Ricky Pnting would have been a relieved man after having won the first Test against West Indies in the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy. With Mathew Hayden and Michael Clarke not playing, and Stuart MacGill having more off-days than usual these days, Ponting would have been a little worried at the end of the third day.
After taking over 100 runs in lead, the Aussies would never have expected the hostility of the West Indian fast bowlers that awaited them. By the end of the third day, Australia had lost four wickets for seventeen, and when they lost their fifth at 18, the nerves would have been jangling for the skipper.
And then, as has been the case so often, Andrew Symonds walked in and banished some of the bowlers to the fence to get another fifty - his second of the match - as the Australians took a healthy lead, and set a target of over 280.
West Indies did begin well, but once they lost a couple of wickets after their good start, they collapsed against some great bowling by Stuart Clark and Brett Lee. Clark relishes such 'up and down pitches', and took full toll of the opposition, getting a five wicket haul and ending with a Man-of-the-Match award. Lee did not have too many wickets to show for his effort, but rest assured he was quite a handful!
Now with both his premier batsmen coming back for the next Test, it should further swing it in Aussies' favour.
Ricky Ponting was said to be in a patchy form. However, looking at him bat the way he did on the first day at Kingston, Jamaica against the West Indies, one wonders whether the bad form story was actually a myth!
Ponting slammed a 158, Hussey scored another 50, where as Hodge is still batting with a fifty on board. Australia were 301/4 at stumps on the first day.
Earlier the Aussies won the toss and decided to bat first. Mathew Hayden was out with a heel injury, where as Michael Clarke had yet to arrive, and so Simon Katich and Brad Hodge took their places.
For the West Indies, Chris Gayle was not yet fit and so Sarwan took over the captaincy reigns. Off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth made his Test debut and scalped the prize wicket of Michael Hussey.
Ricky Ponting, the Australian skipper, would be leading his side to the Caribbean, and is worried that because of the Indian Premier League, not a lot of Aussies would be tuning on to watch the Test Series! And so he has urged the audiences in Australia to not watch retired Aussie cricketers play, but his own team!
Technically, there are only a handful of retired cricketers playing in the tournament. And secondly, and most importantly, it does not remain Ricky Ponting's prerogative to deide who watches what! Interestingly, the IPL and the Test matches would begin at approximately the same time, 1430-1500 hours GMT, which would make it next to impossible for audiences to follow both.
However, Ponting is challenging the very ethos of Demand and Supply here. Maybe, he did not enjoy the stay in India. Maybe, it was the weather, lack of runs or unpalatable food! Maybe it was just that he did not get auctioned for a price he deemed suitable for himself.
Maybe it was a combination of all the above factors. But, this definitely reeks of the case of sour grapes, Ricky!
According to ex-Aussie cricketer, Greg Matthews – he had starred in that famous tied Madras Test in 1986 – he is very happy with the fact that the Asian block is one of the most powerful one in the ICC, and is vurtually ruling the cricket world. The reason?
Hear it from the horse's mouth, "I'm very, very happy now that Asia is running the game now. The English had 100 years of it and did a pretty average job".
Now while I agree with the line that the English did nothing much for the upliftment of the game in general, and nothing in particular to globalize the same, one cannot be sure whether monopoly of the power in the hands of one, makes too much sense. One has already seen the BCCI flexing its financial muscle on more than one occasion, sometime for a just cause, but at times, a little unnecessarily.
And the fact that, with so much power, needs to be an equal proportion of responsibility needs to be drilled down the BCCI throat as well. We have had too many instances in the world where monopoly has given rise to dictatorship – whether sport or politics – and the eventual fall of the entity.
For now, it needs to be complimented for its innovation, IPL, which is going to change the way cricket would be played and viewed some decades later.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the governing body for the Lord's Cricket Ground, has come out with some earth shattering revelations. No, it has nothing to do with changes in the fine print of the MCC coaching manual, or a selection of a woman as their next Chief Executive.
It is simply this that the MCC has decided to agree to host neutral Test matches at Lord's and more importantly, it has also consented to host some of the matches of the proposed Champions League! We are not alluding to the sport of soccer here; it is the extension of the Indian Premier League (IPL) that would be played between the best teams of the various T20 leagues across the world. So, a Chennai Super Kings, a Pura Milk Perth Riders, a Vodafone Londoners and an Auckland Blacks side (names are definitely fictitious!), may face off in the Champions League of Cricket, with some of the matches being played in London, more specifically at Lord’s.
The biggest issue that would be faced by the organizers – each one of them – is the lack of availability of a proper playing window under the current ICC’s FTP, which means that the only time all the Test playing nations would be shorn of an international commitment would be just after the Champions Trophy in September, and that too for a very short period of time. Squeezing in such an itinerary could take further toll on the player bodies.
But, with so much cash flowing around, the players themselves do not seem to be minding it too much, are they?
The second round of the IPL player auction has come and gone with not too many surprises. The two big named Australians to go under the hammer were James Hopes and Shane Watson - both Allrounders, both from Queensland. Hopes brilliant innings in the second final of the Commonwealth Bank series must have upped his currency in the auction. For me the surprise wasn't his US$ 300,000 price but the team that got him - he joins Brett Lee at Mohali. The team I expected to get Hopes was the team that got fellow Queensland Allrounder Shane Watson - the Jaipur Rajasthan Royals headed by Shane Warne. They spent the least on the first player auction and had more money left to spend but opted not for Hopes. Instead they went for the only English player in the draft - Dimitri Mascarenhas.
Victorian batting ace Brad Hodge has chosen to keep his commitment to Engish County side Lancastershire instead of going into the IPL player auction unlike team mates Cameron White and David Hussey.
The only other Australians to get drafted to were Western Australian and Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year Luke Pomersbach who went for US$150,000 to Mohali and Tasmanian fast bowler Brett Geeves went for US$50,000 in a surprise buy for Delhi. The March 18 is fast approaching for all the franchises to have their squads finalised.
Australia in a spin trying to find the next Shane Warne
Say what you like about the man but one thing remains true about Shane Warne - he was the absolute master of his craft. He took the art of legspin bowling to a new previously unseen level and showed how a bowler could dictate terms and really be the difference in a cricket match (either test or one day).
His departure from Australian cricket left a gaping hole in the bowling line up - one that the previously all conquering Australians have not come close to filling. The heir apparent for much of Warne's career has been Stuart MacGill. The problem with him is he just doesn't bowl enough good deliveries. Sure he has some variety but he will almost always give you one or two balls each over that any self respecting batsman would gleefully dispatch to or over the boudary. Here was the true value of Warne - his ability to bowl an impeccable line and length for prolonged periods while also using all the trickery, variation and deception in his armoury. MacGill's first run as sole legspin option for Australia was a bit of a disaster with the Sri Lankan batsman taking him to the cleaners. It was then disclosed he was injured and needed surgery. He's back now but at 37 one has to wonder how much cricket he has got left to give. The other leading leg spin contender for the Australians is Bryce McGann who is 36!
At this rate I'd still say Australia's best legspinning option is Shane Warne - but with his animated likeness gyrating over Australian television screens this summer it looks like he has definitely taken up the Indian Premier League superannuation plan. Though anyone who watched that first final would have seen him in the crowd and his interview with Ian Healy showed how insightful he still is - talking about young Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla - Warne cast his analytical eye over the youngster and like what he saw. Warne talked about those traits he liked to see in a leg spin bowler - the main one being an attacking mindset and always looking to get a wicket. Warne now has a role at Cricket Australia as a spin bowling mentor. He like the rest of Australia will be hoping that a new young spinning sensation comes along.
It should be pointed out that Chawla is just 19 years old a full four years younger than when Warne made his debut!!! And almost old enough to call Stuart MacGill dad. India might have found their next bowling sensation. For Australia - the search goes on...
India has inflicted a defeat to Australia in the final game of the Commonwealth Bank one day tournament and in the process won it. It is the second time in a row the Australians have lost the finals 2-0.
Much has been made of the controversies that have plagued the summer of cricket - racism, sledging, the IPL player auction and now the tackling of a nude spectator - sometimes the actual cricket has gone unnoticed which is a shame.
