Hamstrung Watson Eyes Rooke Remedy

The Age

Wednesday September 26, 2007

Chloe Saltau

CRICKET Australia may send Shane Watson to Germany to consult the soft-tissue expert who solved the hamstring problems of Geelong footballer Max Rooke.

Chief medical officer Trefor James told The Age he would discuss the possibility with Geelong doctor Chris Bradshaw, who used his English Premier League connections to arrange for Rooke to make a mid-season trip to Munich for the radical treatment for a serious hamstring injury. It was a $20,000 investment, but it has enabled Rooke to play in Saturday's AFL grand final.

Watson broke down again in South Africa last week, in his first game back from hamstring soreness. Though it is only a minor strain, it has placed Watson's quest for a Test recall this summer in serious doubt, either as an all-rounder or in the opener's position for which he signalled his interest after Justin Langer's retirement.

That spot now seems more likely to go to Phil Jaques - who plundered 370 runs at 123.33 in two first-class games on the just-completed Australia A tour of Pakistan - Chris Rogers or Victorian Brad Hodge.

"It's very minor but I think he needs to have a continous time playing, partly for his confidence and partly for the benefit of the team that he is not having to go off during games all the time," James said.

Watson said he was desperate to get to the bottom of his succession of soft-tissue injuries - hamstring issues forced him out of last summer's Ashes series and a calf problem interrupted his World Cup - and was prepared to explore the Rooke treatment. In July, Rooke saw Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth, who injected an extract of calves' blood to help repair the muscle.

? Peter Roebuck's view SPORT 9

© 2007 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home