Shane Watson

Shane Robert Watson (born 17 June 1981) is an Australian former cricketer, and occasional captain in all formats, who has played for Australia's national cricket team. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast-medium swing bowler who played international cricket between 2002 and 2016. He was the world No. 1 T20I all-rounder for 150 weeks, including an all-time record of 120 consecutive weeks (13 Oct 2011 – 30 January 2014). He was the last player to retire from Australia's golden era of the early 2000s.Shane Watson announces international retirement at end of World Twenty20
Abc.net.au (24 March 2016). Retrieved on 26 May 2018.Watson to retire at end of World T20
Cricket.com.au (24 March 2016). Retrieved on 26 May 2018.
Espncricinfo.com (24 March 2016). Retrieved on 26 May 2018.

Watson holds several records in T20Is, ODIs and T20s. According to ''Forbes'', Watson was the highest-paid non-Indian cricketer in the world for five consecutive years between 2011 and 2015.

He is considered one of the most influential white ball all-rounders in this era and won the ''Player of the Series'' or ''Most Valuable Player'' award in a number of crucial tournaments, including the 2009 Champions Trophy, 2012 World T20, 2008 IPL and 2013 IPL. He is one of the two players to score a century and take a hat-trick in the Indian Premier League along with Rohit Sharma.

On 2 November 2020, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Ahead of IPL 2022, Watson joined Delhi Capitals as assistant coach of the franchise.

Early life and career

Watson was raised in Ipswich, Queensland. For his education he attended St Marys Primary School and Ipswich Grammar School. He began playing cricket at an early age and represented Queensland Primary Schools in an interstate championship in Darwin in 1993. He began playing club cricket in Ipswich for the local Brothers club, then played Brisbane Grade Cricket for Eastern Suburbs. He represented the state at both under-17s level (in 1996/97) and under-19s level (in 1997/98, 1998/99, and 1999/00), and ultimately represented Australia in the 2000 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Watson was an AIS Australian Cricket Academy scholarship holder in 2000. Before 2000, players who were part of the academy were required to play cricket in their home states in the following year, but a rule change that year made Watson a free agent, and he chose to move to Hobart, Tasmania where he was guaranteed an immediate place in the Tasmanian state team. He played for Tasmania in the second half of the 2000–01 Sheffield Shield season, making his way up the order from batting at number 7 on debut to batting at number 4 at season's end. In half a season he scored 309 runs at an average of 51.50, including his maiden first-class century in his fifth match, and took 11 wickets at an average of 26.27. At the end of the season he signed a three-year contract with Tasmania.

International career

2002–2009

Watson was first selected for the Australian team in early 2002, being selected to tour South Africa with the Test team. He had topped the Pura Cup wicket-taking charts for Tasmania, as well as had steady middle-order batting performances. On the tour, he played a tour match against the South Africa A side, where he scored a quickfire century off of 96 deliveries and took three wickets. Watson also made his ODI debut on tour, replacing Steve Waugh, who was sacked after the team failed to make the finals of the 2001–02 VB Series.

Watson continued as a regular member of the ODI team in place of Waugh despite public support for Waugh to return to the ODI team. He stayed in the team until the start of 2003, when he suffered three stress fractures in his back, meaning he missed the 2003 Cricket World Cup. When he returned to cricket from his injury, he was only able to bat, not bowl, while his recovery finished.

Watson was contracted with Hampshire to play county cricket in 2004. He signed as a replacement player, as Hampshire knew that their two international players ( Shane Warne and Michael Clarke) would be unavailable for part of the season while they played for Australia.

Watson returned to regular ODI duty in the 2004–05 season, as a bowling all rounder. He also made his test debut in the Third Test against Pakistan as the fifth bowler, to allow Australia to play two spinners and three pace bowlers on a dry Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

Australian selectors included Watson as the fifth bowler and all rounder in all Test matches following the 2005 Ashes series. Watson played against the ICC World XI in the role, but he dislocated his shoulder in just his second Test in that designated role against the West Indies, after diving to field a ball. Watson was again replaced by Symonds and was unable to represent Australia for the remainder of the summer.

This changed when Watson opened the batting for Australia at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, alongside wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, instead of Simon Katich. After failing in the first two matches against the West Indies and England, Watson made a 50 in Australia's victory over India, which sealed their place in the semi-finals, he then took 2 wickets and scored 57 not out in the finals to seal the win. In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy held in South Africa, Watson again played a prominent role, making two consecutive 100s against England and New Zealand in semi-final and final, helping Australia to defend their title.