India won this series because of the magnificent blend of youth and experience. There are many stalwarts of Indian cricket that have been neglected for this tournament - batsmen the calibre of Raul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman and bowlers like Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble. But what dropping players like this means is that India has been able to blood a very very exciting generation of new, young cricket talent. The young dynamo batsmen Gautam Gambhir (26), Robin Uthappa (22) and Rohit Sharma (20) have developed under the watchful eye of master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and what a thrill it must be for those youngsters to bat with someone of that stature.
The Indian bowling has been equally blessed with new young talent - Man of the match Praveen Kumar is just 22 years old and Sreesanth is just 25 years. Irfan Pathan is 23 years old and injured find of the series Ishant Sharma is 19!! Couple those quicks with the most exciting young leg spinner in the world 19 year old Piyush Chawla and the future of indian cricket is very very bright. My only concern is 19 year olds making millions of dollars playing 20/20 but kudos to indian cricket for finding and getting those youngsters into the team.
The Australians haven't had much to be happy about since the lucky win in the Sydney test right back at the start of the year. In the one day arena they started with all guns blazing but had their form desert them at the crucial moment.
The one shining light I think it should be said was the bowling of Nathan Bracken. He has been the outstanding bowler in international one day cricket for the past few years and it was good to see him recognized as the player of the tournament. Looking back at his career it seems strange that he has never found a regular berth in the test team. With Brett Lee's express pace partnering Stuart Clark it seems to me that at this stage Bracken would be the ideal change bowler. Australia has been obsessed since th retirement of McGrath and Gillespie to find the quickest bowlers possible rather than the best. Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson just don't bowl accurately enough often enough and I feel that Bracken should be in the test team.
So a season of intrigue has ended and we await with some interest to see if the Indian Premier League 20/20 tournament will be the saviour of cricket or an exercise in corporate profitability.
Need to punish 'bad boy' undoes the Green and Gold
It was there to see at the SCG on Sunday night. Australia lost, the all conquering almighty team of the past two decades came crashing down and it was all due to one man. The turbinator, the man publicly named as an obnoxious weed - Harbhajan Singh brought the downfall of Australia by his mere presence.
How is this you ask? The Australians got themselves into trouble with some early poor shot selection and bad luck (Ricky Ponting underedged a pull shot that went cannoning into leg stump - two overs later Matthew Hayden did exactly the same thing but the ball missed the stumps and rolled away for a boundary).
At 3 for 24 Australia was in dire trouble when Andrew Symonds came to wicket and joined Matthew Hayden in a furious counter attack that saw them reach a 100 by the 18th over. They took the game by the scruff of the neck and shook it violently back to Australia's favour with the kind of intelligent power cricket that has been the hallmark of this team. Commentators were likening it to the world series finals of 2006 when a game down and 3 for 10 in the second game Symonds then joined by Ricky Ponting bludgeoned the Sri Lankan making 358. Hayden and Symonds had put on a hundred run partnership when the Indians then turned to Harbhajan - he hasn't been bowling particularly well of late and he didn't bowl particularly well here - BUT the two batsman at the centre of the childish schoolyard spat with the indian off spinner both decided he had to go. The thing is after they had dominated the game and got the Indians on the back foot Symonds and Hayden could quite easily have milked the bowling, taken five singles an over and just accumulated another 80 more runs then set up for a guns blazing finale with both of them past 100. BUT Harbhajan had to be taught a lesson and the two tried to arrogantly hit him out of the attack. It was an attack of stupidity that really did cost the Australians the match as the Indians settled down to chase a moderate total of 237 when they should have been chasing a much more daunting total of more than 320!
All attention will now turn to Brisbane, Australia has to win this match to stay in the final series and more importantly get back that air of invincibility. I would recommend instead of going after Harbhajan they concentrate on their own brilliant game and maybe teach him a lesson that way. To everyone else in the cricket world Harbhajan has given you the answer as to how to beat the Australians - as Arjuna Ranatunga before him, you have to beat them at their own game and really really get under their skin.
Just when you thought the whole idea of the IPL player auction couldn't get more crazy...
it has. The actual auction has taken place and is full of such bizarre contradictions and extravagent spending that you would think that there is no poverty in India and that the streets are paved with gold.
Now before we begin with the analysis of this draft let's just take a moment to consider that the all conquering Australian team are supposedly touring Pakistan during the duration of the competition meaning they would have a limited influence on the tournament.
So let's start with Andrew Symonds - the $1.47million dollat man [insert cash register noises here]. Mr Symonds has been blessed with circumstances here. The big hitting awesome fielding Australian would be the perfect 20/20 cricketer. But with Australia going on tour no one would pay that amount of money from him right? Well his own incredible stupidity actually helped up his price. He claimed that he would not go to Pakistan even if the rest of his team went as it was too dangerous. So far so good. He then went on to say that it was his undrstanding that all international tours were on an invitational basis and that he would kindly decline the Cricket Australia offer to tour. He obviously hasn't read his Cricket Australia contract and my guess on the basis of those comments is that he isn't the smartest joker in the pack (and when we are talking Australian cricketers, that's not a very smart pack to begin with). His comments were lept upon those who also can't read with glee that he would be playing in India no matter what. So Hyderabad forked out $1.47 million dollars for his talents on the assumption that he would be playing for them no matter what only to find that in his Cricket Australia contract if he refused to go to Pakistan they could (would and should) stop him playing for the mercenary money in India.
If Symonds is a little dim then perhaps he gets some of it from his captain Ricky Ponting. In a press conference after the auction Ricky P claimed he was 'dissappointed' with getting 'only $400,000 ' in the auction. He wondere why that was - maybe his poor form around the time of the auction but he wondered aloud that maybe it was the Harbhajan Singh incident at the Sydney test though he noted his international teamate at the centre of it was now Mr $1.47million. Punter did some more pontificating on the reasons - he sais he's always been good at endorsements (A fact that I cannot deny as I have seen him whore hiimself out for ads for vitamins, deodurants, cars, phones, banks, fried chicken and oils - you know what I mean). BUT RICKY, baby, DO YOU HONESTLY THINK ANYONE IS GOING TO FEEL SORRY FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ONLY GETTING $400,000 to play 40 days of cricket????? I tell you cricketers are going to get a bad name.
That is with the exception of Michael Clarke - A man who did put some level of principle above the money when he decided to spend time with family and go fishing with an aging father over the IPL. Someone has some morals. Also in that category is England's Andrew Flintoff who showed his true sportsmanship (not for the first time) by saying the England Cricket Board has always done 'alright by him'.
This is money driven madness and the stupidity of it can be seen when you take a look at young Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma - he has played in a handful of tests and one day internationals - sure the kid shows enormous promise BUT the 19-year old has been signed up for $1.01million!!!!!!!!! Stop and think about that folks - as a 19 year old he is going to make in 40 days of cricket what some entire villages in India make in a decade!! This is insanity and someone has to stand up and speak out about it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if somoene in the IPL showed they were only playing for the love of the game by donating half of their income to charity in the developed world??? Of course this is unlikely to happen, I'd like to see a program maybe where the relative cricket boards in each country take some of the players money and re-invest it into the game. So a new generation of Pontings, Tendulkars and Jayasuriyas can come through and endorse hamburgers and high calorie soft drinks for years to come.
So it's come to this
In what has to be a move for the detriment of the game cricketers are today being auctioned off to the new Indian Premier League - made up franchises, with made up uniforms playing a made up game to make cricket look and feel like football. The net result is going to be an end to international cricket.
The first thing I think you'll see go is the One Day form of the game - if you had to truncate the game of cricket then this is perfect, it takes roughly the equivalent time of a day's play at a test match and you will more often than not see 400 runs scored (and anything upto 600) in a day with plenty of wickets and great fielding. 20/20 you may if you are luck get to see the same amount of runs scored but there is little planning and stategy which means more comes down to luck and you have an equal chance of seeing a no contest. Which is far more boring than any one day match or any day of test cricket will ever be. I think this will also lead to the end of the one day cricket world cup which I would value more highly over a 20/20 world cup.
The next thing that 20/20 cricket will effect is the players - the results are already quite clear in Australia where the majority of the current playing squad have signed up - but more intriguingly, there are several recently retired players who are also signed up for this competition. My gut feeling is that the likes of Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist have taken the money and run from playing for their country - I know they will protest this but I think it's clear for all to see.
I think if cricket is to survive the ICC has to step in a regulate this form of the game - I know they have sanctioned this tournament and the IPL but with $56 million dollar sponsorship and a billion dollar TV rights package one wonders whether this is for the betterment of the game or the pockets of those involved at every level.
