Lillee inspires Watson comeback

[Donny]

Watson ready to pick up the ball again

By Scott Coghlan - Fox


DENNIS LILLEE is more than just a bowling coach to Tasmania's all-rounder Shane Watson.

The West Australian fast-bowling great is also the inspiration for the 22-year-old as he makes a comeback from the back injury which ended his World Cup dream.

Watson was in the 15-man squad for the World Cup until struck down by a fourth set of stress fractures early last year.

Lillee has been working closely with Watson for the past six months, helping remodel the powerful right-armer's troublesome bowling action in a bid to safeguard his long-term future as a genuine all-rounder by reducing the stress on his back.

But just as important to Watson is the example Lillee provides.

"He's been the best man to help me out mentally," Watson said. "I did have a good talk with Dennis and that helped me out; just to go through the feelings that he had which are obviously very similar to me.

"In my time that I had off I also read his autobiography and that put things more into perspective as well.

"Back when he went through it, he had two years off and no-one actually knew what it was.

"I'm lucky enough that they knew what it was and gave me a deadline of how long it would take to heal and the changes I would have to make. It was great to be able to read his book and know that you can come back and be a better bowler and better player out of it."

It was under the watchful gaze of Lillee that Watson, who has been playing as a specialist batsman for Tasmania and posted a career best 157 just before Christmas, took the significant step of picking up the ball again early last month.

Watson has since been bowling in the nets every four days, with plans to make a bowling comeback in the Pura Cup match against Queensland this month.

Lillee took Watson under his wing when the former Queenslander had his bowling technique assessed at the Cricket Academy in Adelaide in June.

"They broke down my technique bio-mechanically from the footage that they had," Watson said. "They went through the changes that I could make and Dennis has been involved with the process all along and been absolutely brilliant."

Lillee believes Watson will be capable of bowling faster and with new-found outswing when he returns.

"I'm pretty surprised how quickly I've adapted to the technical changes and they came out pretty well straight away," he said. "It has just made my action a lot simpler.

"Now I am a lot more side-on and it has taken a hell of a lot of pressure off my back."

Watson, who has played 23 one-day internationals, said his back was completely healed.

Although he averages better than 40 with the bat at first-class level and 25 with the ball, Watson expects to emerge from the injury setback a more complete cricketer.

"With my time off, I was able to really concentrate on my batting and there were a few technical things that I was able to work on," he said.

"I've been able to do that with my bowling as well, so once I come back to bowling I'm confident I'll be as good as I possibly can be and continue to improve in both aspects."

[The Prototype]

That's some good news for Tassie, and for the Australian team, sounds like Lollee is a busy man these days, who else is he coaching (other than Lee that is)?