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SHANE Watson's untimely hamstring injury has thrown Australia's Ashes preparation into chaos.
Batting and bowling plans will be hastily revamped in the fear that Watson will be unable to recover for the first Test, beginning at Brisbane's Gabba in just 17 days.
His likely absence will further weaken an already fragile batting line-up now largely devoid of experience following the retirements of Mike Hussey and Ricky Ponting.
Watson has a history of hamstring problems which flared again on Saturday night when he broke down while bowling in the last one-day match of the seven-game series against India in Bangalore.
He appeared to aggravate the strain while batting as Australia lost a staggeringly high-scoring encounter by 57 runs.
The injury-plagued all-rounder was forced to miss the entire 2006-07 Ashes series because of ongoing hamstring issues.
Watson appeared set to remain at number three after his career-best 176 in the final Test of the Ashes tour at the Oval.
Now the strong favourite to fill that spot is Tasmania's number three Alex Doolan, who scored a superb 132 against a strong NSW attack on Saturday to ensure victory chasing 295.
Doolan was a big chance to play even if Watson was fit, particularly if David Warner continues to fail at first class level.
Now Doolan appears a certainty, and he has the chance to reinforce a likely Test debut playing for Australia A against England at Hobart's Bellerive Oval in a four-day match beginning on Wednesday.
Watson's injury now means there are likely to be two debutants from Tasmania in the first Test following George Bailey's spectacular one-day series in India.
With Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja making below par starts to their Sheffield Shield campaigns Bailey has little competition for the number six spot in the Test team.
Even the spin bowling options have been thrown up in the air by Watson's dodgy hamstring.
The selectors would have been happier to take a risk with leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed in the knowledge that Watson was in the side as a fifth bowler to dry up the runs if necessary.
Fawad is a more attacking option than off-spinner Nathan Lyon but there is also a danger that with limited experience and the pressure of his first Test, Fawad may leak runs, releasing the pressure on England.
Fawad is certainly a wicket-taker, he has 22 from four Sheffield Shield matches since the Pakistani refugee was selected for Victoria late last season.
However neither he nor Lyon could land the killer blow for their state teams on Saturday.
Fawad claimed 6-68 in the first innings against Western Australia but failed to take a wicket on the last day as WA held on for a draw at the MCG.
He was out bowled by occasional leg-spinner Cameron White, who took 4-38.
Likewise Lyon is yet to show that he can bowl his team to victory on the last day, whether it be at state or national level.
He took three late wickets on Saturday but it proved too little too late as Tasmania collapsed from 2-261, losing 6-23 before scrambling to an eight-wicket win.
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