Personally I will try and keep away from watching this form of cricket (though being a cricket obsessive that might be difficult). My main problem with the game is it really comes down to luck and the skill of a batsman and the skill of a bowler are secondary to the manufactured excitement of seeing a ball going into or over the fence.
Today's auction will also see the end of any dignity the cricket playing community had - now reduced like farm animals at the yearling auctions the players only value will be financial, They will go chasing endorsements and advertising dollars and lose sight of why they gained that recognition in the first place - In Australia every summer we get subjected to more and more advertisements featuring cricketers, selling everything from Cars to phones, to deoderant and fried chicken. I fear we will see these clunkheads nearly 24/7 with this new competition and the further bestowing of demigod status. Anyone who has heard these players speak (especially in light of recent race controversies) should know that this is not a good idea. If I want to see badly behaved sportsmen getting payed ridiculous sums of money for a few hours entertainment then I will stick to the footy (which is at least much more entertaining than 20/20 cricket). Yes today's auction is the final resting point for the journey into money that cricket took under the guidance of the late Kerry Packer. It is a sad day for the game as 20/20 shows a complete lack of vision. Sure there will be players, officials, umpires and commentators telling you that this is definitely not the case - but they will be doing so with large bundles of cash in their pockets.
With Langer's departure from the Australian cricket team the inevitable scramble for an elusive test spot has started, mostly in the press at this stage. The English monsoon season hasn't helped the likes of Jacques but in the end the decision will be made on the basis of the first 2-3 round of Sheffield Shield cricket in October and November.
The 'I can be an opener too' articles that have appeared in the media through the loose mouthed and ill informed comments of Hodge and particularly Watson do them no favours at all.
Opening is a specialist job, one that requires a strong technique and an equally strong mind. Langer's bruises and bumps will attest to that over many years. An opener can not be created in one off season through slipping tid bits into the press. Of all the batting positions in the line up (save for perhaps the number 3 role) it is the opening position that requires the most care in selection. The West Indies and India are good examples of the types of pressure borne by the remainder of the order when the openers are unable to get regular solid starts.
Shame Watson cannot make himself into an opener overnight. He has never opened for Queensland in the four day game and nor has he shown the sort of form that would get him a position in the top four of the national team. Australian cricket, in a time of transition, does not need another Tom Moody who was flicked between number 6&7 and opener whenever it suited the selectors. Remarkably enough it didn't suit his cricket either and his figures bore that out.
As for Hodge his record against moderate attacks in England and at number 4 & 5 in the Aussie line up is fine. Likewise his tilt at opening in the one day game last season. He has a stronger case than Watson but he seems to lack the grit of Langer that made the latter's transition from a number 3 to an opener largely seamless.
Chris Rogers and Phil Jacques seem to have the best claims for the position and depending on how the early domestic rounds pan out Rogers may have the upper hand.
Ricky Ponting will be delighted that not only did his team defeat South Africa this morning to take maximum points into the Super 8s but that it was done defending a large total. His declaration before the tournament that this was an Achilles heel for his team will give him and coach Buchannan extra satisfaction that their planning and execution on this aspect of their game has shown dividends.
Since their Johannesburg fixture last year the fabric of the game has changed for both South Africa and Australia not to mention the interested chasing pack. In chosing to chase down whatever total Australia put on the board Graeme Smith was taking a calculated risk based on his observations of New Zealand’s remarkable efforts in the Chappell Hadlee series.
That Australia’s batting was strong was beyond question. Hayden and Gilchrist were terrific at the top of the order. Shaun Pollock with figures of 0-83 from his ten overs can attest to their ferocity. Ponting and Clarke followed with sumptuous knocks.
After the initial onslaught the real interest in this contest became the South African chase. After 21 overs the scoreboard read 0-161 with Smith and De Villiers both scoring freely without taking too many risks. Another 10 overs of this and the sense of déjà vu for the Australians may have been too tough to overcome. Watson’s throw from the boundary to run out De Villiers could be seen as lucky but hard work and presence of mind even at that stage of the game count for a lot. Smith’s temporary retirement due to cramp smacks of poor fitness and/or poor recovery after time in the field. Both factors were lucky in a way, both helped Australia wrestle the initiative.
In South Africa last year Dippenear, a notably slow scorer, was dismissed early freeing up overs for others to attach. This time Kallis in his efforts to stay at the crease was more of a help than a hindrance. Ponting may have been pleased at this extended stay despite being unable to dismiss him until the 44th over.
Fortune favours the brave and with a combination of factors not directly in their control and a more even headed performance in the field and with the ball the Aussies were always able to maintain a level of control over the second innings of this match.
Tait and Hogg both bowled well, much better than previous outings in New Zealand. Tait’s pace and movement stifled any late rally and Hogg’s wrong un had South Africa in a spin.
Ponting and his team will be confident going into the Super 8s while South Africa, aside from losing to a team that had been baiting them all week, can take heart from a solid if unspectacular performance.
After a trying 3 weeks the Aussies will be cheered off to the World Cup to some acclaim by the collective back slapping exercise that is the announcement of the greatest one day team ever at Luna Park ($400 per head if you are free!!).
Chosen by your very own one day cricketing heroes (all 163 of them) in a ballot box poll there can never be any consternation now about the best XI following tomorrow's gala (or is that galah) parade of cricketing stars.
Cricketnews.com.au has been through an equally rigorous process involving a cup of tea and some very fine memories to come up with our team. Here it is:
1) Gilchrist A.
2) Waugh M.
3) Ponting R.
4) Chappell G.
5) Jones D.
6) Bevan M.
7) O’Donnell S.
8) Warne S.
9) Taylor P.
10) Lillee D.
11) McGrath G.
Gilchrist, Bevan, Ponting and Warne pick themselves.
Waugh M had competition from Swampy Marsh but won out on his fielding and bowling.
Chappell G. nudged out Steve Waugh as Waugh stopped bowling part way through his career.
Jones beat Andrew Symonds on account of the way in which he changed the game in the mid 80s and his running between the wickets.
O’Donnell was ahead of Matthews, Walters and Moody because of his pioneering slower ball and ability to tear apart an attack at the end of the innings.
Taylor P. makes a surprise inclusion but his hustling game and fielding off his own bowling are often under recognised and let’s face it we need more nerds in the squad to balance out the Julios.
Lillee and McGrath make up a pace attack that combines guile, accuracy and pace.
What do you think? Who’s in your team? Who’s out of this one?
Despite previously supporting players in their quest for sensible schedules and a lightening of their workload this column must cry foul after an ill timed and plainly out of touch rant from Adam Gilchrist about the current Chappell Hadlee series in New Zealand.
Gilchrist argues that it was a series that nobody wanted. Obviously Gilchrist did not want this series. He simply made himself unavailable, a poor choice given that he is rightfully sitting out the early stages of the World Cup because of the birth of his third child. Just where is he going to get his cricket from in the lead up to the Caribbean.
Ask Brad Haddin whether this series in unwanted as he tries to fit into the team that Gilchrist has vacated. Ask Shane Watson if his return from injury is being hampered by getting three solid competitive matches as preparation for the World Cup instead of so called warm up games against St Lucia or whichever pub team is kicking about in the Caribbean during the tournament lead up.
I suspect Gilchrist’s reaction would have been far different had the Aussies taken the home one day series instead of losing to England. I suspect a resounding finals victory followed by a three match demolition of New Zealand with an Australian 2nd XI would have made for the much yearned after competitive cricket.
Adam Gilchrist sounds like a spoilt child prodigy in complaining about the tour to New Zealand in light of the circumstances. Perhaps his mate Matt Hayden might have a word to him after his hard earned and well compiled century to see how he feels about the tour when the bowlers for the second time in a row couldn’t defend a sizable total.
Stuart Clark may well be steaming with indignation at the moment but selectors made the right decision in leaving him out of the World Cup squad for the Caribbean. Throughout the home tri series Clark produced solid but unspectacular performances. Tait was offered two chances and produced one good performance and one bad performance.
Good performances in test cricket haven’t always guaranteed a spot in the national one day side, ask Michael Slater or Steve Waugh or even Stuart MacGill. Clark’s ten wickets in the recently completed 4 day game against Western Australia may have created headlines but a green, bouncy WACA pitch is a world away from players like Oram, Lara and Inzamam on flat tracks in the West Indies.
