quentinOPINION: Problems in Australian Cricket and Possible Solutions
November 8th 2010 22:26
So we’ve just lost a one-day series to Sri Lanka 2-1 and had our only win come in the dead rubber up at the Gabba.
It is a very low point in Australian Cricket and there are a good many questions that need to be asked and answered. There have been also a good many suggestions and I think it’s time that we looked at all the issues and saw some changes made, not only to the playing roster, but also behind the scenes.
I will highlight a number of these issues/questions and try to provide reasonable answers in order to see if we could get to the bottom of our troubles.
1. Dad’s Army
Have a look at the last test squad that went over to India. When you look at that squad, you’ll quickly come across the fact that this is the oldest squad we’ve had for a long time.
Ricky Ponting (35)
Michael Clarke (29)
Doug Bollinger (29)
Peter George (24)
Nathan Hauritz (29)
Josh Hazlewood (19)
Ben Hilfenhaus (27)
Phillip Hughes (21)
Michael Hussey (35)
Mitchell Johnson (29)
Simon Katich (35)
Marcus North (31)
Tim Paine (25)
Steven Smith (21)
Shane Watson (29)
Out of those, Hughes, Hazelwood, George and Smith didn’t play in either of the matches so it could be said that it was a reasonably old team that played.
2. Reliance on Under-Performing Players and basing selections on reputation
This would have to be the biggest bane in Australian Cricket at this point in time; the fact that when every series comes around, the same players are being picked, not based on performance but based on past deeds (or reputation as it’s known).
Marcus North – Either gets 100 or does nothing. More often than not, he does nothing.
Mitchell Johnson – He just cannot bloody bowl the ball accurately or consistently.
Michael Hussey – Has been very mediocre over the past 6 Test Series, averaging just 25 with the bat.
3. Captaincy succession
Is Michael Clarke really the captain in waiting? Based on Tuesday night’s abysmal one-day loss to Sri Lanka, absolutely not. If you have a team reeling at 8/107 you generally would expect that the game would be over. You wouldn’t expect a middle-order batsman and a tailender to go the slog and get a world record 9th wicket partnership of 139. Sadly that’s what happened and a large portion of the blame has to be attached to Clarke and his decisions. I mean, it all went wrong the moment he brought Johnson on to bowl. He got slogged and everyone else got slogged as a result. His field placings were poor and frankly, it was embarrassing to watch.
4. Bowlers unable to perform consistently
This would definitely be a huge bane with the likes of Mitchell Johnson unable to bowl consistently. Ever since they lost Troy Cooley as bowling coach, the bowling has gone to absolute shambles. During the one-day series it was disgusting to see Australia not even bothering to bowl at the stumps. They tried to bowl to a plan and get people out hooking or cutting or anything like that but if you can’t deliver that ball consistently, you’re going to get smashed. Australia were smashed and it doesn’t bode well for the Ashes series at all.
So what needs to be done to improve our fortunes
1. Change the look of the team
At the end of the Ashes series, we need to say to the likes of Ponting, Hussey and Katich “you’ve been brilliant for a long time but now we need to rebuild” and we need to replace them with performing younger players. Players like Callum Ferguson and Cameron White.
Also we need bowlers that can perform and bowl consistently. Seriously, Mitchell Johnson must be dropped immediately to find some form and consistency at state level or the Ashes series could get really ugly. Is Hauritz the answer to our spin woes? Christ, he barely spins the bloody ball and really, he’s not the answer for mine. Doherty would be a better option or give Steve Smith a chance to show what he’s really capable of.
2. Revamp the selectors
They’ve already looked at this by creating the role of a full-time selector (Greg Chappell) and this is already a good start but there’s a lot more that still needs to be done. They need all the selectors to be watching games and casting eyes on the future for the Australian team.
Having said that, they need to get rid of Andrew Hilditch and fast. He would have to be the worst selector I’ve ever come across and sometimes, I really don’t think he knows what he’s doing. The fact he’s still there under this new structure is an absolute indictment on Cricket Australia and he mus be removed ASAP.
3. Sack the coach
Yes, I know that I sound like the feral element of sports fan by demanding the sacking of a coach instead of supporting like true fans do but honestly, Tim Nielsen has been the worst coach for quite some time. Under his watch, we’re no longer the top nation in Test Cricket and probably no longer the number one nation in the one-day arena and I don’t see any way back from this. Yes, he’s led the team through a tough transition period but I don’t believe his results were worthy of a contract extension. That view has been further strengthened by recent woes and frankly he needs to shape up or ship out
4. Adjust the captaincy succession plan
Ponting has done an ok job under challenging circumstances but the widely held view that Michael Clarke will be the next captain is an absolute joke. As has been seen, Clarke just doesn’t cut it. That match that we threw after reducing them to 8/107 will be on Clarke’s watch forever and frankly, his form is nothing special either. Does he lead the team well? Does he have the respect of all the players? I’m not totally convinced on the answer to either question. Throwing up Marcus North as a potential captain, please, let’s get real here. Cameron White could be considered a possibility as well but we know he doesn’t bowl himself in the longer form of the game.
It is a challenging time for Australian Cricket and if we don’t put future plans in place today, we could find ourselves suffering a West Indies like decline and frankly, we’re better than that
It’s time to rebuild and give younger performing players a chance to show what they’re capable of and to be patient with them.
It’s time for Cricket Australia to stand up and show some leadership and investigate the issues I’ve outlined and make the changes that need to be made or risk public disillusion growing.
