The rot has set in for the new-look Australian cricket team with a disastrous defeat in the second Test of a four-Test series. The only way to stop the rot is for heads to roll when the team gets back to Australia.
The first lot of heads to go should be the selection panel.
They have not managed the admittedly difficult transition of the side with the loss of two of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. They have mucked about with a batting order and picked players who may be good ODI players, but who lack the class for Test cricket.
Simon Katich is a good example.
He has scored a huge amount of runs in the last couple of seasons, but not as an opening bat. So Phil Jaques, who was making a promising start to a Langer-like career as an Australian opener, was dropped and Katich promoted.
One of the justifying arguments for this move was that Katich could provide some cover for the pathetic Australian spin attack with his left-arm chinaman stuff.
But he has not been bowled, even when Cameron White was so rattled that he bowled a four wide in India’s second innings.
White seems to be a very pleasant, likeable and enthusiatic player, but neither his bowling nor his batting is up to Test standard.
He does a little bit of both, but not much of anything – a bit like those nondescript English all-rounders who we’ve derided so much in the past.
It’s difficult to work out the logic behind the thinking that saw him placed in the impossible position of being Australia’s main spinner in a Test.
Brad Haddin is another example of a player who is not up to Test standard as a wicket-keeper, nor as a batsman. Ian Healey’s batting was ordinary, but his keeping was exemplary.
Haddin’s keeping is average, to say the least of it.
The selectors (or a new group of selectors, in my view) have to find someone who can either keep wickets up to the standard of Healy, can hold his place in the side as a batsman, or, preferably, can do both.
Haddin is not this player.
Now we get to the issue of captaincy.
I wrote a post after the first day of the Test complaining about Ricky Ponting’s negative captaincy and how he seemed to be looking to play for a draw after losing the toss. I made the point that playing for a draw and not trying to get the Indian batsmen out with aggressive fields and well-directed bowling allowed India to get into a position where they could win the Test, which they did comprehensively.
It’s clear now that Ponting is a great batsman and a mediocre captain, rather like Sachin Tendulkar.
Michael Clarke, on the other hand, has the personality and cricket nous to be an outstanding captain in the Ian Chappell mode.
This is a change that needs to be made before the Ashes series to rejunevate the side and give it some dynamic leadership that Ponting clearly cannot give it.
Without the burdens of captaincty, Ponting might be able to take his batting to a higher level than what he has achieved now, which would be a bonus for the side.
One of the noticeable aspects of the Test, something that was picked up on by the television commentators, was the inability of the Australian quick bowlers to move the ball in the air or off the pitch.
The Indian bowlers had no such difficulties.
An answer to this curiosity was provided at one stage when pictures of the ball being bowled by the Indians was matched with the Australian ball after a similar number of overs. The Australian ball was scuffed on both sides. The Indian ball was scuffed on one side and shiny on the other side.
The difference between the scuffed side and shiny side allows for reverse swing, provided the ball is released with the seam in an upright position.
Why didn’t the Australian fieldsmen and bowlers look after their ball in the way the Indians did? What is the coaching staff doing?
And what advice are they giving Ponting about field-setting and what bowlers to use in particular situations?
On the third day of the Test, for instance, Brett Lee did not bowl for the first two hours. What is this all about? Where is the coaching staff in all of this?
Great teams, even good teams, don’t come about by chance. Decisions made by selectors are crucial.
My argument is that the current selectors have not performed well in their task of putting together the best side Australian cricket can produce right now. Cricket Australia needs to acknowledge this and put in place a new group to do what needs to be done.
Just for starters, someone like Geoff Lawson, an outstanding captain for NSW, a good Test player, a very good coach, and a thoughtful and informed man about the history and practices of cricket, might be an excellent choice as a coach or as Chairman of selectors to start the now urgent process of restoring the Australian cricket team to its proper place as the top cricketing nation.
Ken
Guest
Agree totally about Haddin and Katich - if not them then who> Ronchi and Sean Marsh. Both below 30 in an aging side and Ronchi has the ability to score very very quickly. His brilliant stumping in the West Indies standing up to Bracken shows he has the class a a 'keeper as well. Sean Marsh showed in the IPL he is up to international standard. The team does not need any more 30+ yard olds. Jaques must be wondering what the hell he did wrong, as well.
stillmissit
Guest
What gets up my nose is that swing bowling was a big issue in the 2005 ashes tests and it appears that we have done no work to remedy this as we seem totally lost at swing bowling and batting against it. It strikes me as though the opposition has found a machine gun and we are sticking with our muzzle loaders. 3 years to learn what other teams have learnt doesn't strike me as a team on the attack. I think we are paying the price for keeping a great team too long and the comparison with rugby is very apt. Both codes are now struggling to find players of ability and you could make a case that it is directly due to killing the competition for positions. Ricky Ponting will never be a great captain he just seems too dumb and reacts after the event. I have never felt that Australian cricket was in good hands with him. I always used to admire cricket selectors for there ability to cut a great player with a season left in him - that is no longer the case. At least with cricket the team is still strong and I think we can reinvigorate it quickly with some hard decisions.