Watson was named in the squad for the 2006–07 Ashes series against England. However, he came off the ground in a one-day domestic game the week before the first Test with a suspected hamstring tear, which ruled him out for the first three Tests. Michael Clarke was called up in Watson's place, and responded with a half-century, and then a century to cement Clarke's place in the team.

Watson was expected to be fit for the fourth Test on Boxing Day and the MCG in Melbourne, and because of Damien Martyn's unexpected retirement, it looked likely that Watson would be included in the side. However, another injury setback in a match for Queensland ruled Watson out for the rest of the Ashes series. Watson eventually returned in February to the ODI side, replacing Cameron White in the all rounder position, However he again broke down with injury during the 29th match of 2007 Cricket World Cup and missed two matches of the Super 8's before returning in fine style scoring an unbeaten 65 off 32 balls against New Zealand. Injury again struck Watson in the early stages of the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 as he missed most of the tournament due to hamstring strain. He was then out of action for the 2007–08 Australian season.

After Symonds was omitted from the Australian team for disciplinary reasons, Watson took the all rounder's position for the tour of India in late 2008, batting at No. 6. During the Third Test in Delhi, he was involved in a series of confrontations with Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who scored a double century and reached his century by lofting Watson over midwicket for six.

After returning to Australia, Symonds was recalled to the Test team and both all rounders played in the First Test against New Zealand in Brisbane. As the pitch was a green, rain-affected moist surface expected to favour seamers, spinner Jason Krejza was dropped to accommodate two seam bowling all rounders. After the match, which Australia won, Watson was dropped as spinner Nathan Hauritz was included and Symonds retained. Symonds continued to perform poorly, and there were calls for Watson to take his place, but both men then fell injured at the end of the year, Watson with a stress fracture. Watson returned to international duty in the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE, scoring a century.

He returned to the Australian Test side for the 3rd Ashes Test match at Edgbaston on 30 July 2009 as an opener. In a rain interrupted match he made 62 and 53 batting alongside Simon Katich. He scored his second highest Test score of 96 against the West Indies in the Second Test in Adelaide in December 2009. He and Katich put on a century stand and he had reached 96 at stumps, only to inside edge his first ball of the next morning onto his stumps while attempting to hit a boundary to reach his century. In the Third Test, he made 89 in another century stand with Katich. In the second innings, he removed opposition captain Chris Gayle and then charged towards him, screaming in celebration directly in front of him. This earned him a fine from the match referee, and considerable criticism from much of the Australian public.

In the First Test against Pakistan, he made 93 runs on Boxing Day and featured in his third century stand in as many matches with Katich, but was run out after a mix-up with Katich in which both players ended up running towards the same end, again falling short of his debut Test hundred. On Day four, Watson finally made his first Test hundred, which came in interesting style, by hitting the ball hard to the fielder at point who put the catch down. When Ponting declared, he remained not out on 120. Watson was awarded man of the match on 30 December for his role in Australia's Test victory.

In the second innings of the Second Test at the SCG, Watson fell short of another century, dismissed for 97. During this Test, the Australian Cricket Media Association presented Watson with Australian Cricketer of the Year Award.

2010–2019

In the first test of Australia's 2010 tour of India, Watson opened his account with his second test century – an attritional 126 runs off 338 balls on a slow, low Mohali pitch. The innings capped an excellent start to the tour, as he also scored a century in each innings of the warm-up match, albeit at a much brisker pace. He topscored again in the second innings with a run-a-ball 56, which proved vital in setting a competitive target as Australia's middle order again collapsed in spectacular fashion following his dismissal.

During this period as an opener, he had the highest Australian Test batting average (50.40) for 2 calendar years (2009–2010).

On 30 March 2011, Watson was named test and ODI vice-captain. On 11 April 2011 he made 185 not out off 96 balls against Bangladesh. Watson made several records in this match, which include most sixes, highest score by an Australian batsman, fastest 150, most runs from boundaries, highest individual score while chasing in an ODI and highest score in the second innings of an ODI match, dethroning MS Dhoni's 183 not out against Sri Lanka in 2005. But his record of highest individual score while chasing in an ODI was broken when Fakhar Zaman scored 193 in a losing cause on 4 April 2021 in the 2nd ODI against South Africa while chasing 342.

