National selector Allan Border has said all-rounder Shane Watson has the 'early running' to win selection in the pivotal number six position in the Australian Test team for the upcoming Ashes series..jpg)
Watson is in a dogfight with Michael Clarke, Damien Martyn and fellow all-rounder Andrew Symonds for the position in the Australian Test team and according to Border, it is the blond-haired Queenslander who is being considered for the job.
"He's (Watson) the guy that we're looking at very closely," Border told reporters.
"He's got the early running, there's no doubt, but that's not to say someone might not come out of the woodwork."
"If he can get in there with both bat and ball that's the ideal scenario. It makes the balance of the side a lot better."
Injuries, including a partial dislocation of his shoulder while fielding against West Indies in his last Test appearance in November 2005, has limited the 25-year-old Watson to just three Tests for his country.
But his recent good form with the bat and ball in the this month's DLF Cup tournament in Malaysia and the fact that he could add another depth to the Australian bowling attack has seen him firm to earn a recall to the Test team.
"It would be fantastic if we can unearth that quality of all-rounder other countries have had recently," Border added.