Chris GS
Guest
Nice to see the selectors have continued offering an unheralded off-spinner as a sacrificial lamb for each Indian tour. Let's look at the recent history: 1997-98: Gavin Robertson: 3 Tests, 12 wickets @ 34.4 (most in team), RR = 3.7 2000-01: Colin Miller: 1 Test, 6 wickets @ 33.5, RR = 3.65 2004-05: Nathan Hauritz: 1 Test, 5 wickets @ 20.6, RR = 3.8. 2008-09: Jason Krejza: A non-starter after suffering an experience in a warm-up match more commonly encountered in a proctological clinic. Actually those performances weren't disastrous, but apart from Robertson the others were no more than bit playes. Captains didn't have the confidence to use them for an entire series I guess. It will be interesting to see how Australia regroup. I think Hayden will be an important factor in this, as he has been Ponting's most important lieutenant since the retirement of Warne/McGrath, setting the tone for the team's behaviour and performance. If Haydos can't get out of his funk and his decline is indeed permanent, then I suspect it's curtains for the rest of this series, and uncertain times in the coming summer. A bit tough for Matt, as I strongly believe he is desperate to make a return to England to avenge his humiliation in 2005. Another question - if Lee isn't effective now, what's he going to be like by the time he reaches The Oval, 10 months and 14 Tests later? Given that Binga has taken the majority of his wickets using outright speed ( a bit more accuracy of late has done wonders for his average I admit, though he still has relapses), I'm wondering how long he's got. Better bring back Tait soon - combined with Johnson we can enjoy a few years of the pair either blasting out sides for less than 100, or conceding 2-400+ in a day's play - no in-between :-)
Westy
Guest
Gee Spiro I remember your article about Andrew Symonds . Bet the Aussies could do with his batting, fielding spinners and medium pace now. More to the point his fighting belligerent spirit.
sheek
Guest
The following saying came to mind, to describe how transient domination can be, & that you can't be at the top forever. "You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit for a few minutes, then the wind blows away your footsteps".
Jason Cave
Guest
In my view, the selectors weren't prepared for what was in store when they named the squad for the tour of India. They thought the good times were going to stay with them forever. The test in Mohali brutally exposed Australia's weaknesses for the world to see. And the Englishmen would've been taking notes on the Mohali test result, with an eye to next year's Ashes series in England. While one loss doesn't mean the end of an era, it does mean that teams such as England, South Africa, New Zealand will have a fair idea about the weak links in the Australian side.
Justin
Guest
Spiro - I love when people easily call for players heads without giving us the new player to step in and why they deserve promotion. Its easy to say who should not be in the side but if they shouldn't be please name those who should...
JohnB
Guest
Spiro - I usually agree with the bulk of what you say. Maybe this one balances the ledger a bit. Katich played as an opener in the WI, outscoring and outplaying Jaques. He batted in the top order for NSW. He plays like an old style opener. It's hardly a massive stretch to bat him there. I suspect his bowling had almost nothing to do with his selection, and that Jaques injury which subsequently became public and has forced him home was much more of a factor. White isn't Warne or MacGill, and quite possibly never will be. He no doubt did bowl one or two shockers (but so what? Tiger Woods hits the odd duff shot too). On the other hand, he's done at least as well as many other slow bowlers visiting India, and he's been a very good first class player for several years (his batting I think is a lot better than you would have us believe), and he's is still young. And don't forget, there isn't actually a queue of better slow bowlers out there. I don't disagree that he needs to improve his bowling to stay in the side - but he's the best available in the style the selectors not unreasonably thought would be best suited to the conditions they're facing and he's entitled to some learning time. Haddin - has been talked up shamelessly by the Sydney-centric press in the past couple of years, which is hardly his fault. Probably has been pretty scratchy and would appear not to be the second coming of Gilchrist after all. However, having got to the position with pretty decent batting figures over time and doing much of his keeping at the SCG, he also warrants more of a go than to be thrown out the first time things don't all go to plan. In any case, as with White, who is demanding to get in? Ronchi? Would need to show he could score more consisently for mine. Hartley - probably slipped back in the batting stakes in the past couple of years. Captaincy - for mine, Clarke needs to concentrate on producing enough runs to justify being in the side. He started to do that this year. Ponting may not be the greatest captain of all time - but of the blokes who are automatic choices in the side (and surely that's the fundamental criterion for the position - and those people would be himself, Hussey and to a lesser extent Clarke, given bowlers are generally disqualified) he's the obvious and standout choice. Geoff Lawson - did well as captain and coach in state cricket, in a competition that rewards risk taking and tolerates losses as a result, where his team arguably had the most home advantage of any of the teams competing. Doesn't strike me as certain that that would translate to coaching a test team. It may or it may not. As regards your wider theme, I just don't see what significant errors or pattern of errors the selectors have been making over the past couple of years. Nothing's ever perfect of course, but look around the state sides - who has been demanding selection and not getting a go? What clearly wrong-headed tactics and strategies have the national side been following?