It’s up to those running the game to show why they’re getting paid the big dollars.
Let’s see some sort of rebuilding plan for the future and let’s see it now.
It is a very low point in Australian Cricket and there are a good many questions that need to be asked and answered. There have been also a good many suggestions and I think it’s time that we looked at all the issues and saw some changes made, not only to the playing roster, but also behind the scenes.
I will highlight a number of these issues/questions and try to provide reasonable answers in order to see if we could get to the bottom of our troubles.
1. Dad’s Army
Ricky Ponting (35)
Michael Clarke (29)
Doug Bollinger (29)
Peter George (24)
Nathan Hauritz (29)
Josh Hazlewood (19)
Ben Hilfenhaus (27)
Phillip Hughes (21)
Michael Hussey (35)
Mitchell Johnson (29)
Simon Katich (35)
Marcus North (31)
Tim Paine (25)
Steven Smith (21)
Shane Watson (29)
Out of those, Hughes, Hazelwood, George and Smith didn’t play in either of the matches so it could be said that it was a reasonably old team that played.
2. Reliance on Under-Performing Players and basing selections on reputation
This would have to be the biggest bane in Australian Cricket at this point in time; the fact that when every series comes around, the same players are being picked, not based on performance but based on past deeds (or reputation as it’s known).
Marcus North – Either gets 100 or does nothing. More often than not, he does nothing.
Mitchell Johnson – He just cannot bloody bowl the ball accurately or consistently.
Michael Hussey – Has been very mediocre over the past 6 Test Series, averaging just 25 with the bat.
3. Captaincy succession
Is Michael Clarke really the captain in waiting? Based on Tuesday night’s abysmal one-day loss to Sri Lanka, absolutely not. If you have a team reeling at 8/107 you generally would expect that the game would be over. You wouldn’t expect a middle-order batsman and a tailender to go the slog and get a world record 9th wicket partnership of 139. Sadly that’s what happened and a large portion of the blame has to be attached to Clarke and his decisions. I mean, it all went wrong the moment he brought Johnson on to bowl. He got slogged and everyone else got slogged as a result. His field placings were poor and frankly, it was embarrassing to watch.
4. Bowlers unable to perform consistently
This would definitely be a huge bane with the likes of Mitchell Johnson unable to bowl consistently. Ever since they lost Troy Cooley as bowling coach, the bowling has gone to absolute shambles. During the one-day series it was disgusting to see Australia not even bothering to bowl at the stumps. They tried to bowl to a plan and get people out hooking or cutting or anything like that but if you can’t deliver that ball consistently, you’re going to get smashed. Australia were smashed and it doesn’t bode well for the Ashes series at all.
So what needs to be done to improve our fortunes
1. Change the look of the team
At the end of the Ashes series, we need to say to the likes of Ponting, Hussey and Katich “you’ve been brilliant for a long time but now we need to rebuild” and we need to replace them with performing younger players. Players like Callum Ferguson and Cameron White.
Also we need bowlers that can perform and bowl consistently. Seriously, Mitchell Johnson must be dropped immediately to find some form and consistency at state level or the Ashes series could get really ugly. Is Hauritz the answer to our spin woes? Christ, he barely spins the bloody ball and really, he’s not the answer for mine. Doherty would be a better option or give Steve Smith a chance to show what he’s really capable of.
2. Revamp the selectors
They’ve already looked at this by creating the role of a full-time selector (Greg Chappell) and this is already a good start but there’s a lot more that still needs to be done. They need all the selectors to be watching games and casting eyes on the future for the Australian team.
Having said that, they need to get rid of Andrew Hilditch and fast. He would have to be the worst selector I’ve ever come across and sometimes, I really don’t think he knows what he’s doing. The fact he’s still there under this new structure is an absolute indictment on Cricket Australia and he mus be removed ASAP.
3. Sack the coach
Yes, I know that I sound like the feral element of sports fan by demanding the sacking of a coach instead of supporting like true fans do but honestly, Tim Nielsen has been the worst coach for quite some time. Under his watch, we’re no longer the top nation in Test Cricket and probably no longer the number one nation in the one-day arena and I don’t see any way back from this. Yes, he’s led the team through a tough transition period but I don’t believe his results were worthy of a contract extension. That view has been further strengthened by recent woes and frankly he needs to shape up or ship out
4. Adjust the captaincy succession plan
Ponting has done an ok job under challenging circumstances but the widely held view that Michael Clarke will be the next captain is an absolute joke. As has been seen, Clarke just doesn’t cut it. That match that we threw after reducing them to 8/107 will be on Clarke’s watch forever and frankly, his form is nothing special either. Does he lead the team well? Does he have the respect of all the players? I’m not totally convinced on the answer to either question. Throwing up Marcus North as a potential captain, please, let’s get real here. Cameron White could be considered a possibility as well but we know he doesn’t bowl himself in the longer form of the game.
It is a challenging time for Australian Cricket and if we don’t put future plans in place today, we could find ourselves suffering a West Indies like decline and frankly, we’re better than that
It’s time to rebuild and give younger performing players a chance to show what they’re capable of and to be patient with them.
It’s time for Cricket Australia to stand up and show some leadership and investigate the issues I’ve outlined and make the changes that need to be made or risk public disillusion growing.
It’s up to those running the game to show why they’re getting paid the big dollars.
Let’s see some sort of rebuilding plan for the future and let’s see it now.
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