During 2010–2013, he won a series of Australian "Player of the Year" awards, including Allan Border Medal in 2010 and 2011.

Before the start of 2012 ICC World Twenty20, there were no expectations on Australia as it was ranked only 10th in the world. After two stages of the tournament, Australia were placed at sixth, moving up four places and became one of the favourites to win the tournament. This is the only time a team's place in the rankings has changed so drastically in a short time, due to four straight wins against top-ranked teams. Much of this success was due to an in-form Shane Watson.

In the first match against Ireland at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Watson opened the bowling and took 3–26 (the wickets of opener-captain William Porterfield, keeper-batsman Niall O'Brien and all-rounder Kevin O'Brien); he then scored 51 from 30 balls to help his side win the match in 15.1 overs. He was subsequently named as Man of the Match. In the next match against the West Indies he again opened the bowling and batting, taking 2–29 from 4 overs (the wickets of Chris Gayle & Kieron Pollard). He then scored 41 not out from 24 balls to win the Man of the Match award as his side won by 17 runs (by the Duckworth-Lewis method). Against India, he was used as second change bowler and took 3–34. It was he who had changed the game by taking the wickets of Yuvraj Singh and opener Irfan Pathan in the 11th over. He also dismissed Suresh Raina in the last over. He followed it up with 72 from 42 balls (7 sixes and 2 fours) making a mockery of the target 141.Shane Watson threat looms over South Africa.
Retrieved on 30 April 2015. Against South Africa he took 2–29 (the wickets of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers), following it up with 70 from 47 balls to win his fourth consecutive Man of the Match award. At the completion of the group stages and Super Eight stages, Watson had the most runs, wickets and sixes.One-man team Shane Watson makes it four from four for Australia
Independent.co.uk. Retrieved on 26 May 2018.Samiuddin, Osman (30 September 2012
Patience pays for prudent Shane Watson
thenational.ae His dominance with both bat and ball made him the unanimous choice of the experts to be named Player of the Tournament.

Before the 3rd Test against India in March 2013, the team management of Michael Clarke, who was also a selector at the time, and coach Mickey Arthur, dropped four players from the 3rd test, which included vice-captain Shane Watson, along with James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja for failing to make a presentation on team performance. Watson had subsequently flown back to Australia due to the birth of his first child. Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur were severely criticized and ridiculed by the public, media and former players for such a silly decision. Watson returned to the team for the fourth and final test of the series, and captained the test side (due to an injury to Clarke) for the only time in his career. After the tour, Watson resigned as vice-captain, while Cricket Australia sacked Mickey Arthur as coach and stripped Michael Clarke as a selector in the following weeks.

Shane Watson was named as one of the members of Australia's 15-man World Cup squad on 11 January 2015. He played in all but one of Australia's World Cup matches, as Australia went on to win the tournament.

Watson had a disappointing start to his World Cup campaign, dismissed for a first ball duck in Australia's first match of the tournament against England, and dismissed for 23 against New Zealand in a losing effort. As a result of his poor form, Watson was dropped for Australia's match against Afghanistan, and was replaced by James Faulkner. However, he was reinstated for Australia's next match against Sri Lanka , scoring 67 off 41 balls, and taking 1/71 off 7 overs as Australia prevailed by 64 runs. In Australia's final group stage match, against Scotland, Watson scored 24 runs from 23 balls and took 1/18 off three overs as Australia defeated Scotland by 7 wickets and qualified for the knockout stage.

In Australia's quarter final match against Pakistan, Watson was on the receiving end of a memorable fierce bowling spell from Wahab Riaz, a spell which won Riaz plaudits from numerous cricketers past and present
, with Michael Clarke referring to Riaz's performance 'as good as I've faced in ODI cricket for a long time' and Kevin Pietersen describing the spell as the "Best spell of bowling by a foreigner on Aussie soil for years". After being dropped by Rahat Ali at square leg at 4 runs, Watson went on to score 64 not out from 66 balls as Australia recorded a 6 wicket victory with 97 balls to spare.

Watson played in Australia's 95 run semi-final victory over India, with Watson scoring 28 runs from 30 balls. Watson played in the 2015 Cricket World Cup Final, scoring 2 not out as Australia prevailed over New Zealand by 7 wickets, winning their fifth Cricket World Cup as a result.

