred in the IPL and trundled in for a couple of overs. It was almost a sign of relief, independence and playing cricket with a mindset he has thrived upon.  It was a moment that kick started his IPL and his form with the ball and bat was simply incredible that earned him the tag of the most valuable player.  

Since reaching England he has carried on that form, in the warm up he scored a hundred and even against the loss to England he was Australia’s best bowler.  No doubt, he is Australia’s number 1 cricketer in the short game and one of the reason’s is you don’t have long to think, it is matter of execution and also freedom. 

In his last Test series in India and even in the home series against Sri Lanka, Watson had been constrained by Clarke and the others. The opening role was taken off him and he was told his bowling needed to take a back seat. It just put more pressure on Watson, a scenario he doesn’t quite excel in. People might call it careless but not all cricketers survived in a trapped atmosphere.

The clash between Clarke and Watson could be seen from Day 1 in India. Watson was seen fielding on the third man boundary half way through the day. Not a position Watson has fielded much in his career. If he’s input was not needed then why was the burden on vice captaincy put on him? It certainly affected his batting and more importantly his mindset.

Clarke also entered the game as the same time as Watson, also had a similar entrance into the Australian team. But Clarke was seen as a future leader and perhaps he also expected Watson to follow in his path. This is where Clarke has made a mistake, he along with other Cricket Australia members have tried to complicate Watson’s role.

At 32, this ashes series could be Watson’s last chance to cement himself as a test cricketer. Watson has failed to live up to the demands of Clarke and the team over the past couple of years but perhaps it’s time to take another approach and give him the freedom he needs to shine at the top.  It could determine if Watson has a career in the baggy green or only in coloured clothes.