Australian opener Shane Watson started life as a specialist batsman on Wednesday with a century against the West Indies in Canberra.
Watson constructed a patient hundred at just under a run a ball, before putting his foot down on the accelerator to finish at 122 off 111 with the innings featuring 12 fours and two sixes including a 114-metre monster – the biggest of the summer.
His downfall came when he holed out to Keiron Pollard at deep backward square leg off the bowling of Kemar Roach.
It is the first century Watson has made for Australia in any format of the game since he smashed 185 not out against Bangladesh in a one-dayer in April 2011.
Part of the reason Watson had such a lean run with the bat can be attributed to a horror run of injuries he’s had from his high workload as an allrounder.
Watson only returned to the Australian side after injuring his calf during the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka.
The NSW star admitted during the week he’d love to continue bowling for Australia but told reporters he’d consider giving it up if he was hitting the ball well enough.
However captain Michael Clarke has shown less enthusiasm for the move, saying he would like to see Watson continue as an allrounder.
“If he’s at the top of his game and he’s not bowling, in my opinion he’s still in our top six batters in all three forms of the game,” Clarke said.
“(But) I would really like Shane to be an allrounder. I think it’s been his greatest asset to our team.”