Clark leaked over five runs an over during his appearances in this summer’s tri series. In his defence he was often asked to bowl during the second group of power plays with an older ball or indeed in the final overs where bowlers do tend to go for more runs. It is Clark’s strength in the longer form of the game that perhaps proved his downfall at one day level for this tournament. He was too predictable and against top class batting on placid surfaces was seen to provide too much of the same. Johnson, Tait, Bracken and Lee all offer variation, pace or swing or a combination of all three and it was unlikely that McGrath was going to make way.
The selectors have made a bold but correct call in leaving Clark out for the World Cup but he can rest assured that in the event of a major injury to one of the five pace bowlers he will be the first call up.
After an earth shatteringly boring one day series it was England’s late show that finally shone some light on an otherwise dull tri-series. The mere maths of making three go into two after six games per side makes for tedious reading but for much of the series the one sided contests spoke for themselves.
Splitting the one day summer into two separate series against two touring nations as well as the Chappell Hadlee series with New Zealand will make for more interesting viewing and better quality cricket. It will also allow all of the one day venues around the country to benefit from the Aussie drawcards in action rather than settling for a poorly attended game between two touring sides where revenue generated barely covers costs.
Even if the scorelines in an elongated two team series become a little one sided crowds will be pleased to see the Australians in action. Fringe players may also find themselves getting into the action a little more without the issue of finals qualification clouding the scenario. Ravi Bopara for one would have been pleased to play a second game on the bounce rather than being dropped out for Michael Vaughan’s critical return last evening against New Zealand. Players like Cameron White and Brad Hogg could exist in a rotation policy like the pace bowlers do now and selectors would benefit from the evidence presented ahead of more major tournaments like the World Cup.
Ricky Ponting’s team look sure things to take out the final series but such is the quirky nature of this format that a first up victory for England in the final series, their third in a row if they pull it off, would go against the tide of a thus far comprehensive performance from the Australians this summer. Playing a series against just one opponent would eliminate this anomaly from the system.
A best of five game one day series and a best of three game 20/20 series against each of two touring nations would provide the necessary balance The players may not like any more 20/20 cricket but I am sure the fans won’t like a seven game series with a 5-0 scoreline any more than an unlucky Australian Cricket Family punter likes having to go to NZ v England as a poor man’s alternative to poor ticket availability.
After only two double figure scores in his previous seven one day outings in the green and gold it wasn’t only Brad Hodge who was relieved at having cracked it for an innings of substance last night at the MCG. Retained in the squad after a serious injury to Andrew Symonds, Hodge repaid the faith of the selectors who until now have endured a poor run of one day scores from this exciting prospect.
In the past Hodge has done himself no favours at all by openly questioning the selectors' decisions in omitting him from the one day and test sides, just ask Stuart MacGill how many Christmas cards he gets from the selectors. One might even be so bold as to suggest that Hodge was only first choice replacement for Ponting and then Symonds because of the collective guilt in axing him from the test side last summer, remembering that Voges was included in the test squad ahead of Hodge after Martyn's retirement earlier in the summer.
Hodge however, laid those demons to rest last night with a superb innings under pressure. The Kiwis were in control for much of the match and it was only the patient and ultimately effective and exciting partnership between Hodge and Ponting that took the game away from NZ. Hodge's first 18 runs came as singles from a total of 36 balls, the remainder of his innings providing a terrific display of measured batting where the total of 291 was the highest score overhauled in ODI's at the MCG.
With the announcement of the World Cup squad on 13 February and a large injury cloud hanging over key player Andrew Symonds the selectors will be pleased to have Hodge as form player in the squad. Between Friday’s injury to Symonds and Hodge making his mark yesterday untested but exciting prospects such as Voges, Thornley and Cosgrove will have entered the selectors’ thoughts. They need not worry, at 32 years of age and with a long apprenticeship to his name in state cricket Hodge will make an ideal tourist for the Carribean in March.
The constant reiterations by Ricky Ponting that his side can do better despite their perfect record this summer are a timely reminder that with success comes expectation and that anything less than a third consecutive World Cup will be considered a failure.
So far the top order and the bowlers have come in some criticism from Ponting and Buchannan, not to mention their hapless opponents England and to a lesser degree New Zealand.
One notable omission among the scramble for news copy is the fielding standards set by the side and the fact that one, possibly two team members, are not up to scratch. Close examination of the Australians in the field reveals some scintillating form plus some passengers, notably McGrath and to a lesser degree White and Bracken.
If the much beleaguered Duncan Fletcher’s school of thought is to be followed then we can safely put McGrath and Panesar in the same bracket. Both are terrific bowlers but neither can bat effectively and both are currently a burden to their captains in the field. McGrath is a yard too slow in the outfield and plays in a team where the only major weakness is their inability to defend large totals.
In games like last night’s contest where seven an over is about average across the bowling group leaking a second run to old stagers in the outfield makes life very difficult for the captain. At one stage Ponting had McGrath at backward point and still the ball followed him and still the team conceded runs as a result.
Each match McGrath plays from now until the World Cup should invite much scrutiny. Shane Watson will return to the squad and Johnson, Bracken, Lee and Clark make for a very effective bowling line up. McGrath may find that it is his fielding not his bowling that has the ultimate say in whether or not he plays a leading role in what will surely be Australia'’ third consecutive World Cup victory.
Damien Martyn’s announcement this week that he has sold the so called rights to his retirement story to Channel 9 for $30,000 started cricket’s famous rumour mill and resulted in a series of denials about the circumstances leading up the Martyn’s retirement.
Justin Langer has come out and suggested that it would be impossible for the great mates of the Australian dressing room to ever have a problem of that nature. A quick perusal of Steve Waugh’s autobiography will tell you that despite an outwardly harmonious team bond being portrayed in the media that a group of testosterone charged blokes in a highly competitive environment of international cricket is bound to have some differences of opinion.
Damien Martyn was never one to seek attention and would have been far more uncomfortable than any of the three recent retirees at the SCG so perhaps it was true to form that he would retire without any fanfare. However more perplexing is the fact that Martyn did not seek to negotiate a golden handshake with the ACB or that he refused to offer any form of explanation to anyone in the aftermath of his decision.
Something is amiss. For Langer to have come out in the press and presented a flat denial of any disharmony smacks of a cover up. Where there is smoke there is fire and something went terribly awry in the post Adelaide celebrations.
Hayden, despite being devout Christian and all round good guy, is not one stand down, just ask Simon Jones after his apology during the 2005 one day series. Martyn does not necessarily buy into the matey persona of Langer and Hayden and is a more reclusive figure. Perhaps something was said, perhaps words were misconstrued and perhaps there was a scene, maybe not raised fists but an event significant enough to tip a player nearing the end over the edge, regardless of the money.
Picture Superbowl XLI in South Florida on February 4 2007. In new changes hurried through the US Government under the guise of national security there will be no face painting as it masks the true identity of potential terrorists. No pre game BBQ parties in the car park due to the combined risk of obesity, alcoholism and the strong likelihood of all those gas bottles getting into the “wrong” hands. There will be no cheerleaders as they are a potentially bad influence on the crowd. And finally the half time show performers will be required to perform in a straight jacket to reduce the risk of any wardrobe malfunctions.
Sound far fetched? Well if you have been to the cricket during the Australian summer this over the top scenario of so called “preventative policing” and general meddling with the experience of cricket lovers at the game is exactly what you have sat through.
For most Australian cricket fans the experience of getting to the game is as much about watching the action out in the middle as it is about watching and listening to those around you. From blokes in drag to witty banners and calls from the outer cricket followers were able to feel like they could keep up with the game on the field while feeling relaxed and entertained off the field.
It is then difficult to understand why all of the sudden Cricket Australia has decided that its stadiums around the country need to resemble large scale detention centres operating under the strictest of guidelines designed to prevent any sort of unrest. Premier Morris Iemma writing to Tony Blair requesting the names of know British sporting hooligans is a symptom of the nanny police state situation that cricket fans are dealing with every time they turn up at an international match.