On 31 January 2016, Watson was named T20I captain and became one of the few Australians to captain in all formats, he opened the innings after a long gap and scored 124*, which made several records, including becoming the first Australian batsman to score a century in all three formats of the game.Updated, Aprameya C. (31 January 2016
The records that Watson set
Oneindia.com. Retrieved on 26 May 2018.

He retired from international cricket in 2016 and became the last player to retire from Australia's golden era of the early 2000s. He was named Australia's T20 International Player of the Year on 23 January 2017.

In November 2019, he was elected as the President of the Australian Cricketers' Association.

T20 franchise cricket

Watson played for Rajasthan Royals in seven of the first eight seasons of the Indian Premier League, signing for the side for the inaugural IPL season in 2008. He was the Player of the Tournament during the season, but missed the second season whilst on international duty. In 2013 he scored his first Twenty20 century playing against Chennai Super Kings, scoring 101 runs from 61 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes. He again won the Player of the Tournament in 2013. He captained the side in 2014 and was the highest-paid overseas player.

After the suspension of Rajasthan for two season, he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016. He captained the side for some matches during the 2017 season but was signed by Chennai Super Kings for the following season. He scored his third and fourth IPL centuries during the 2018 season, and remained with the side in 2019, losing the 2019 final. He played his final IPL season in 2020 for Chennai.

Watson signed with Australian Big Bash League franchise Sydney Thunder in 2015 and was a member of the team that won the BBL that season. He was the captain of the team. He played for the side until the end of the 2018/19 season.

In 2016 Watson was announced as one of the icon players for the first season of the Pakistan Super League. He played for Islamabad United initially, moving to Quetta Gladiators in subsequent seasons. The same year he was a marquee player in the Caribbean Premier League, playing in the league for two seasons.

Records

Twenty20 International

* Held the number one ICC ranking position for a record 150 weeks, including a record 120 consecutive weeks (13 Oct 2011All-Rounder Rankings on 13 Oct 2011
Relianceiccrankings.com. Retrieved on 26 May 2018. – 30 January 2014;All-Rounder Rankings on 30 Jan 2014
Relianceiccrankings.com. Retrieved on 26 May 2018.Full Rankings Graph of Shane Watson
Relianceiccrankings.com. Retrieved on 26 May 2018.
* First player to have held the number one ranking in both the batting and all-rounder category.ICC Rankings – Shane Watson.
Relianceiccrankings.com.
* Only player to score a century and have taken four wickets in an innings.
Espncricinfo.com. Retrieved on 26 May 2018.
* First player to score a hundred and take a wicket in the same T20I.Shane Watson Slams Maiden Twenty20 International Century in Sydney, Breaks Plethora of Records
Sports.ndtv.com (31 January 2016). Retrieved on 26 May 2018.
* Most wickets, sixes by an Australian.

One Day International

* Fastest Australian to score 5000 runs and take 150 wickets.
* Highest ODI score
Espncricinfo.com (11 April 2011). Retrieved on 26 May 2018. and most sixes in an innings, by an Australian.

Other

* First player to score a century and have taken four wickets in an innings in all forms of cricket.
* First Australian to score international centuries in all three formats.
* Fastest player to score 6,000 runs and take 200 wickets in Twenty20 matches; achieved in 249 matches. The only other player to achieve this did it in over 300 matches.
* First player to win Australian "Player of the Year" award in all formats. Won seven such awards (3 ODI, 3 T20I, 1 Test), which is the most by any player. Also the only player to have won all five major awards.

Career best performances

Awards

* Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: 2002
* Australian ODI Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2012
* Australian Twenty20 Player of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2017
* Australian Test Player of the Year: 2011
* Allan Border Medal: 2010, 2011
* McGilvray Medal 2010

Personal life

Watson is married to broadcaster Lee Furlong. They have two children. In 2017, Watson launched a sports clinic, ''Let’s Activate'', for children. It teaches the basics of sports skills, using songs, movement, dance and sports activities. Watson has his own podcast called ''Lessons Learnt with the Greats''.

International centuries

Watson scored 14 centuries in international cricket, four in Test matches, nine in ODIs and one in a Twenty20 International.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Shane
Allan Border Medal winners
Australia One Day International cricketers
Australia Twenty20 International cricketers
Australia Test cricket captains
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