Watson key to selection jigsaw

So snugly fitting are the component parts of Australia’s reinvigorated Test team that should uncapped Alex Doolan be summoned to fill the No.3 batting berth it is also likely to herald the departure of his Tasmanian captain and close friend, George Bailey.

Doolan was today added to Australia’s 14-man squad for the fifth Commonwealth Bank Ashes Test that begins in Sydney on Friday, as cover for all-rounder Shane Watson who continues to receive medical treatment for a groin problem.

While it would outwardly appear that 28-year-old Doolan, a No.3 specialist, would act as a straight swap should Watson fail to make muster, the knock-on effects of such a decision are considerably more complex.

In the wake of Australia’s emphatic fourth Test victory in Melbourne yesterday, coach Darren Lehmann reaffirmed that he wanted five bowlers at his disposal in every Test as he believed that was the key to capturing 20 opposition wickets.

While Watson’s bowling input has been minimal this series – just 44 overs in four Tests from which he’s claimed four wickets – he does provide crucial support and a chance to rest the frontline quicks.

If injury was to cost him his place for the New Year Test and Doolan was to debut in the vital batting role at No.3, it would also mean an additional bowler would have to be added.

Australia’s bowling coach Craig McDermott remains confident Watson will be passed fit and the rest of the dominoes can stay safely in situ for the time being.

But he indicated that should the more intricate scenario become a necessity, all-rounder James Faulkner would likely be slotted into the middle-order, probably at No.7 with in-form wicketkeeper Brad Haddin elevated to six.

Which, in turn, would mean Bailey – who has failed to nail shut his spot and has averaged less than tailenders Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris in the series to date – would be squeezed out.

A decision on Watson’s fitness will be delayed until shortly before the fifth Test begins, and McDermott pointed to the fact that the all-rounder ran between the wickets without trouble during his unbeaten 83 that guided Australia to victory yesterday.

But he also conceded the prospect of Watson being unable to contribute with the ball meant a potential conundrum for the selectors and the team’s brains trust.

“That depends on Watto because he’s our fifth bowler, so if he’s fully fit and raring to go then it helps the balance of our team unbelievably,” McDermott said.

“It’s like South Africa with Jacques Kallis over the last 18 years, and they are going to have an enormous hole to plug in the upcoming series (against Australia).

“So (Faulkner) is probably a good option to look at, he’s been around the team for four Tests now and done everything asked of him.

“He’s a good, young guy and a very talented cricketer so that would probably be the selectors’ next option.

“I’m not 100% sure on that, (but) then we can keep our three (specialist) quicks and our spinner rolling through as well.”

Certainly, Doolan won’t be called in to fill an all-rounder’s role.

“I’ve seen him bowl – it’s not very good,” Australian batting coach and fellow Tasmanian Michael Di Venuto said today.

McDermott also expressed confidence that Harris would recover from the general soreness, blisters and chronic knee problems he is battling after a heavy summer workload to take his place in the Sydney Test.

Should both he and Watson fail to come up, it could mean that Australia bloods two Test debutants with uncapped Nathan Coulter-Nile maintaining his place in the squad as the auxiliary pace bowler while Doug Bollinger was released to resume his playing commitments in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash League.

McDermott claimed it was scarcely unprecedented that a complement of fast bowlers could survive a five-Test series without needing a spell, and it was now incumbent on some of the younger quicks who had been plagued by injury in recent times to show the same level of resilience.

“Rhino (Harris) is a bit sore but I don’t think anybody played too many Test matches as a fast bowler without pulling up sore,” McDermott said.

“It’s been around a long time where players can actually play five Test matches in a row.

“That’s not a new thing, and I think we have to work hard with our younger players so they can play a full series as well, if and when they get the chance.

“I’m looking forward to the same three guys (Harris, Johnson and Peter Siddle) playing all three Tests in South Africa once this series is done.”

However, he put paid to any suggestions that a second specialist spinner might also need to be drafted into the Australian squad should the SCG pitch live up to its recent history and provide a potential haven for slow bowlers.

“We’ve got by on some pretty tough wickets this summer with one spinner so I don’t think that’s going to be something we will be looking at,” McDermott said.

“You couldn’t get anything flatter and more docile than Adelaide and we got through that with the bowlers we had and won fairly easily.”