Watson, Marsh add to Aussie batting woes

Australia's beleaguered batting line-up faces fresh problems ahead of their series against India with Shaun Marsh unlikely to be fit for the first Test and question marks over Shane Watson's role.

Left-hander Marsh and opener-cum-all-rounder Watson had been expected to return from injury to shore up the top order after Monday's humiliating loss to New Zealand, when the hosts threw away their last eight wickets for 74 runs.

The first home defeat to New Zealand in 26 years was a heavy blow for a team which will face India on December 26 with veterans Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in the firing line, and the young batsmen also mostly in poor touch.

Selectors

As ex-Test great Shane Warne called for "brave decisions", new coach Mickey Arthur urged the selectors to decide where injury-prone Watson would bat and how much he would be asked to bowl.

"It has been speculated about a huge amount," the South African said.

"We have to come to a point where we make a decision where Shane is going to bat in the batting order and how many overs we expect of him so there is no more debate about the issue." Arthur added that Watson needed a "clear role definition" before the Melbourne Test, indicating he may be moved down the order.

Balance

"We have to balance out how many overs we can possibly get out of him - that is going to determine the balance of the team," he said.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions in terms of selection."

However Watson, 30, told local media that although he is now close to recovering from his hamstring injury, he would probably not be able to bowl in the first Test. "At the moment things are progressing well," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Hopefully if everything continues to go well I'll definitely be fully fit to play on Boxing Day."

Struggling

Arthur has given his backing to struggling Ponting and Hussey, but Warne said it was time for selectors to bring in new blood.

"Some brave decisions need to be made in the interests of Australian cricket to make sure that the best things happen and Australian cricket is strong," he said Tuesday. "That's life. Cricket is a performance-based game. If you don't perform you shouldn't be playing."

He added: "Have we hung on to someone too long? Is there someone else we need to get in there? All those types of questions will be asked so it's a tough one for the selectors."

Meanwhile Marsh has been ruled out of the second tour match against India starting Monday after failing to recover from a back injury, and is "unlikely" to play in Melbourne, according to team performance manager Pat Howard. SYDNEY, Thursday, AFP