Watson shaken in nets bouncer scare
SHANE WATSON sent a scare through the Australian camp when he was hit on the helmet in the Melbourne Cricket Ground nets while preparing for the Boxing Day test.
The all-rounder was struck by a short-pitched delivery from paceman James Pattinson yesterday and left the nets to be seen by the team doctor.
A visibly shaken Pattinson also left the nets following the incident.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson said the dazed Watson was shaken but otherwise OK after vice-captain Brad Haddin later confirmed his team-mate had escaped unscathed.
‘‘I had a chat to him – he’s a bit shaken, but he’s OK,’’ Haddin said.
The tragic death of Phillip Hughes last month has heightened sensi- tivity around batsmen getting struck on the head, but Haddin was reluctant to read much into the incident.
‘‘It’s just getting hit in the head – he’s just a bit shaken,’’ he said.
‘‘He’s shaken as anyone would be. I can’t really go into any more details because there’s no more details to give.’’
Paceman Mitchell Starc also required treatment after being hit on the knee while batting and limping away from the session.
‘‘He’s all right. He just hit the ball onto the inside of his knee,’’ Haddin said.
Starc is expected to be replaced in the team for the third test against India, with veteran paceman Ryan Harris likely to return from injury.
Opener David Warner was a notable absentee from the nets, watching on with his injured thumb, but he is still expected to play.
After a fiery second test in Brisbane that included heated exchanges between the teams, paceman Mitchell Johnson was keen for hostilities to continue when Australia attempt to clinch victory in the four-test series at the MCG.
‘‘I hope so – it seemed to work for me last time,’’ Johnson said when asked if he thought the Indians would again target him with sledging.
‘‘If they come hard at me again, then that’s great but, if they don’t, I’ve just got to keep playing the way that I’ve been playing.’’
Opener Chris Rogers returned to much-needed form with two halfcenturies at the Gabba and the 37-year-old was delighted to have put a lean spell with the bat behind him.
‘‘I felt a lot better at the crease and a bit of time out there helps. It was a better wicket for me.’’