When will Cricket Australia understand that beer snakes and mexican waves are fun and are far more likely to keep a sun drenched and alcohol soaked crowd (smuggling is alive and well whilst ever SCG bitter is at 0.05% alcohol content) amused than some B grade disc jockey trying the morning radio style routine of trying to artificially inflate the spirits of 45,000 crowd members with innane banter followed by loud unwanted music.
Next summer it won’t be a surprise to see crowd numbers falter under the weight of over the top policing. Australia v Sri Lanka with no fun is a lot less appealing than a 5-0 whitewash to regain the Ashes. One only has to look across the Tasman to note the empty stadiums as New Zealand battle to impress their own people with an evenly pitched series with Sri Lanka to know how fickle crowds can be.
A League soccer crowds are growing yearly and the summer competition combined with a 90 minute commitment from the spectator will provide some stiff competition for cricket in coming years. Fun loving twenty somethings, sick of being labelled as walking trouble makers at the cricket because they hold a banner and an empty VB case as a hat, may feel that a two hour A league soccer match is a far more attractive proposition than being harassed by over zealous security guards at the cricket.
Cricket Australia has done some fine work in marketing the game and having full stadiums in recent times however on the biggest stage of all they may have done more harm than good to long term cricket attendances.
Amid all the fanfare about the dual retirements of one of the greatest bowling partnerships in world cricket there has been some coverage of just what an Australian side might look like in 2009.
So far as the fast bowling stocks are concerned the larder is full. The emergence of Stuart Clark in the test team with Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait and to a lesser degree Nathan Bracken all lurking in the periphery has most pundits convinced that McGrath will be missed but replaceable. Not so Warne.
As South Africa have found over the years it is not just the quality of your pace bowling attack that allows you to win test matches. The absence of a quality spinner in their line up has allowed batsmen to build rhythm against the monotony of the quicks and take the easy pickings on offer against meagre spin bowling.
Despite the long break between the Sydney test this year and the next appointment with Sri Lanka there are up to eleven test series to be played in the lead up to the 2009 Ashes. The most challenging of these series appears to be home fixtures against India in 2007/08, away fixtures in Pakistan in the New Year of 2008 and home and away fixtures against South African the following summer.
India always present a challenge as Steve Waugh found in his final series without Warne and McGrath at his disposal. Having lost only one home series since Warne started his career in 1992 the increased pressure from the coming series might become an issue. Young players like Dan Cullen and Cameron White may find that their initial forays into international cricket are not quite so rosy as the previous series victories involving Warne, McGrath, Martyn, Langer et al have lead them to believe.
Warne, in previous interviews, has stated that if asked really, really nicely by Ponting and Hilditch that he may consider coming out of retirement for the World Cup next year. Despite the apparent finality in his retirement statement last week, Warne is for the turning.
A barren 2007/08 summer for the Aussie attack and subsequent poor showings in the subcontinent will have pundits asking if it possible. Warne’s burning desire to be loved and adored as quoted by Steve Waugh may put his notably poor off field judgement to the test. The women’s magazines may well have a field day with Warne’s marital circumstances but anything short of a full reconciliation with his ex-wife may have a lonely and vulnerable Warne pining for the spotlight again. His old mate Murali closing in on his world record and subsequently charging towards 1,000 wickets might all be too much for him. Don’t be surprised if some coverage is given to the possibility this time next summer.
Never one to conform to normality one expected Warne to exit the game in slightly more controversial circumstances than a run of the mill press conference and two test matches against England. His legion of fans certainly won’t be surprised if there are one or two more twists in what has been an engaging and vastly influential tale.
From his less than startling beginnings at the cricket academy in Adelaide to his frequent forays onto the front and back page later in his career little apart from his leg spinning skills has come from the textbook for Warne. Luckily for him his efforts on the field have provided a long lasting and most likely unrepeatable history for others to enjoy.
Throughout his career Warne has always been his own man. He left the academy early because he wanted to play for Victoria not South Australia. He had some early weight problems in very much the same vein as the old school cricketers that proceeded him. Warne bought life to the normally mundane finishes associated with batting out a final day against a tiring attack for a draw. His insatiable appetite for a contest saw that few matches finished without a result or at the very least some compelling drama.
Warne thrived on the limelight in any number of on and off field situations and we may do well to remember that it is this showmanship and appetite for the stage that bought him many of his wickets. With hindsight we may recognise that being the best leg spinner in history does not necessarily make the best off field role model. Despite the wishes of the ACB player contract writers and ever alert media relations department the two need not go together.
Our parliamentarians who represent us often show their foibles while others plying their trade at the highest level in society such as lawyers and doctors may be excellent practitioners but not provide good social role models either. They simply don’t make it into the press as often as someone like Warne. It certainly doesn’t make them any better or worse at performing their duties as professionals.
The trade off between a few text messages, cigarettes and pushing the boundaries of gamesmanship and the overall impact on the Australian sporting scene is one that is always in Warne’s favour. He propelled Australian cricket to the top of the international sporting pile and revived a long lost art. Ask any under 10 coach in the land who most of his charges want to be and the answer will not be given with a cigarette in one hand and a mobile phone in the other.
The sudden departure of Damien Martyn from the Australian cricket team left many observers, cricketnews.com.au included, a little bemused. Never one to actively court the media Martyn cited a lack of desire to continue in the public spotlight as one of the reasons for his departure.
For Martyn departing on his own terms was important in terms of maintaining his own sense of self-respect. The example he sets is a good one and other team members in the twilight of their careers would do well to follow. Darren Gough and Alan Donald will attest to the poor returns from hanging on too long just to fend off a few critics for another match or two.
Slightly more perplexing were reports suggesting that it was the constant scrutiny of his place in the team that got to Martyn and forced his hand in making the decision to retire. Cricketers are like swimmers and politicians in this country. Performances, on and off the field, are subject to endless comment and analysis. The support of the Australian public doesn’t come in a one size fits all nobody can say anything unless it is positive cap of intent.
Just as the media are entitled to comment on Libby Lenton’s more powerful figure after an off season of hard training and whether or not Kevin Rudd has a short temper as newly elected opposition leader so too they are entitled to comment on whether or not Damien Martyn should hold his place in the team.
The fact that Martyn did not actively engage the media in this career as others have done does not exempt him from their scrutiny when it comes to commenting on his batting or contribution to the team. Perhaps some of the media training given to players should be expanded to include strategies to cope with criticism and comment. So long as the public are interested in following the national team so to will they be interested in reading stories that comment and analyse, positively or negatively.
We’d be living in a sad democracy and defying our proud tradition of free speech if covering a sport meant only providing positive comment on players and administrators all the time.
The surprise announcement this afternoon of Damien Martyn’s retirement from all forms of cricket has given the Australian selectors an ideal opportunity to pick Phil Jacques in the number five slot for the Perth test.
Despite Jacques scoring most of his runs in recent times at the top of the order for NSW and the Prime Minister’s XI, he is equally adaptable down the order at number five. His outstanding form will not last forever and it will be prudent of the selectors to get him in the team now when he is full of confidence rather than waiting for Hayden and Langer to retire.
The selection of Jacques at number five will cover two issues of concern in the selectors’ minds. Firstly the unique technique adopted by Jacques thus far in his career requires further refinement in the same way that Hayden needed time to adjust his game to the next level of cricket. As Hayden found out the hard way a technique that allows state bowlers to be bludgeoned to the fence in Pura Cup games may not be so effective at Test level. Jacques will face a sterner examination of technique from the likes of Flintoff and Co than he does in Pura Cup cricket and starting out at number five will allow this process to occur smoothly without top order disruptions to the team.
Secondly the selectors will be able to introduce Jacques to the Australian team in the number five slot comfortable in the knowledge that Ponting and Hussey about him are in career best form. These players above Jacques can lay a solid platform such that Jacques can take his time to adjust to test cricket before making his way up the order at a later stage when Hayden and/or Langer complete their service.
In the past Jacques has been criticised for his fielding lapses. He has worked hard in the off season and with Martyn becoming slower and less effective in the field as the years have passed by the net loss to the Australian team is negligible and Jacques will improve further over time.
The return of Watson for the Boxing Day test will create its own questions but the opportunity to have Jacques in the side now is too good to miss.
Cricket Australia are making a real hash of the Ashes and as a cricket fan
and normal fun loving cricket writer I for one think it stinks.
