“Good luck, Douggie”

I took a page out of Neil Manthorp’s book and made a prediction that the Dolphins would lose if Doug Watson did not play in the Standard Bank Pro20 Final. I have to tell you, Neil, it feels good to take a stab at something and then be right. Unlike you, I’m sure I won’t get too many things right as I make predictions or speculations. Back to the cricket, and watching Imran Khan bat for his few balls was painful. That’s all it was. He managed to spare a Dale Steyn over, who was bowling at ferocious pace and some good swing, then succumbing to a ridiculous attempted pull shot off Mbhalati to be caught at square leg. Granted it was a good catch, but Khan’s sense of timing in one-day cricket has been very limited, excuse the pun. If you’re going to play a pull, go full out. In a match like this, BMT was needed and Doug Watson is one of those players who can hold up an end – yes, even T20 cricket requires holding up an end at times – while Rowley smashed the bowling all over the park. Not to be as the Dolphins were put under pressure from the 2nd over.

Congratulations to the Titans on a well-deserved victory. They truly do have a complete package in the shorter format of the game. A solid top 4, good all-rounders in the middle, and then a superb bowling line-up that would intimidate any IPL team. The axing of Doug Watson apparently did not make headlines in South Africa according to iafrica.com writer, Dan Nicholls. Why should it? He’s just another first-class player to be dumped for no reason. But it should start to beg some questions regarding selection policies. Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel have felt the heat of such, but have at least had the support of those around the country. Doug Watson has just his small fan-base in Durban, Chatsworth and the Central Coast of California. “Good luck, Douggie. Go Kolpak and enjoy your last few years playing real cricket…cricket that is played with the heart”.

 

Tags: cricket, dolphins, doug, imran khan, pro20, titans, watson