In defence of Shane Watson, whose record is better than his reputation

The all-rounder, who is much more affable and sincere than he is assumed to be based on his often terse on-field antics, cared a lot more for playing the longest form of the game for more than a decade than many Australian supporters cared for him being there. That was palpable when, about 10 minutes after telling his teammates, his voice was still quivering when he shared his news with journalists.

Watson retires as one of five Australians to have a batting average of at least 35 (minimum 1000 runs) and a bowling average of under 35 (minimum 50 wickets).

While his career batting average of 35.2 is seven runs off his peak during the 2010-11 Ashes is still stacks up well with the other four Australians to have reached that mark: Warwick "The Big Ship" Armstrong, Jack Gregory, Charles Kellaway and Keith Miller. The only one markedly ahead of Watson for either discipline was the Invicibles' Miller, who with ball averaged 22.98 compared to Watson's 33.68.

Among international peers, there are a number of great all-rounders who failed to match Watson in averaging both above 35 with the bat and below 35 with the ball. They include Andrew Flintoff, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri and Frank Worrell.

Undoubtedly the high point of Watson's Test career was his first 18 months as opener.

Ricky Ponting's faith in him to partner Simon Katich midway through the 2009 Ashes, to which point he had averaged 19.77 from No.6 or No.7 in his eight Tests in four and a half years, was handsomely rewarded, by the platform Watson helped to build if not team success.

From when Watson started opening during the 2009 Ashes until the end of the 2010-11 series his record across 19 Tests was 1696 runs at an average of 49.88.

He was ridiculed for taking so long to get that first Test century - he did it comically in the 2009 Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, after being dropped on 99 after reaching 85 in three of his preceding five innings - but was never given enough credit for how reliable he was at seeing off the new ball.

In that period Watson reached 20 in all but eight of his 36 innings as opener. Furthermore, only in one of his seven series did he average less than 38 with the bat - and in that series, in 2010 against Pakistan in England, he took 11 wickets at 10.64).

In his 15 Tests partnering Katich their average opening partnership was 54.39. Of openers to have played at least 10 Tests together, only two Australia pairs have averaged more: Bill Brown and Jack Fingleton (63.75) and Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson (60.95).

The partnership ended in mid-2011, soon after the home Ashes defeat, when selectors flicked Katich in the belief they needed a younger successor to partner Watson in 2013 (a series in which the replacement selectors chose Chris Rogers). While that was the formal end for Katich, it also heralded the end of Watson's best with the red ball.

When he missed all of the 2011-12 home Tests due to injury it created the opportunity for David Warner that he has taken so decisively. Watson batted at No.3 on his return and floated throughout the order, even returning to his coveted opening berth, but he was never able to recapture the form showed in his first incarnation as opener, when he was so commanding against the new ball.

Watson has not helped his cause with his lethargic body language (particularly in the field and when bowling). It fed the perception he was someone who took playing for his country for granted, when the reality was anything but.

And while the merits of his continued selection in the Test team were fiercely debated it was done as if Watson himself had commanded selectors to retain him, when he was simply a beneficiary of their faith.

It is a fact that Watson is, with four centuries from 28 scores in excess of 50, in Australia's all-time top 10 for worst conversion rates for 50 to 100 (among those who have scored at least one century) in Tests.

If mental weakness was the cause, as is popularly suggested, that does not explain how Watson holds the three highest Australian scores made in the second innings, the chase, of a one-dayer: 185 not out off 96 deliveries versus Bangladesh at Mirpur in April 2011, 161 not out off 150 versus England January 2011 in the record MCG chase of 4-297, 136 not out off 132 versus England in the 2009 Champions Trophy.

The MCG innings was particularly stirring as it came as his hometown of Ipswich was stricken by flooding, prompting Watson to temporarily leave the squad to fly home the next day to help and lift spirits in any way he could.

Watson was fortunate to have played the first Ashes Test ahead of Mitch Marsh, and while his batting in Cardiff was more competent than Marsh's throughout the series his younger peer remains a better investment in Test cricket.

The time is right for Watson to retire from Test cricket. With him just focusing on limited-overs, and biffing the ball about as he did so impressively at Lord's on Saturday (when he suffered the series-ending injury), it might make more people appreciate what he is, rather than bemoan what he could be or should be.

AUSTRALIA'S BEST WITH BAT AND BALL

Australian all-rounders to have averaged at least with 35 with the bat (minimum 1000 runs) and under 35 with the ball (minimum 50 wickets) in Tests:
Warwick Armstrong (Jan 1902 to Aug 1921): 50m, 2863r at 38.69, 87w at 33.6.
Jack Gregory (Dec 1920 to Dec 1928): 24m, 1146r at 36.97, 85w at 31.15.
Charles Kelleway (Dec 1910 to Dec 1928): 26m, 1422r at 37.42, 52w at 32.37.
Keith Miller (Mar 1946 to Oct 1956): 55m, 2958r at 36.97, 170w at 22.98.
Shane Watson (Jan 2005 to Jul 2015): 59m, 3731r at 35.2, 75w at 33.68.

Some overseas all-rounders who met that criteria, of above 35 with bat and below 35 with ball:
Gary Sobers (WI - Mar 1954 to Apr 1974): 93m, 8032r at 57.78, 235w at 34.04.
Tony Greig (Eng - Jun 1972 to Aug 1977): 58m, 3599r at 40.44, 141w at 32.21.
Imran Khan (Pak - Jun 1971 to Jan 1992): 88m, 3807r at 37.69, 362w at 22.81.
Jacques Kallis (SAf - Dec 1995 to Dec 2013): 166m, 13,289r at 55.37, 292w at 32.65.

Some overseas all-rounders who failed to meet that criteria, of above 35 with bat and below 35 with ball:
Frank Worrell (WI - Feb 1948 to Aug 1963): 51m, 3860r at 49.49, 69w at 38.72.
Ian Botham (Eng - Jul 1977 to Jun 1992): 102m, 5200r at 33.55, 383w at 28.4.
Kapil Dev (Ind - Oct 1978 to Mar 1994): 131m, 5248r at 31.05, 434w at 29.65.
Ravi Shastri (Ind - Feb 1981 to Dec 1992): 80m, 3830r at 35.79, 151w at 40.96.
Andrew Flintoff (Eng - Jul 1998 to Aug 2009): 79m, 3845r at 31.78, 226w at 32.79.