The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Are we serious about ODI cricket?

Mitch Spencer new author
Roar Rookie
25th September, 2017
Advertisement
James Faulkner has seriously slipped in his ODI form. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Mitch Spencer new author
Roar Rookie
25th September, 2017
19

We have gone down in yet another ODI series abroad, making for 13 straight losses overseas.

Our 15-man touring squad for the Indian series contained four specialist batsmen, five all-rounders, one keeper, one spinner and three pacers.

What kind of touring team carries five all rounders but not a single reserve keeper?

Let’s take a look at these five all rounders individually.

Hilton Cartwright had no prior ODI record, making his selection absolutely unjustified and it backfired big time.

James Faulkner had a great time when he last visited India. This time he had some decent returns with the ball but is nowhere near the batsman he was when he started.

Glenn Maxwell’s batting average is too low for him to be considered a specialist batsman, while his bowling average is too high to be considered an all rounder. He played some irresponsible shots and got stumped twice when he was required to stay at the crease.

Ashton Agar is another with no prior ODI experience, yet replaced Adam Zampa to compensate for the lost batsman due to Faulkner’s exclusion, and failed with the bat and ball.

Advertisement

Finally, Marcus Stoinis is in the early days of his career, but had a blockbuster start to his career with an impressive 146* in New Zealand, and provided support by picking wickets.

In short, Stoinis was the only deserving all-rounder in the squad.

[latest_videos_strip category=”cricket” name=”Cricket”]

The selectors have destroyed our ODI team by injecting a truckload of all rounders when there is need of specialist batsmen to hold innings together. The likes of Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh or domestic chart-topper Cameron White should be playing in the middle order, halting a collapse and building an innings. Instead, we have ‘hitters’ coming in and getting out first ball.

We are not going to win ODIs as long as we persist with the obsession of stacking up all rounders.

I find it amusing that the coach and management have escaped scrutiny. It wouldn’t have been the case back in 1990s or 2000s, yet Darren Lehmann wasn’t even in India for this tour, returning home to prepare for the Ashes.

Why agree for tours when the head coach isn’t serious about travelling with the team to play one of the top three teams? Lehmann should step down with immediate effects and so should the entire selection panel.

Advertisement

Either send the best team or don’t tour, regardless of how close the Ashes is. If scheduling is an issue, we should narrow down the IPL window and pull out players to give them time to prepare for the Ashes.

We need to get to the basics of playing five specialist batsmen, four bowlers, one keeper, and one all rounder. We need to rebuild the team. If Steve Smith is asking for all rounders, he should hand over the reins to David Warner, who captained brilliantly in Sri Lanka.

close