Shane Watson gave Australian cricket another glimpse of his talent on Boxing Day only to continue a frustrating career trend which has prevented him from stamping his authority on Test matches.

Few players in recent times have polarised opinion like Watson, who blew a golden opportunity to be hailed a hero on the biggest day on the local cricket calendar.

Even his fiercest critics would have hailed his courage to score a ton just days after he was hit on the helmet when memories of Phillip Hughes' tragic death are still raw.

Watson also missed a chance to vindicate calls by Steve Smith, Allan Border and Ian Chappell that he is Australia's best candidate to bat at No.3.

His 52 helped steer Australia out of early trouble but there are times when a player getting out in the 50s is deemed more culpable than one who does not make a start at all.

Chris Rogers, who made his third consecutive score in the 50s, said such an innings was "good in some respects" but also a waste because a big knock has gone begging.

Watson has passed 50 on 23 occasions but pressed on to triple figures only four times, and twice in his last 66 innings. Damien Martyn (13), Simon Katich (10), Bob Simpson (10), Graeme Wood (9), Kim Hughes (9) and Ian Redpath (8) all made more or double the number of centuries Watson has made in careers of similar length.

He is clearly exasperated at his inability to push on.

"I got out again," Watson said on the ABC after play.

"I felt I was batting nicely and unfortunately I just got out again. It's very disappointing."

There was a sense of predictability about Watson's innings. He was not troubled early, looked great heading into the 20s and 30s then lost concentration approaching a break.

Four overs before lunch he was dropped on 37 by Shikhar Dhawan after edging to third slip. He passed 50 soon after the interval but this is often when he can be most vulnerable.

"He's a very good starter, now it's important for him to go and get a big score," said Michael Clarke, who was commentating on Channel Nine at the time.

Soon afterwards, he lost his wicket to an innocuous off-break from Ravi Ashwin, trapped in front lbw sweeping having earlier used a straight bat so effectively.

"It was just an instinctive shot. I'm trying not to think too much out there, apart from just taking on the bowlers," Watson said.

"I just need to make sure I don't do it next time."

Watson's wicket came at a crucial time. Rogers, with whom he had shared a 115-run stand, had been dismissed the previous over, and suddenly Australia had two fresh men at the crease.

Watson has long said he wants to bat in the top order - a domain where game-shaping centuries are the order instead of teasing cameos - and will be judged accordingly.

His average of 35.67 is adequate for an all-rounder batting at No.6 though not the numbers expected of a player who has batted in the top three in nearly 75 per cent of his 102 innings.

Nor is that the return he would have been hoping for in 2009 when he was re-cast as an opener or 10 years ago when he arrived on the Test scene as one of the brightest young talents in Australian cricket.

As an all-rounder Watson appears naturally suited to batting at five or six but his game is better suited at the top of the order when the ball is hard and the field is up.

When the field spreads and boundaries become harder to come by, he can struggle at times to find singles to relieve the pressure. Nor is playing spin considered his strength.

His failure to push on will not cost him his place for Sydney, as some have suggested, though his chances of staying in the top three for the Ashes may rest on Clarke's ability to recover from hamstring surgery.