I really like the way the Aussies are going about their business since the appointment of Darren ‘Boof’ Lehman as the head coach.
Gone are the long winded press conferences pumping out cliches after cliches, replaced with shorter sharper answers and a growing behind the scenes work ethic which builds genuine belief.
Lehman is a man’s man, a throwback to a larrikin generation of cricketers. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it will be all beer and skittles. He knows what it takes to win, to breed a successful culture and importantly with this group, how to score runs in all conditions.
He spent many of his formative years toiling away behind the world’s best top six, learning the hard way that to be selected, you had to perform consistently, and even then nothing was a given.
He could be the man who instills the patience and mental aptitude it takes for the next generation players to maximize their potential and build large totals.
That is where the series will be won and lost as both sides have wonderful bowling stocks and the ability to take 10 wickets in the day.
Australia have a more rounded fast bowling unit with up to 5 quickies ready to steam in and England possess an older and wiser tweaker. For Australia’s sake, the man affectionately known as ‘Gary’ would do well to pay attention to how Swann goes about his business.
Runs will be at a premium, and Michael Clarke, for all his brilliance over the past 24 months, cannot be expected to shoulder the burden. In this instance, Chris Rogers’s selection could be a master stroke. He is the last remnants of a generation when the baggy green was earned with runs on the board and not just ‘talent’.
With Mike Hussey’s retirement, another old head is required in the line-up. To have any chance of winning, we need another player to break free of the potential tag and cement their position in the top order.
Jimmy Anderson is a wonderful bowler and will provide a constant threat, especially to the lefties with consistent sideways movement. Hughes and Warner still have considerable technical deficiencies to overcome, with both preferring to hit on the rise, a dangerous on green seamers. Ed Cowan and Watson play the ball under their eyes and could be valuable allies to their skipper.
Look for Brad Haddin to patrol behind the pegs, a battle hardened professional who also earned his spot after serving a long apprenticeship. He leadership and mutual respect with Clarke and the coach could build the foundations for a successful tour.
Success may not necessarily be measured in games won but progression made. We’re no sure thing to bring back the Ashes, but I like the direction we’ve taken.
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