At the start of preparations for this Ashes series, way back when England
took a 2-1 lead in the 4th test in England last year it looked as though
although all the boffins at Cricket Australia had to do was turn up to work,
make tickets available in an orderly fashion, run some promotions with a
telecommunications or banking firm and bask in the glory of the contest
whilst ensuring that crowd behaviour was tolerable.
In every respect they have failed and we are only one test match into the
summer. The Australian Cricket Family will go down in sports history in this
country as one of biggest fiascos known to sports fans. The fact that
membership of the family guaranteed that getting a ticket, assuming your
cheque book could cope, was far easier by logging onto e-bay after the
frenzy had died down than spending 8 fruitless hours swearing at your
computer was proof of the schemes ineffectiveness.
Cricket Australia has taken themselves to new lows since then. Any
journalist reporting the facts according to Cricket Australia and their
corporate buddies must now refer to the canary yellow team as the
Commonwealth Bank Australian One Day International Team. Thankfully most
journalists have the good common sense to refer to them without the sponsors
tag turning every reference into an unmanageable mouthful, not to mention
downplaying the significance of the team and its players.
It is a struggle to understand just where Cricket Australia’s most recent
policy of over zealous stewarding is coming from. There may have been some
frenzy surrounding the alleged plot to poison the teams during last year’s
series or some long out of date hysteria about English sports hooliganism.
Quite frankly when did a Mexican wave or a good natured song and
accompanying trumpet piece from the loud but always immaculately behaved
Barmy Army cause the players any concern or diminish from the experience of
anyone but the most stuffy of old members. A day out at the cricket is as
much about the atmosphere of people watching as it is about the cricket.
Forty thousand people in straight jackets and muzzles being fed low calorie
lemonade through straws is hardly what a day out at the cricket should be.
It would certainly make it harder to work in partnership with the likes of
Merv Hughes on boundary side warm ups.
Cricket Australia is in danger of over egging its role in managing cricket
in this country. Attempting to keep a lid on every element of crowd
behaviour in the manner of a bobbie keeping people away from a crime scene
is contrary to the interests of the sport. Cricket in this country is a
fantastic product and the last thing we need is the cricketing equivalent of
a nanny state controlling every element of the crowd experience. If
cricket’s guardians are not careful their over enthusiastic ‘policing’ of
the game will mean that folks told to step away or calm things down will
soon discover that there is nothing to see here and no enjoyment to be had
and they will stay away from the game.
England are a much improved bowling line up today compared to yesterday’s feeble effort that allowed Australia to make a dominant start, largely unchallenged. Anderson and to a lesser degree Hoggard this morning have looked like they might actually be able to generate some pressure on the batsmen. Australia have accrued enough runs so far that this innings is a bit of a face saving mission for the English bowlers.
Steve Harmison already has his own face saving challenges to deal with and looks nothing like a Durham 2nd XI player, let alone a test player. His propensity to spray the ball every which way without the slightest appearance of being in control and his well documented homesickness will be making this tour a tough experience at an early stage. Don’t be surprised if a niggly injury combined with a lack of form generates a weak ECB excuse for his early departure from the tour.
Kevin Pieterson bowled nine overs of moderate off spin during yesterday’s play. This is not a good sign for Monty Panesar. A spell of two or three overs in the lead up to drinks might suggest a Steve Waugh like ploy of bringing on a bits and pieces bowler to ‘buy’ a wicket but a spell of nine overs is different. Duncan Fletcher may be attempting to cover the bowling limitations of Ashley Giles with some extra variation and overs from Pieterson. The signs for Panesar that England will play two specialist spinners during the summer are not good. Whether it is right or wrong Fletcher in previous series has made it abundantly clear that Monty’s lack of allround cricketing ability is a limitation. KP’s spell here yesterday has shown Fletcher’s early preference on using Panesar for the remainder of the summer.
Speaking of alround cricketers Brett Lee has made his way to number eight on Channel 9’s batting list for Australia, ahead of Shanw Warne. He has batted magnificently in the last two or three years for Australia and deserves his chance. Whether the selectors are planning for the future in terms of turning Lee into a true allrounder rather than a bowler who can bat a bit remains to be seen. Lee probably has the skills to bat at seven for Australia when Gilchrist retires but there is plenty of talent to emerge for this longer term positioning to become apparent.
In terms of strategies and positioning let’s be quite sure that there is not enough room in the Channel 9 commentary box for three imposing figures of the game to be present at the same time. Three commentators at once is one voice too many and lets hope that the ample lunches provided in the media box bring about the necessary bloated girths in terms of making in blatantly obvious that two is company and three is a crowd in the Channel 9 commentary box.
It might have come as a huge shock to most Aussies that the Ashes remained in England after the last series but I assure you it was no fluke and they were fairly and squarely beaten by the better team over five test matches. The series did have it’s fair share of dramatic moments and game turning pieces of talent and luck in roughly equal measures but as a nation of cricket followers the Australian cricket public needs to come to terms with the competitive series that lies ahead, and quickly.
The headline in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald “How on earth did we lose the Ashes to this lot” was highly disrespectful. All it showed was a token childish effort to get under the skin of the Englishmen early in the tour. Headline writers in Australia do not sell papers in the same style as the English tabloids and should recognise their brief and stick to the facts rather than booming ill thought out headlines as means of selling papers.
Not since the days of Bradman’s Invincibles in 1948 have teams swept through opposition in fully competitive pre tour games. Most notably today these games are used as a chance to get to understand the role that fringe players might play in proceedings rather than to put out a full strength side and try and destroy the opposition. The 14 a side fixture at the SCG has been pilloried as being a token effort not befitting the series ahead. However, Pieterson’s comments this morning (Tues) about it being the toughest practice match he has played in put paid to the doomsdayers who thought we might as well be down the beach with Alan Border and his "mates".
That England have performed badly in a park cricket match in Canberra and then played in a fixture against NSW deliberately designed to better prepare themselves for the all round challenges facing them come the first test is certainly no reason to write them off. They are worthy foes and anybody suggesting that one bad spell or a couple of rash shots are going to dent their determination and courage is sadly mistaken.
If the last series showed us anything it was that the English team has come a long way since the days of an embarrassing Lilac Hill fixture in Perth followed by an equally embarrassing tour of the five test venues. We are in for one hell of an Ashes summer so cricket lovers get your ovens ready as I am planning to have hot humble pie served up to the over confident cocky Australian press when the series pans out far more evenly than errant early headlines suggest.
The equation for Shane Watson at this ICC Champion’s trophy tournament was simple, perform well and assume the box seat for the test number 6 batting spot for the coming Ashes series.
Despite being plunged into the unfamiliar opener’s slot and having to bowl with an older ball on some interesting surfaces Watson had acquitted himself well. He has players of class all around him to offer him advice on emerging issues such as his errant pull shot and he has the good common sense to apply himself no matter what the situation.
Two composed fifties during important matches and eight equally valuable wickets in the tournament are a solid return for a player who debuted at this level in 2002 and took 11 matches for his first 50 and 9 matches to take more than one wicket in an innings.
Such is the strength of this current Australia side that even a long bedding in period for a player like Watson has not diminished the ability of the team to create an environment where everybody is a winner. Not even Sherlock Holmes at his best could have predicted that at 2/80 in the tenth over against the West Indies in last evening’s ICC trophy final that Australia would waltz to a straightforward victory with eight wickets in hand. Yet that is exactly what happened and it was down to the contributions of not only the headline players like McGrath but players like Watson.
Two valuable wickets at important times last evening in Samuels and Baugh, both players capable of launching something of a rear guard action, and a measured sensible contribution with the bat after the loss of two early wickets can leave Watson justifiably proud of his efforts in bringing Australia the elusive crown missing from their mantlepiece.
Save for the occasional dalliance into Gilchrist-like batting at the top of the order, a style that does not suit his technique or ability at this stage, Watson can be pleased that he has passed the test with both bat and ball. All that awaits now is the call from the selectors in coming weeks and confirmation that he can stay in Brisbane on November 23 rather than heading to an empty MCG to face Victoria.
For those of your looking to prop up a seriously errant table leg then Steve Waugh’s autobiography is just the ticket. It is thick, heavy, and reliable and you certainly won’t be tempted to pick it up and take it down to the beach or on the bus unless you have forearms like a bricklayer.
The book is much like an innings by its author. It is long, sometimes not particularly attractive but in the end it serves its purpose and is ultimately very fulfilling.
