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John Hastings took the new ball for Australia yesterday, yet will struggle to get a game for Victoria this summer. That’s how understrength the Australian ODI team was. Yet they still managed to claim a series victory over England.
With four quality bowlers, an accomplished all-rounder and a dynamic opener all unavailable, an Australian team led by a new skipper and with a new keeper overcame England’s momentum in rousing fashion.
It has been some time since Australia has fielded such an undermanned ODI side. So depleted was it that the bowling was opened by a man in Hastings who is not in the top 15 50-over pacemen in Australia.
Hastings will not even be assured of a spot in Victoria’s 50-over team this summer after floundering last season when he averaged 60 with the ball, having averaged 38 the previous season.
But when Australia lost to injury talented quick Nathan Coulter-Nile (who has taken 22 wickets at 26 so far in ODIs), they needed an immediate replacement.
Plying his trade in county cricket, Hastings was the nearest option and so made an incredibly unlikely comeback to international cricket.
It seems very likely that yesterday’s starring effort with the ball will be the last time Hastings ever plays for Australia. At least it might have helped him push his case for a spot in Victoria’s side.
The lumbering quick bowled with admirable accuracy as he collected 3-21 from 10 overs, including the key wicket of England’s first drop James Taylor, who again performed extremely well against Australia this series.
In nine ODIs against Australia, Taylor has made 353 runs at 44 displaying the kind of technique and temperament which deserves to earn him Test selection.
Hastings showed character in rebounding from a nightmare return to international cricket on Friday.
As Australia lost that fourth ODI, the bulky seamer was pasted, going for 0-56 from only 6.2 overs.
He was part of an Australian attack which yesterday scythed through England’s shaky batting line-up, rolling them for just 138 on a perfect batting strip.
After winning the previous two matches, England were well placed to end their home summer without a series loss in any format. Australia’s phenomenal depth in ODIs again showed them up, however.
The teams put out by the reigning World Cup champions this series have been almost unrecognisable.
In the fourth ODI, gone were eight of the 11 players from Australia’s World Cup winning side, while seven were not on the field yesterday.
Gone from the World Cup final line-up in this series were former skipper Michael Clarke, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, the world’s premier ODI all-rounder James Faulkner, and gun quicks Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood.
Meanwhile, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson and Mitchell Starc also were absent at key times.
They have faced a rejuvenated England side which finally has been filled with players well suited to the modern style of ODI cricket.
After coming from 2-0 down against the gifted Kiwis to win the first ODI series of their summer, England entered this series brimming with confidence.
When the heat was on early in the series, Australia were clinical, winning the first two matches comfortably.
After appearing to take the foot off the gas in games three and four, Australia yesterday were forced to rediscover some touch to avoid ending their tour on a sour note.
Australia responded fantastically well, dismantling England to secure an eight-wicket win with almost 26 overs to spare.
After their humiliating loss in the Ashes, Australia should be able to take something out of this victory as they head to Bangladesh for what shapes as a challenging Test series.