WEST Indies paceman Jerome Taylor’s return to Australia for the one-day international series is in doubt after he was reportedly arrested for assaulting a police officer in Jamaica.

Taylor will learn whether he will be allowed to head back Down Under on January 12, when he faces court over an altercation at a Jamaican bar.

The bowler allegedly assaulted a police officer and used coarse language towards policemen.

The arrest completes a dismal five weeks for the 25-yearold.

He was forced to return home from Australia after the first Test in Brisbane, where he bowled just nine overs before succumbing to a back and side injury.

Taylor was in the bar when police came to close it. The bowler allegedly became abusive as police tried to remove him from the premises before a physical altercation took place.

Along with assault, he has also been charged with using indecent language, improper conduct and resisting arrest, putting him in doubt for the five-match series.

The incident provided a dismal end to a year that started particularly well for Taylor when he claimed five for 11 to help dismiss England for 51 at Sabina Park in February.

Taylor has played 29 Tests and taken 82 wickets.

■ Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has declared his days in the middle order over after forging an unexpectedly strong Test opening partnership with Simon Katich.

Since being thrown together with Katich following Phillip Hughes’ axing during last year’s Ashes series, Watson has scored 716 runs at an average of 65.

The Katich-Watson union averages 71. The pair proved instrumental in helping Australia to an emphatic victory in the opening Test against Pakistan, putting on a 180-run stand in the first innings before Watson added an unbeaten century in the second – his first in five-day cricket.

As Australia prepare to face Pakistan again at the SCG, Watson is keen to establish himself as a regular opener, even if it means easing up on bowling duties.

‘‘My main job now is definitely as an opener. The most important thing for me is to go out there and score runs and set up the innings for the team,’’ he said.

‘‘I definitely see myself more as a batsman at the moment because of the role I am playing within the team.’’ On his partnership with Katich, Watson added: ‘‘Simon and me are continuing building some good platforms for our team and that’s what we’re there for.

‘‘We’re having a lot of fun and I think every time we go out we continue to grow and develop as an opening pair.”