The Final Warning?

Scorecard: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Melbourne

The deafening silence in the aftermath of Australia's capitulation to Sri Lanka in the ODI on Wednesday night is symptomatic of the problems that currently face both the players and the selectors of our national team. The very fact that there has been nothing more but a shrug of the shoulders over the result, and a 'spoken determination' to turn it around in the next game on Friday proves that there is simply no plan except to keep picking the same players in the belief (hope... desperate hope) that they will turn it around themselves. In a bygone age, this was a simple and sensible policy, given that for a decade the Australian side was made up of eleven players ALL the time who could be rated as 'greats'. Only one of them remains, and he didn't play on Wednesday night.


The fact that Australia's tactical thoughts were questioned by the parochial commentary panel on Wednesday - and most vehemently by the doyen himself Richie Benaud - should convince anyone who wasn't already convinced of the fact that there are problems that need to be addressed. The commentary panel NEVER criticise the home team.

For some years I have been denigrating and sledging what I dubbed "The Brett Lee Theory on Bowling to Tailenders". For some reason, he had gotten into his head that the best way to dismiss the tail was to bounce them, consistently and often. More often than not, it not only didn't work, it cost a plethora of runs from authentic shots and edges. Yet, not matter how often this tactic did not work, he continued to use it at the end of ODI innings. For years I have never understood it. After Wednesday night, however, I'm beginning to think perhaps I was wrong, that perhaps it wasn't just a Brett Lee tactic. Maybe it has been an Australian tactic, one that has been devised by the bowling group, the coach, and the captain. I don't know for sure. The only thing I know for certain is that cricket watchers all around the country were yelling at their TV's on Wednesday night, pleading for our bowlers to pitch the ball up in the blockhole.

It was obvious to all that, to the faster men Johnson and Siddle, Malinga was moving very slightly away to the leg side when parrying away their deliveries. A fuller ball on off stump would have uprooted it on any number of occasions. However, our guys decided short of a length was the go, and as a result never looked like dismissing him.

So in the long run, what should be the result of this ineptitude? The bowlers length was terrible, and Johnson again was erratic and undisciplined. The problem here is that it has not been a one-off. It has been an on-going problem. If it was indeed the bowlers who planned this attack, then they should be dropped from the side immediately, and get some bowlers into the team who have a better handle on how to bowl at the end of a one day innings. If the tactics themselves have come from the captain, then he must held accountable. If the coach was also involved, then his position must also be put under review.

As stated - this is not a reaction based on one game. In July in England, Australia capitulated to a Pakistan side that to that point hadn't looked like winning a game. They then lost a Test match to India when they could not budge the final two wickets when 91 runs were required for victory, before also surrendering the 2nd Test with little more than a bark. In the only ODI possible following this in India, they could not defend a total of 290. There are problems that need to be solved, and yet the selectors have taken a "softly, softly" approach. Injuries have not helped. Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris would have to be considered near certainties in the ODI side at least if they were fit. The batting is still not producing enough runs on a consistent basis, and there has been constant speculation over a number of players for far too long now.

The selectors have been quite obvious and blunt in their attempt to keep a stable team together to retain harmony in the ranks. In the Test team they have gone to extremes in order to keep players such as Marcus North, Mike Hussey and Nathan Hauritz through low production times, and then pointing to their success when the century or five wicket haul has arrived. Unfortunately, that has then been again followed by a period of low success again. In the one day arena, poor bowling at the death of innings has rarely been used as a catalyst to take the bowler(s) out of the team. Scratchy form, and using up a lot of deliveries for little result by middle order batsmen has rarely been used as a catalyst to look for fresh new faces in those positions. All of this is OK if the overall results show that the team is winning a majority of their games, and that it isn't affecting the overall performance or unity of the team.

Unfortunately, the recent results - in ALL forms of the game - now show that this is not being reversed, and action must be taken by the selectors to halt the slide, before it becomes critical. The Ashes has become the focal point, but if the selectors wait any longer to make the tough decisions, then we may already have surrendered the urn before they pull their fingers out, and all the calls from Australian supporters saying "WE F*#KING TOLD YOU SO!!!" will not bring it back.

Wednesday's match was (what should be) the final warning for our team and our selectors - start making the tough decisions, or forfeit the Ashes, the World Cup, and everything else we still have a shaky grip on.

A Disappointing Evening

Channel 9 must have thought they were on a great thing - first an Australia Vs England Test in the rugby league, and the first international cricket match of the season, a Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka. The games did not unfortunately live up to the promise.