aLi
Guest
Spiro I think we should avoid over reaction. One test loss, no matter how big the margin should not call for a change of captains. If you recall there have been number of times where his captaincy has been applauded. However I agree with you in regards to the field placing, but I think its more of a reflection on factors such as placid tracks, no Mcgrath/warne/Gillespie and also the non-ability to revers swing. Perhaps our depth in bowling has depleated, u have to remeb, that McGrath Gillespie and Warne played a large no. of consecutive tests, hence very little opportunity for new guys to break through, that has created a vacume for guys to step into. ps: Hayden had few bad decisions, he is still good I am a big fan!
Michael C
Guest
Hmm, not saying much there. If fit, McGain was going to be there, the illogical selection was Krezja, may as well have picked Casson although his selection in the first instance should a lack of spinning depth. White is interesting, to be in for his batting, then don't put him at 8. That defeats the argument. To bowl him as a specialist is a bit silly because he doesn't even bowl himself number 1 for Victoria. In the commentary box, Jim Maxwell slowly warmed to him only after an Indian commentator was able to illustrate some of the work being done as Kumble like - - it seems in Australia we saw so much of Warne and MacGill and are a little blind to the broader range of the skills for wrist spinners. True though, White has work to do, but, for the most part he maintained pretty good control against the best players of spin in the world - - - and had probably two catches that should have gone to hand but for fielders not 'picking up' the ball in the air, and a stumping not referred,.......2-71 could easily have been 3 or 4 for. Brett Lee shouldn't be over there. Shane Watson - - don't bother bowling him on benign Indian pitches. Then does he hold his place as a batsman? Mitch Johnson is willing, and has at least managed to display the wonderful quality of picking up wickets. PEter Siddle shows promise and was about the only bowler able to get any shape and achieve any intimidation. Hayden - - should move on gracefully Clarke - - still got a way to go batting wise, and bowling him seems counter productive on the batting side (and illustrates too the danger of aiming to have White as a spinning all-rounder,..........remember WArnie, certainly could bat, but the spin bowling for such long periods is very draining). reality points - Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist - - - are a HUGE chuck out of the team. They don't grow on trees. For now - - a bit of patience is required. It's going to be a long hot summer, and Ponting needs a bit of support - rather than the flip flop media who berate the team for being overly aggresive, and then berate them for not being aggresive enough.
onside
Guest
Spiro, We love to win more than we love the game. India played terrific cricket, but its efforts are couched in headlines suggesting 'Australia got flogged ' rather than ,India played very well. This in no way makes your observations any less accurate, but I want to see Australia battle to win ,not simply dominate.I want a contest.I want to win in face of adversity. I personally dont care if Australia lose,I will still watch the games. Backs to the wall battles mean something. Many of our cricketers are millionaires. Perhaps deservedly so, but millionaires none the less. I live on the Sunshine Coast and several high value investment properties in the region are owned by well known test cricketers.This is not envy, not at all. But it needs putting in perspective. Brett Lee the Bollywood idol. A brilliant athelete, but less hungry these days. There are other like him.And then there's this IPL thing with buckets of cash for the players. What affect does that have on a players psche in all this. So whats my point; I want to see the Australians under the cosh for a few games if necessay to see if they can fight back.I will enjoy watching that unfoldt equally as much as watching them humiliate minnows. If Haddin isnt up to scratch ,perhaps it will eventually make us more appreciative of the next Healy And as you point out, you cant take the likes of McGrath,Warne and Gilchrist out of a team and stay ontrack. Its said nobody is irreplaceable, but McGrath,Warne and Gilchrist are all exceptions that prove the pointl Leave Ponting there. He will learn from this and be better for it. I cant wait for the next battle. Isnt that what cricket is all about.
