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Watto
The incredibly forthright autobiography from Australia's most consistent cricketer, and recently anointed new vice captain, is a compelling, inspiring and surprising account of his journey from great potential to deep despair and then personal triumph. "'There's nothing more we can do for you. Maybe it's time you gave up bowling. Concentrate on your batting.' "September 2007
For Shane Watson, this was a body blow, even more devastating than the injuries that had stalled his promising career. It felt like the end of his boyhood dreams of being Australia's number one all-rounder. He was shattered. He might never wear the Baggy Green again, even as a batsman. With so many talented young players available, he was losing the weapon that made him stand out from the crowd.
Back in February 2002, at the age of 20, Shane had been on a plane bound for South Africa with all his idols-the Waugh brothers, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. He was only among the reserve players, but was already being hailed as the best up-and-coming all-rounder in the country. Yet in the next four years he sustained so many injuries so frequently that almost everybody lost faith in him. But, even through the darkest of days, he never lost belief in himself.
Fast forward to March 2011. Shane is vice captain of the Australian Test and One-Day teams, and has become an opening batsman of prodigious talent, a reflexive catcher at first slip and a bowler who rarely fails to take wickets. To many observers, he has become his nation's most valuable player and surely the first name on the team sheet in all forms of the game. Here is his compelling and inspiring account of his journey from great potential to deep despair and then personal triumph.
For Shane Watson, this was a body blow, even more devastating than the injuries that had stalled his promising career. It felt like the end of his boyhood dreams of being Australia's number one all-rounder. He was shattered. He might never wear the Baggy Green again, even as a batsman. With so many talented young players available, he was losing the weapon that made him stand out from the crowd.
Back in February 2002, at the age of 20, Shane had been on a plane bound for South Africa with all his idols-the Waugh brothers, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. He was only among the reserve players, but was already being hailed as the best up-and-coming all-rounder in the country. Yet in the next four years he sustained so many injuries so frequently that almost everybody lost faith in him. But, even through the darkest of days, he never lost belief in himself.
Fast forward to March 2011. Shane is vice captain of the Australian Test and One-Day teams, and has become an opening batsman of prodigious talent, a reflexive catcher at first slip and a bowler who rarely fails to take wickets. To many observers, he has become his nation's most valuable player and surely the first name on the team sheet in all forms of the game. Here is his compelling and inspiring account of his journey from great potential to deep despair and then personal triumph.
304 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 18, 2012
This was a great book for not only cricket fans but anyone interested in sport. The book was written so that it seemed like Shane Watson is sitting in your lounge room telling you his story. I really enjoyed this book and a look at the life of a cricket great behind the scenes,
July 21, 2012
Yes, unusual to write a book halfway through your career, except that when he started writing he thought it was ending. A really interesting book.
August 27, 2023
At first, I searched different book stores of Lahore to find this book, alas I returned home empty handed then I searched different websites to get a cheap PDF copy but to no avail. Afterwards, I switched to Amazon, where the price of the book lead me off.
Then after 4 years, Z Library made my day, and I started reading it in late march. I read the story of the cricketer, whom I mimicked when I used to play cricket at school level. I ran like him, jump like him and even copy the impact when his foot hit the ground.
But my admiration for Watson was only limited to his cricket against other nations. Whenever he played against Pakistan, I wanted him to perform well but not that kind of great that cost us the match. The only time, I wanted him to get dismissed at big ZERO, when Wahab Riaz belting fire against Australians in the much talked Quarter Final of 2015 world cup. It was a spell of passion and dream, which Watson ignited when he sledged him in the slips. In his turn, Wahab give it back and fought like a wounded warrior. If Rahat had completed that catch, there would have been a different story because we Pakistanis never looked back whenever we got a push.
If you extract that innings, Watson was playing average in that world cup and his innings with Steve Smith was instrumental to get them title against New Zealanders.
If I talk about the biography, It was geniuine, Watson didn't blabbed about greatness, nor he loathed against anyone. He shares his story, where he talked about his weaknesses more than his strengths, his failures more than triumphs. Amazingly, in one of the chapters, he sympathetically understood the crisis of the spot fixing, and the dynamics and traps that were faced by Asian cricketers.
I read it in pure admiration of Watto but as a young Physiotherapist and especially emerging Sports Physiotherapist, it helped me to understand the psyche of a sportsmen, up closed and personally. I studied his training regime, the protocols he followed to get back on the field as his body was prone to injuries. It would definitely aide me, If I came across a cricketer of his calibre or even a sports guy whose dreams are aligned with the fitness of his body mechanics.
"Watto" is a story of a man who evolved with every challenge in his life, whose started his career as a bowler who was labeled as too soft to play competitive cricket yet became one of the most sought after All rounder in the cricketing world.
Though this book covers his cricketing and personal journey till mid of 2011 but If you're free and want to read something inspiring then choose "Watto" and know the nicest bloke from the cricket Australia.
Then after 4 years, Z Library made my day, and I started reading it in late march. I read the story of the cricketer, whom I mimicked when I used to play cricket at school level. I ran like him, jump like him and even copy the impact when his foot hit the ground.
But my admiration for Watson was only limited to his cricket against other nations. Whenever he played against Pakistan, I wanted him to perform well but not that kind of great that cost us the match. The only time, I wanted him to get dismissed at big ZERO, when Wahab Riaz belting fire against Australians in the much talked Quarter Final of 2015 world cup. It was a spell of passion and dream, which Watson ignited when he sledged him in the slips. In his turn, Wahab give it back and fought like a wounded warrior. If Rahat had completed that catch, there would have been a different story because we Pakistanis never looked back whenever we got a push.
If you extract that innings, Watson was playing average in that world cup and his innings with Steve Smith was instrumental to get them title against New Zealanders.
If I talk about the biography, It was geniuine, Watson didn't blabbed about greatness, nor he loathed against anyone. He shares his story, where he talked about his weaknesses more than his strengths, his failures more than triumphs. Amazingly, in one of the chapters, he sympathetically understood the crisis of the spot fixing, and the dynamics and traps that were faced by Asian cricketers.
I read it in pure admiration of Watto but as a young Physiotherapist and especially emerging Sports Physiotherapist, it helped me to understand the psyche of a sportsmen, up closed and personally. I studied his training regime, the protocols he followed to get back on the field as his body was prone to injuries. It would definitely aide me, If I came across a cricketer of his calibre or even a sports guy whose dreams are aligned with the fitness of his body mechanics.
"Watto" is a story of a man who evolved with every challenge in his life, whose started his career as a bowler who was labeled as too soft to play competitive cricket yet became one of the most sought after All rounder in the cricketing world.
Though this book covers his cricketing and personal journey till mid of 2011 but If you're free and want to read something inspiring then choose "Watto" and know the nicest bloke from the cricket Australia.
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February 6, 2020TIP TAP
July 30, 2012
The book was pretty good. Shane grew up in Queensland in a place called Ipswich. He got selected for state squads in the teens but got a chance to play 1st class cricket down in Tasmania. He had some tours with Australia in his late teens but played his first game for Australia in 2002. He is still playing with Australia.
February 25, 2013
This book was reasonably good. I would recommend any cricket lover to read this book. I found this book reasonably fun to read as it told about what he has gone through over the last 5 years or so.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews