Shane Watson a better No.6 than Mitchell Marsh: Shane Warne
Shane Warne has said that the move to play all-rounder Shane Watson at No.6 can work wonders for Australia in the ongoing World Cup. Watson was dropped for the game against Afghanistan at Perth owing to poor form, but was called back for their subsequent game against Sri Lanka at Sydney where he faired well playing down the order.
Watson, coming back into the side in place of Mitchell Marsh against Lanka, scored 67 off 41 balls and then picked up the crucial wicket of Angelo Mathews to shift the game in Australia’s favour. The leg-spinning great believes that Watson is better suited to play as a finisher and is more penetrative than Marsh with the ball.
The 45-year-old said: "I think the way it's panned out Australia have stumbled on their best side. Shane Watson wasn't making any runs at three, Mitchell Marsh was doing ok but he's still young and inexperienced but a wonderful talent.
“He got hit a bit against Afghanistan in Perth and looking at that wicket in Sydney they wanted a bit more experience and I could see that selection.”
He added: "If Watson comes in at six, with Warner and Finch at the top they go off and hopefully get quick runs, and then you've got Smith and Clarke for that control and to lay a foundation or platform for Watson, Maxwell, Faulkner and Haddin to come. If the guys play well we're going to be posting such big scores and then we've got so many match winners with the ball too.”
The Michael Clarke-led side will play their final Pool A game, against Scotland, at Hobart on Saturday. They have already qualified for the quarterfinals.