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Australia and India recently played a test. After being comprehensively outplayed for the entire match, one team ended up chasing 500 for victory in the fourth innings. They got rolled for under 200, with a raft of senior batsmen being especially disappointing. Thus the home side won the match by about 340 runs. We are talking about Mohali, surely? Actually, I have just described the Boxing Day test of last summer. What were people saying about India then? Probably much the same as people are now saying about Australia. The point is that there should not be over-reaction to one test loss, especially when a team is playing away against another team that won the toss and contains some all-time greats of the game. At the moment people across Australia are over-reacting. After all, didn't Australia beat India in Australia, and wasn't Australia the team on top in the first test of this series? Having said this, there are some lessons from the Melbourne test that key in with what Spiro is saying. Peter Roebuck has written of the Mohali match: "India's opening batsmen and new-ball bowlers dominated this contest. None of them played in Melbourne." Actually, Zaheer did play in Melbourne, but the point is that Sehwag, Gambhir and Ishant all didn't. One way or another the Indian selectors have come to their senses and found places for all three in the side, and the difference is obvious. Selectors always try to put out the best side, but sometimes they find it hard to see the truth. The Australian selectors must do some hard searching for the truth. One truth that Spiro identifies is that Brad Haddin does not have the talent to be an international star. No-one can say whether Luke Ronchi does, but very clearly he does have an X-factor, and hitting the second fastest ODI 50 in Australian history on debut, as he recently did in the West Indies, is a very promising omen. Get him into the side. All the signs are that David Hussey could be a second Michael Hussey, so I feel a place has to be found for him, perhaps at Shane Watson's expense. Shaun Marsh is very promising, but his time has not yet come - he has only just started opening in first-class cricket - so I feel that Katich should be persisted with for now. He may not be a match-winner, but he has shown that, much like Dravid in the Indian side, if there is someone scoring runs at the other end, then he can be the quieter partner in a big partnership. That is something to value until a new opener is ready. An article in The Roar last week pointed out how consistently Steve Magoffin has been bowling for WA for the last few seasons, and that he is regarded as having McGrath-like qualities. Consideration should be given to selecting him. Similar could be written about Paul Rofe. India is a place for bounce bowlers, not for low-trajectory bowlers like Lee and Johnson. Spin I have no suggestions for. Two years ago Australia's best 4 spinners were Warne, MacGill, Hogg and McGain. None are available now. In such a specialized discipline, one cannot expect quality still to be available after losing so many players. Ponting must remain captain.
Alan Reid
Guest
Spiro, Once again you have totally divided the fan base with your elegant prose!! I couldn't disagree with you more about Simon Kattich and Brad Haddin. Both earnt their spots and are making valuable contributions. Kattich is among the top six batsmen in the country as demonstrated by his Windies performance. I agree, opening may not be his gig, but he has made a reasonable fist of it so far as a replacement for an injured Jacques. The ACB have been very quiet but Jacques is still tormented by his back. Haddin is easily the best keeper and keeper batsman in the country as well. White was selected after McGain and Casson, who were both injured at the start of the tour. Whether Casson is now out of selectors thoughts is possibly true as he seems to have recovered. Even though left arm wrist spinners do not have a great track record in Test Match Cricket but Beau possibly deserves another chance at some stage. Australia does lack a quality spinner at the moment but Australia has gone through long periods without one before. Even the '48 immortals were regarded as deficient in the spinning department. What we need to do is make the best with what we've got - pick the best spinner available, even if he bats like Jim Higgs, and back him up with well thought out attacking fields and accurate bowling at the other end which may well be a part timer spinner eg A Symonds or M Waugh type. As for Ponting as Captain - his batting as a Captain has been amazing. Tactically he needs to be a little more imaginative and positive but it is not easy when your bowlers are not delivering. That is where the improvement is needed. As for Geoff Lawson for selector, he would do a great job and provide some interesting comments for the media to boot!!!
simo
Guest
Check this article out, it gives a good look at the future of Australia's test team. http://www.sportingmind.com.au/a-dissertation-why-john-howard-must-be-the-next-australian-cricket-captain/
SouthernWaratah
Guest
My real concern Spiro is that I’m reading today that the official line coming out of the Australian camp is that there’s not immediate need for change or panic. This is the same line taken in 2005 when the current group of players were backed to get the team over the line. I still say that if Mac Gill had have played in some of those test with a Watson/Symonds playing as a all rounder we may have got over the line – For me England only just got away with that series and it still erks me. That debate for another day and back to this series. Again the players picked are not up to scratch and a series loss is starring us down. Its time for a Horse’s for Course’s approach. Tait is in Form and can reverse swing the ball, Symonds love Harbijan and Hussey opened for 10 years. There are options there to change the balance of the side when we’re heading to play on a highway in the next test. ….Planes will be trying to land its apparently that flat…..