In true autobiographical style the book charts Steve’s long path from humble beginnings as a backyard challenger through the junior ranks, into Sheffield Shield cricket and onto his ultimate goal of playing for Australia. There are many components of this journey that everybody can relate to as a sportsman. From the prickly neighbour’s garden to the even pricklier characters one often faces in serious or not so serious sport in Australia. The scenes depicting the backyard battles between the Waugh boys are particularly pertinent in helping to build the persona of Steve Waugh as the book moves along into his senior career as Australia captain.
Waugh is also not afraid to be critical in his book. His appraisals of teammates and international competitors are honest, to the point and without a hint of malice. However, for those of us not party to the internal workings of cricket at the highest level they also paint a picture of the vulnerability of international sportsmen and help give insight not often seen through the highly filtered media coverage of the players put out by Cricket Australia. This honesty is as refreshing as it is interesting and I certainly hope the players mentioned in the book take the comments in the spirit that they are intended.
The only time the books strays from what the public find interesting and remember clearly and into the realm of what Steve Waugh finds memorable is the section dealing with the Australian Cricketer’s Association’s ongoing battle with the Australian Cricket Board. Waugh’s battling background here comes to the fore as he explains in detail the ongoing negotiations between the two parties and how categorically the union (players) came out on top. This section of the book is overplayed and tends to shadow the more interesting parts chapters dealing with performances, personalities and motivations.
Overall “Out of my comfort zone” was well worth reading and provided an interesting insight into what Steve Waugh’s life has been like over the past 20 years in the spotlight. The section written by his wife Lynette complements his regular mentions of his family in the book and rounds out an excellent read.
For those of you like me who like to spend a Christmas day hidden in the corner away from relatives that are seen once a year for a reason then get yourself a copy of “Out of my Comfort Zone” and you won’t find yourself doing any unnecessary talking on Christmas Day or for a few days afterwards.
Far from throwing Australia’s Ashes preparation into disarray the suspension of Stuart MacGill for two weeks for swearing at an umpire in Sydney grade cricket gives the Australian selectors the chance to break free of the shackles of this unique character.
For years now Stuart MacGill has been the only child in the extended Australian cricketing family. His inability to understand team dynamics and propensity to engage in confrontations goes against the team spirit that Steve Waugh and now Ricky Ponting have tried to forge. Diversity in character is one thing, creating disharmony and not respecting the ethics of your club or county is quite another. Damien Fleming and Colin Miller throughout their respective careers showed a health mixture of individuality and respect for standards of behaviour associated with a team environment. They are remembered fondly as a result.
Despite his individuality in appreciating fine wine and other more cultural pursuits MacGill has been banned from league cricket in England, pilloried for his anti social ways and criticised for his inability to distinguish between right and wrong in the application of his aggressive ways. There have been some changes over the years and with the addition of a wife and child some mellowing of ways. His latest outburst however shows the only child within, the short fuse that will sooner rather than later burn out his cricket career.
Perhaps it has been frustrating to live in the shadow of big game performer Shane Warne and perhaps it has been difficult to come to terms with how easily younger members of the team like Cullen and Johnson have fitted into the side. However, behaving like an only child who fails to interact with those in positions of authority shows a trait that the Australian team can do without.
The selectors should take this suspension as an indicator that despite his prodigious talents on the field that his age and temperament are factors too strong to ignore. Dan Cullen should be picked ahead of MacGill for the Ashes squad and be given the opportunity of establishing himself as a permanent member of the side.
With only 4 short weeks until the Ashes start in Brisbane on 23 November all talk has been of the third Australian seamer’s spot. With McGrath, Lee, Warne and one of Watson or Symonds almost guaranteed spots in the bowling line up it is only the first change pace bowling option that needs consideration to round out the attack.
The two strongest contenders for this position appear to be Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark. Michael Kasprowicz is out injured and Shaun Tait only returned to competitive cricket last week after a long injury lay off. Tait’s ability to produce wicket taking deliveries is unquestionable although it is what is served up between times that will give the selectors much to think about in the coming months.
Stuart Clark excelled himself in his debut series in South Africa, admirably taking over in Glen McGrath’s absence. His ability to land the ball on the same testing spot time and time again meant that despite his 500 tally of test wickets McGrath’s absence was not really felt. Clark is reliable and can wield the willow in effective fashion when required. His fielding is solid and if selected we can be reasonably sure of his ability to do the job for Australia. That is to keep it tight at his end while the likes of Shane Warne and Brett Lee at the other end use their respective skills to pick up the lion’s share of the wickets.
Mitchell Johnson has been tagged as the next big thing in Australian cricket. Dennis Lillie’s assessment, while undoubtably an astute observation, has done little to help the shy and retiring Johnson in his quest to reach the top. Such was the weight of expectation and subsequent injuries from trying too hard that he has considered quitting the game before he had the chance to excel.
Luckily for Australian cricket this did not happen and we have seen Johnson stamp his mark on the game in the last few weeks, firstly in Malaysia and then at the Champion’s Trophy. Much like Shaun Tait Johnson has the ability to bowl wicket taking deliveries at regular intervals. Mix this talent with his sharp left arm over the wicket swing stock deliveries and you have a unique package indeed. Without wanting to fall into the Lillie mould of over egging players at an early stage, there is something of a young Wasim Akram about Johnson.
For me, in an ideal world, Johnson would be picked ahead of Clark for the first Ashes test. He offers something out of the ordinary and will be an ideal weapon to call on in situations where free scoring batsmen like Flintoff and Peitersen need to be countered. The big ‘if’ in the equation is the return of Glenn McGrath. If McGrath’s return to competitive cricket is not as smooth as planned and there is a need for another steadying influence in the team then perhaps Stuart Clark should be selected. For me though it is Johnson all the way and here’s hoping he can start is career with an Ashes victory.
Long time admirer, first time writer. Firstly could I just start by saying what a tremendous servant of Australian cricket you have been over a number of decades. Tough times, good times, times when you probably felt like throwing in the towel, you’ve seen them all. As a result I am a little confused about your recent resignation from the Board of Selectors after answering the call when Mr Hilditch finished up earlier this year.
In your career you managed to captain Rodney Hogg, short of secretary general of the UN, probably one of the toughest jobs out there. You managed to stone wall the English in England in 1989, again given their hospitality an amazing effort and you managed to swim through the political quagmire and adulation to emerge is the deserving glow surrounding the naming of the nation’s premier cricketing award after you. For those acts and many others that simply can’t be fitted into this letter I salute you.
What I can’t quite fathom is that after a lifetime of sterling service and excellent judgement why you suddenly decided to call it quits just 4 months after being re appointed as a national selector.
You said it was to do with having a higher burden on your time than you had first anticipated in your roles with Queensland cricket. As a blogger Alan I’m probably not one to speak here so I will work of the premise of people that I know. Most people who are really busy, as you profess to be, certainly don’t have time to sign up for an extended advertisement that is a series of beach cricket matches over the summer. I know it will be nice to catch up with Clive Lloyd and Ian Botham but quite frankly didn’t those lads give you enough grief in your career without having them take more of your valuable time in retirement.
Come on Alan, tell it as it is, what caused you to pull out of your role as a national selector? Was it a conflict of interest with the respective beer sponsors of Cricket Australia and your beach sojourn? Was it some backroom dealing that finally got the better of you or was it simply that you are concerned about the future of Australian cricket and couldn’t bear to be at the table with the selectors during a period of transition and inevitable inconsistent performance.
Whatever it is Alan we forgive you, come back please. I can’t stand the thought of two mediocre peddlers of their trade Steve Rixon and Ray Bright being in contention for one of the most important jobs in the country.
Your Sincerely
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Twice in the lead up to this summer’s much anticipated Ashes series Glenn McGrath has provided his fearless predictions on the passage of the cricket to come. His previous forays into this field of sooth-saying ought to have taught him that a healthy splattering of egg on face is the most likely result rather than his desired outcome of series whitewashes that were not even achieved in the most hideous of Ashes thumpings in the 90’s.
There is nothing wrong with suggesting that you believe that the team playing to its full ability has the potential to win each of the games that is played. However, for McGrath to suggest that he thinks that the scoreline will be 5-0 is quite ridiculous and serves only increase the already frenzied media coverage of the series. Equally suggesting that England have a number of high quality batsmen in their team is one thing but to target them after a 9 month lay off seems a little out of tune with what one would consider good preparation after a long winter.