The league match started off great - competitive, tough and close. Australia had all the ball in the first ten minutes to lead 6-0, but the Poms hit back to take an 8-6 lead. However, some inept defense from England and a glut of possession for Australia meant that by half time the lead have swelled to 26-8, and with the rain sweeping in, it meant that as a contest the match was for all intents and purposes over. I in fact took the opportunity to go upstairs and put the kids to bed while the second half commenced. Despite the win, I can't believe there won't be changes to the Kangaroos side before the next game against the Kiwi's. last night's team won't beat New Zealand on current form.

Worse was to follow in the cricket. Australia won the toss and batted, and were met face first with a team that bowled excellently and fielded superbly. Australia's batting visibly panicked as they were tied down early, and their wickets were then extinguished as they tried to escape the cocoon they had been wrapped in. Only Haddin and Smith were able to flourish, and both had their fair share of luck in the process. In reply, Sri Lanka cruised in chasing down the target.

If Australia are going to be serious about international Twenty20 cricket, then Michael Clarke is a liability with the bat, and isn't bowling enough to offset that. Clarke bats at his best when he is keeping the ball along the ground, and Twenty20 cricket does not sustain that type of cricket. Ricky Ponting never succeeded with the bat in T20, and eventually did the right thing and made himself unavailable. The selectors probably need to have a talk with Clarke in regards to this also. Cameron White would appear the logical man to step in as captain, and his place in the team is certainly not under scrutiny every time he walks to the crease. There seems little chance that the selectors will make this move however, which will continue to place unnecessary pressure on Clarke in all facets of the game.

Are the Selectors Watching?

The games mightn't be over, and the selection of the team for the First Test against the Poms still a fortnight away, but some worrying signs have emerged in the last two days of two important Sheffield Shield matches.

In Adelaide, South Australia have made Western Australia follow on even though they lost most of the first day to rain. the Croweaters declared at 8/452 after they made Mitchell Johnson and his fellow bowlers look abysmal. Michael Klinger and fellow Victorian import Aiden Blizzard made runs, but it was the composed century by Callum Ferguson that must have made Greg Chappell sit up and take notice. Out of the game for over 12 months due to a knee injury, his first innings in a first class match on his return was this one, and from all reports it was chanceless 129. Ferguson is definitely at the front line when it comes to future Australian Test batsmen, and his chance may not be as far away as some say.
Western Australia were felled for only 295, of which Shaun Marsh scored 137. Michael Hussey was given leave from the Twenty20 match tonight to play this Shield game to find some form. His first ball duck has complicated matters no end. Marcus North needed runs despite his century in India and his 94 not out in the Ryobi Cup match last week. His 10 leaves his position vulnerable - if only the selection panel had the bottle to choose a replacement for him.
Meanwhile, in Brisbane, Usman Khawaja scored 60 in New South Wales first innings on the track that the First Test will be played. Following on from his big double hundred against South Australia two weeks ago, his name must be chiseling its way into Australia's middle order.

Surely it would be folly to take batsmen into the First Test who are palpably out of runs. And surely it is folly not to picked a young batsman while they are in red hot form. The past two days of first class cricket will have given our selectors a lot to think about.

One Day Selection Madness

I confess that I am a little mystified as to the way the Selection panel have gone about picking our team for the one day games against Sri Lanka next week.

OK, their decision to give Xavier Doherty a game is to be applauded. he has arguably been the best spinner in domestic one day cricket over the past two to three seasons, and his figures demanded attention. Whether he succeeds or not is irrelevant - he deserves his chance. John Hastings is another to emerge in the last twelve months, a strong-actioned fast medium bowler who also doesn't mind hitting the ball hard when he gets his chance to bat. Both are good selections.

The area that worries me is the casting aside of the two young gun batsmen, David Warner and Callum Ferguson. The selectors would not doubt suggest I would find it difficult to leave out any of what they consider to be the top order - Watson, Marsh, Ponting, Clarke, White, Hussey and Haddin. Fair point... if they were all in form and all contributing regularly. But they aren't, and surely changes need to be made. Warner has started spectacularly in the T20 rubbish, and his explosion at the top of the order is something Australia could use to their advantage. Ferguson, before his knee injury that robbed him of 12 months, was the finisher in the middle order, and doing it in style. Both are also excellent fieldsmen.

In my mind, replacing Marsh - who did not take his opportunities last summer - and Hussey - who is probably running out of chances - would add a freshness to the batting that isn't always apparent at the moment. With Haddin and Steve Smith and Mitchell Johnson stalking the lower order, it should be viable to put on a good total in all games under most conditions.

We'll soon see how the selected team performs, and get a glimpse of the chances we have of winning a fourth consecutive World Cup.

The full squad is: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Xavier Doherty, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Shane Watson and Cameron White.