Name	Shane Watson
Height	6 ft
Naionality	Australian
Date of Birth	17-June-1981
Place of Birth	Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Famous for	Cricketer

Shane Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically. He debuted for the Australian cricket team in 2002, playing his first One Day International against South Africa. While he has become a regular member of the one-day squad, Watson has played few Test Matches for Australia, having debuted against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2005.

Despite being allocated to be Australia's designated Test all-rounder, injuries have often prevented him from claiming his position in the Test team. However, from the second half of 2009, Watson acted as Australian Test opening batsman, along with Simon Katich. Watson was selected for his first Australian team in early 2002, being selected to tour South Africa with the Test team after topping the Pura Cup wicket-taking charts for Tasmania, as well as steady middle-order batting performances. Australian captain at the time Steve Waugh stated that Watson would possibly be Australia's first genuine all-rounder since Keith Miller and Alan Davidson in the 1950s. Watson expressed joy at being selected in an Australian team with Waugh, whom he cited as his idol. Watson scored an unbeaten century on his debut in a tour match, but did not play in the Tests as the selectors retained the same XI that had swept South Africa 3–0 in the Australian season. Watson did make his ODI debut on tour, ironically replacing Waugh, who was sacked after the team failed to make the ODI finals in the preceding Australian summer. Watson continued as a regular member of the ODI team until he suffered three stress fractures in his back, at the start of 2003, missing the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He was replaced by his Queensland teammate Andrew Symonds, who proceeded to establish his position as the all-rounder after scoring 143* and 91* during the tournament. Ponting suggested that Watson would bat at the number 6 position in the Ashes series against England in 2006–07, and he was named in the squad. However, he came off the ground in a one-day domestic game the week before the first Test with a suspected hamstring tear, which ruled him out for the first three Tests.

Michael Clarke was called up in Watson's place, and responded with a half-century, and then a century to cement Clarke's place in the team. Watson was expected to be fit for the fourth Test on Boxing Day and the MCG in Melbourne, and because of Damien Martyn's unexpected retirement, it looked likely that Watson would be included in the side. However, another injury setback in a match for Queensland ruled Watson out for the rest of the Ashes series. Watson eventually returned in February to the ODI side, replacing Cameron White in the all-rounder position, However he again broke down with injury during the 2007 Cricket World Cup and missed most of the Super 8's before returning in fine style smashing an unbeaten 65 off 32 balls against New Zealand. Injury again struck Watson in the early stages of the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 as he missed most of the tournament due to hamstring strain. He was then out of action for the 2007–08 Australian season. In the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, he showed sublime all-round form. In the first match against Ireland at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, he opened the bowling & took 3/26 (wickets of opener-captain William Porterfield, keeper-batsman Niall O'Brien and dangerous Kevin O'Brien) and then scored a breezy 51 from 30 to help his side win the match in 15.1 overs. He was subsequently awarded the Man of the Match. In the next match against West Indies he again opened bowling & batting, took 2/29 from 4 overs(wickets of devastating Chris Gayle & Kieron Pollard) and then scored 41* from 24 balls to win Man of the Match as his side won by 17 runs (by Duckworth-Lewis method).

Against India, he was used as 2nd change bowler & took 3/34. It was he who had changed the game by taking the wickets of Yuvraj Singh and opener Irfan Pathan in 11th over. He also dismissed dangerous Suresh Raina in the last over. He followed it up with a 72 from 42 balls (7 sixes & 2 fours), and had an 133-run opening partnership in 13.3 overs with David Warner making a mockery of the target 141. Against South Africa, he took 2/29 (wickets of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers) and then followed it up with 70 from 47 balls to win 4 consecutive Man of the Match awards. Watson played in the Indian Premier League for the Rajasthan Royals team. Signed up for US $125,000, he performed well with both the bat and the ball scoring four half-centuries to anchor his team to victory in three matches of the tournament and in the semifinals. He also picked up 17 wickets, won four man of the match awards in his first twelve games and also won the Man of the Series award.