Confidence is one thing, overconfidence and arrogance is quite another. The Australians ought to have learn their lesson from the last series that not only were the on field activities a lot closer than expected but that the mental component of the fixtures was equally well contested.
Ricky Ponting has enough on his plate without his most successful speedster placing further pressure on the team with his outrageous and ill thought out comments. Glenn McGrath should concentrate instead on helping the younger players in the team. Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark are all new to the international arena and could do with plenty of mentoring from the man with over 500 test wickets. What they don’t need are wild expectations of success. England have already shown themselves adept at mind games, bad predictions and outrageous claims only help their search for ammunition.
David Hudson
It struck me during last year’s Ashes series that a good portion of Australian cricket fans, say those born after about 1980, had never really experienced a truly rubbish Australian cricket team. The following players were all part of the team during the dark years and despite never enjoying endless success each had their own attractions and as such hold great memories for those of us old enough to remember their struggles.
Greg Ritchie was graceful and at times productive right-handed batsman with an air of the old fashioned about him. His portly figure hid a good measure of talent so often unfulfilled with only 3 centuries from 30 tests. Today the pressure put on Mark Cosgrove, who is of similar stature, at this stage of his career suggests he will play far more than 30 tests with a significantly higher average than Ritchie. In any event these days a shortened test career ought not to lead to former test cricketers streaming onto the field in celebration of a Steve Waugh double hundred or bitter long in the tooth rantings about current coaching and captaincy methods as we have seen from Ritchie recently.
A Shane Warne he was not but all wily grey headed club bowlers will have taken inspiration from Bob ‘Dutchie’ Holland. Holland was the type of bloke you would expect to meet at a once every ten year family reunion, still living with his mother and collating the family history. His bespectacled appearance could not have provided a sharper contrast to the leg spinner in the current side. Playing in his test debut with David Boon in the summer of 1984/5 at the age of nearly forty Dutchie proceeded to immortality in his third test later that summer. He picked up a sterling ten wicket haul and routed the West Indies line up containing the greats of the game including Lloyd, Richardson, Richards, Haynes and Greenidge in the Sydney test of an already long lost series. Despite his great achievements to date one can scarcely remember Shane Warne running through as talented a batting list as that at any stage in his career, let alone when they were at the peak of their career.
For sheer volume of material available to journalists it is hard to go past Kim Hughes as an icon of his era. From the teary farewell’s to the captaincy in December 1984 to the call to arms to tour apartheid South Africa the man was a walking headline. Ricky Ponting can only wonder that his petulance in disputing umpires’ calls and interacting with bouncers has nothing on Hughes’ ability to create a scene. In a tour match in the West Indies Hughes decided that the best strategy in protest at a late declaration was to put together a deliberately combined ten not out in over 2 hours and decline the offer of an early finish.
On a more positive note how can one go past Simon Peter O’Donnell represented the Michael Slater’s and Adama Gilchrists of his era on pure entertainment value. This cricketer was pure Victorian without the Shane Warne, Darren Berry and Bill Lawry over the top state proud histrionics to boot, having chosen his cricketing career over an abundance of Aussie Rules talent. O’Donnell was one of the pioneers of the art of bowling slower balls from the back of the hand at the death of the innings. His ability to deposit bowlers back over their heads for what seemed like an endless stream of boundaries gave him the record for the fastest one day fifty for a period of time. His defeat of cancer and subsequent return to the one day team in 1998/89 was a terrific story and a measure of a man who would go on to become a renowned TV journalist covering both cricket and racing. Michael Slater’s modern day case history suggests a similar path has been trodden although one can’t help but think that providing headline coverage on Melbourne Cup day is preferable to screening a not so scientific study on which foods produce the most flatulence.
I have saved one final thought for the man that played with and captained most of the players referred to above. It is testimony to the difficult times that made up his early captaincy years and the subsequent success that was generated by pure hard work that Australia’s premier cricketing accolade should be named after him. For sheer guts and determination and a spirit that will now live long into the future of Australian cricket, take a bow Allan Border, you deserve it.
For those of you with equally strong memories of cricketers from eras past please do share them on this forum. There is no cricketer too anonymous or too poor a performer for despite the lack of success in the mid eighties it is still a period worth celebrating.
It has been an interesting pre season tournament for Australia in Malaysia. Success in the tournament has masked some interesting questions that in an ideal scenario might have been answered by these otherwise lifeless fixtures against the West Indies and India. Not among the original questions posed at the pre tournament strategy table but certainly an issue worth discussing now is Ricky Ponting’s performance as captain. against
In a meaningless one day international tournament (see earlier post) with little at stake other than jostling for positions in the batting order Ponting made headlines. Instead of using press conferences to praise high performing players Ponting found himself apologising to his team mates and defending his own actions.
His attempt at bullying umpire Rauf after an erroneous wide call only served to disrupt the Australian momentum as they surged towards an impressive victory. Likewise his overeager discussions with Umpire Benson in the same innings that did not bring censure might have landed him in hot water on another day. Both instances should have been met with no more than a quizzical look and a shrug of the shoulders.
England are a rejuvenated side and under Flintoff and Fletcher each weakness in the Australian side will be targeted. Stephen Fleming, captain of the New Zealand side showed against South Africa’s Graham Smith in March 2004 just what can be achieved by exploiting a volatile captain.
Ponting has enough to contend with after being the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes in 20 years without leaving himself open to attack in much the same way as a fiery footballer can be taunted into giving away a yellow or even a red card. Australia has an aging top order, a middle order that is inexperienced and a bowling attack where the main spearheads are in their twilight years. In order to win back the Ashes Ponting will need to be in control of all other factors in his domain.
His batting record is easily among the best of his era and his captaincy record contains many highlights however in this series the real Ricky Ponting needs to stand up and extend his strengths to include the control of his temper and severe moderation of his liking of unnecessary confrontation.
David Hudson
- In an earlier post the Inzamam case was discussed at length. Common sense has prevailed with censure for his actions in not returning to the field and in the absence of evidence no penalty applied for ball tampering. Ball tampering will surely now be managed in the same way as the throwing law where the state of the ball is reported after and not during an innings and made the subject of evidence. This will avoid the circus that occurred after the now infamous Oval test.
Some say Australia's military-like boot camp prior to the ICC Champions Trophy is a waste of time, whilst other say it is a worthwhile experience for players. I guess it is up to what angle you take it from - On one hand you've got the fact that Australians are pretty much the best cricket side in the world at the moment. You would think they're ready and closeknit as a team, since cricket is a team sport and all. Contrastingly, you might say a team can never not be improved on, and thus, the side would benefit from something different and it will bring the team even closer together than ever before.
Last Sunday's 'The Sun Herald' featured Andrew Symonds and his views towards the boot camp. As aforementioned, Symonds suggests that the boot camp has not only brought the team closer together as a whole, but it has also enabled the players to get to the know others they are completely famililar with. A surprise fact, seeing as though everyone thinks that the Aussies are such an extremely close side, however Symonds states that not everyone gets along with everyone all that well, and that boot camp has helped improve this facet.
So think what you like... But it seems fairly obvious - a team can always improve, no matter how good they are at the moment. Watch out England, I say...
After being dropped from the Australian squad immediately after the England tour, opener Matthew Hayden has been included in the 30-man squad named to tour India for the Champions Trophy in October.
Also included in the squad is veteran paceman Glenn McGrath, who had previously been deemed as doubtful for selection for the tournament, as he continues to be in support of his wife Jane as she continues to battle with cancer. A Cricket Australia spokesman states, 'It is a work in progress. The selectors and Glenn continue to talk about the appropriate time and place for his return to cricket'. In addition to this, Cricket Australia selectors have decided to 'blend' experience and youth, with inclusions of Travis Birt, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger, Shaun Marsh, Cameron White, Dan Cullen and David Hussey.
However, Cricket Australia is looking to trim the 30-man side to a squad consisting of only 14 players. The full 30-man squad is listed below.
Australian 30-man squad for ICC Trophy: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Travis Birt, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Mark Cosgrove, Dan Cullen, Brett Dorey, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Mick Lewis, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Marsh, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White
Oracle of Delphi
Arnold
Paladin
Shan Jayaweera
KC Hill
Cibbuano
Craig Hill
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