Wrap - Let's Banish Watson (LBW)

1. If Shane 'LBW' Watson is not dropped - finally - we are all surely to boycott watching the team at Lords. How Mitchell Marsh could be omitted is beyond me. Firstly Watson's inability to change his technique is because he has NEVER been dropped. He has NEVER had to dig deep and feel the pain and embarrassment to make himself better. The selectors need to take responsibility for that one. His bowling is also not that great. He only bowled 13 overs in over 700 runs scored.

This is where Clarke is dangerous. He surrounds himself with his captain picks - Haddin, Rogers, Watson, Johnson...His own form has been horrible. The form of Haddin has been woeful too. Both need to look closely at themselves or they too will be sacked. Rod Marsh and Mark Waugh will need to have a careful look at whether they like staying employed.

Theoretically, these four Haddin, Rogers, Watson, Johnson - and Clarke himself could all be retired in the coming year.

As for the bowling, Starc was a major disappointment. Sure, got five wickets in the first innings, but so reckless and wayward. He did not build pressure. Then he falls down injured. Too precious for mine. How can this poor performance happen if you are truly concentrating? Wasteful rock star cricketers. Johnson was as terrible. He must be terrible to bowl along side at times. No pressure and worse, no dismissals this time, when they were needed.

There is a valid theory that you cannot have Johnson and Starc in the one team.

Trevor Bayliss has been masterful again.

2. Is it fair to say that going to an Ashes series in England is similar now in psychology to our teams of the 80's travelling to India. We had food, accommodation, umpires complaints then...now it's the pitch, the curators, the swing, the DRS, the weather, the ball...damn that Duke ball...everything except close preparation and professionalism.

I was so disappointed in Voges. He fights hard through a whole Shield season, he plays well in the lead up games, gets a plumb opportunity and plays two very bad, extremely poor, shots. He needs to stand up or perish in Lords.

3. Hawkeye. Is there an instruction manual? It seems as though no one understands it - or owns the decision. There is a ridiculous level of scrutiny now...suffice to say the West Indies would have been dismissed a lot more cheaply - and no team would have gotten half the runs they did against them.

4. When will hotspot be introduced into rugby league for those contested bombs? It shouldn't be too far away, but surprising it is not there already for Origin.

5. Speaking of which...NSW were absolutely pumped. QLD just have that stamp of class and intensity that is undefeatable. We may not see the like of it again. (We live in amazing sporting times really...we have seen many of the best ever in ALL sports like the Windies pace bowlers, Tendulkar, Warne, Tiger Woods, Kelly Slater, Federer/ Nadal/ Djokovic, Ronaldo, Messi, Serena, Phelps....) and throw in Thurston and Inglis.

Unfortunately, those referees were again far too whistle happy and far too influenced by the QLD crowd - as Ennis indicated. But the dropped balls and ill discipline by NSW was the real source of their demise. Mitchell Pearce, Will Hopoate, Ryan Hoffman, Michael Ennis, Trent Hodkinson...have all had their papers stamped 'never to play again'.

6. Serena Williams was awesome. She will retire as the best ever. The 'Serena Slam' has now occurred twice. All four Grand Slams in a row - but not in a calendar year.

7. Such a shame that Warnie lost in the world poker tournament. Imagine him in Vegas post tournament.