Mart
Guest
Gents - there are som pretty good talents to come back (Roy, Clark, etc) which should shore things up surely ? Given the Ausse ability to comeback I think we should judg after the next 2 Tests surely ? Mind you, on the day after the defeat British betting agencies were quoting 3-1 on Warne playing in next year's Ashes !
dasilva
Guest
James Mortimer just sums it up really well. However I'll add that I doubt the alternatives would do any better. If Cameron White wasn't selected, I'm pretty sure the likes of Krezja, Casson would have been equally tonk. If the indian batsman can make short work of Warney then any other spinner will probably be sacrificial lambs. therefore by the selectors eyes if you are going to pick a spinner, might as well have a spinner who can bat a bit. It's defensive and shows a lack of faith to other spinners in Australia but the decision has merit especially considering how well Krejza play in the practice match. sometimes selectors are put in situation that whatever choice they make will be the wrong choice and I think that will be the case with spinners.
James Mortimer
Guest
Good points and bad points made, Agree about Haddin, but don't fully agree with comments about Katich - especially when you omit mention of the horrendously out of form and horrendously selected for too long Matthew Hayden. A great player no doubt, but now past his time. I think a Katich - Jacques opening combination would be solid. If not Katich, who else? Likewise with Haddin, who else? Criticisms of players should be balanced if there are not men banging down the selection door. Likewise with comments about Pontings captaincy - he may not leek admiration such as Steve Waugh did, but he has overseen a glory period in Australian cricket. He would have to take the most credit for the terrific era that commenced post Ashes 2005. "Without the burdens of captaincy he might take his batting to another level" what a inaccurate comment considering that Ponting has become one of the top ten batsmen of history with his batting prowess as captain. Have we already forgotton the first test - a fighting century to rectify his poor record in India, and in the process socring 16 test centuries AS CAPTAIN -more than both Tubby and Tugga? You also complain that Brett Lee didn't bowl (insinuating it was Pontings mistake) when Lee has had a terrible tour so far, considering that he is Australia's premier strike bowler, and statistically, the fourth best bowler in Australian test history. I think that considering the situation, Lee was out of line to question Ponting. But I agree with your point about the selectors. The so called steel lords of selection who have for years dropped legends for the good of the game have forgotten their art. Because the problem now is not only are there lack of real test quality players in the team - but that there are not test playing options knocking on the door. And considering the so called strength of Australian domestic cricket - that is the great concern that points to the perhaps eventual demise of Australia ruling the cricket world.
sheek
Guest
Gee Spiro, I feel like I've been smashed by Muhammed Ali. No, make that taunted! I'm a fan of Ponting's captaincy while acknowledging he isn't without blemish. He rallied the Aussies wonderfully after the 2005 Ashes, although this time he must do so without Warne & McGrath. And I guess that's another problem. A captain is usually only as good as his cattle. Hayden is playing like a man whose skills have left him & needs to retire. I've never been a great fan of Lee anyway, I think he's an overrated fast bowler. But I'm a fan of both Katich & Haddin, so surprised with your comments there. Agree White is one of those allrounders who is not strong enough in either department. I guess the sticking point is how the Aussies come back. Another bad loss will reveal serious flaws in the makeup of the team. However, a good 3rd test performance might suggest the 2nd test loss was "one of those things". Either way, we're going to have to change the old guard pretty soon. Another problem, is that I don't know what kind of talent there is in the Shiled ranks. Is Luke Ronchi a better answer to Haddin? And where are the spinners?
Wallythefly
Guest
I think the selection of White was a 'well at least he can bat a bit' sort of pick. I konw they dont like a player like Casson turning into the right hander but to me (maybe just in retrospect) he should have been given the nod. Even Bollinger over Siddle surprises me, can't wait for Clark to come back! Don't know if I agree with you about Haddin though Spiro, who else would you have in there?