All-round mates keep quiet on Test place

The Queensland team-mates Shane Watson and Andrew Symonds have tried not to speak about their head-to-head battle for the allrounder's spot in next month's Test series. Both players will fit into the limited-overs side, which begins its campaign on Friday with a Twenty20 International, after Watson recovered from a shoulder injury to make the squad, but there is only one vacancy for the three Tests.

Symonds, who performed spectacularly in the VB Series, is the incumbent and Watson is desperate to grab back the position he lost when he dived to stop a drive against West Indies in November. "We haven't talked about it," Watson told The Courier-Mail. "We are still very good mates but it's one of those things you don't want to be talking about too much."

Watson said the situation was similar to the one faced by Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz when Lee was kept out of the side for more than a year in 2004-05. "He and Kasper are really good mates," he said, "but you try not to get too in-depth because in the end it's out of your control."

Symonds made his mark in the Test arena on Boxing Day with a powerful 72 and five wickets for the match while Watson has played only three matches. "It's great for me and him as well, two guys that are really good mates who are pushing each other to be at the top of their games," he said. "It's really helpful in that regard."