No matter what the outcome of the final day of the 4th Test, what can we make of Australia’s performance in India? And who will start the first Test against New Zealand?
Is this the beginning of the Australian decline that so many teams around the world yearn for, especially the Black Caps who start the Australia summer campaign in only a couple of weeks?
Certainly the potency of the Australian attack was thoroughly examined in four Tests on the sub-continent, and found severely wanting.
This is not a situation Australian teams have found themselves in for quite a while.
Even the 2005 Ashes loss was founded on batting inadequacies rather than bowling short comings. McGrath’s ankle roll at Edgbaston became the fulcrum around which Australia surrendered the Urn.
The Border-Gavaskar pot will be lost for two significant reasons. 1. The bowlers could not find a way to take 20 wickets per game. (Krezja + run outs did the job in Nagpur.)
2. The batting capitulation at Mohali on a pitch where a draw should have been a certainty. The series could easily have been 0-0 and AB’s silverware retained with the discipline the top six displayed in Delhi and the first dig in Nagpur.
The blandness of all four pitches and Ponting’s inability to win the toss did not suit, nor help, the bowlers that the selectors decided were best chosen for the conditions.
Despite the Australia ‘A’ team playing several matches in the preceding month and the selectors having plenty of data to confirm their suspicions, they decided that the back-up for rookie Bryce McGain would be part-time indipper Cameron White.
White, having failed to overly bother anyone in the 2nd and 3rd Test was retained for the 4th, but bowled about as much as Ray Bright at Headingly 1981. What had Beau Casson done wrong? Not much.
Clearly the selectors are confused by their own policies and that muddled thinking is being passed on to captain Ponting.
Finally Jason Krezja was elevated from chief net bowler and drinks runner, producing record breaking figures. Most runs conceded and most wickets taken on debut is truly remarkable.
He was tireless throughput the second innings and gave Australia a remote chance of winning. No one else could contribute. He only got a game through sheer desperation. There were no other options available, yet he was the lone bowler who kept Australia in this match, and ultimately, the series.
But will he get a start on a pitch were finger spinners have produced numerous bare cupboards, in Brisbane on November 21?
First choice legspinner McGain may eventually make his debut on a pitch were Shane Warne has been at his most productive and the New Zealanders have found wrist spin impossible to resist going back as far as Jim Higgs.
Brett Lee has been low on energy: mental and physical. He did not trouble anyone apart from his own captain in four Tests. The response from the fitness trainer to Lee’s early tour lethargy was, ‘more exercise’ when what he needed was rest and counseling. He needs a rest now. He needs to get as far from cricket as possible, reassess, and come back renewed and refreshed.
Stuart Clark left Australia injured and never recovered, yet he was the bowler most likely to cause problems with extra bounce and a modicum of reverse swing. If he is fit then he will take his place at the ‘Gabba.
Mitchell Johnson must also be a concern for the selectors. He could not bowl an inswinger in India and neither could he do much with the old ball.
His pace was respectable, but he did not take early wickets and became a stock bowler rather than an attacking one. His angle was always across the right handers on dull pitches and he took wickets with persistence rather than thought and force. His mechanics have become stilted and his methods predictable, Doug Bollinger swings the new and the old ball, he should have been used in India. Brisbane awaits Bollinger’s debut.
Are these players becoming too comfortable because the selectors refuse to change players who are out of form? Perhaps a shake up is needed to jolt Ponting and his men from the comfort zones they currently occupy.
Hayden has had only one innings of substance and that was on the most perfect of batting tracks. The very much in form and run hungry Chris Rogers needs to come back into this fold to give an edge to a failing team psyche. Katich is run hungry and it shows. He has been the best of the batsmen by far.
Conditions will be very different at Wollongabba to that of India. There may not be a wider contrast in cricket parameters outside of Perth and Karachi so the selection panel will need to redo their models.
It is difficult to see the hero Krezja getting a game despite his outstanding debut. S Clark plus Bollinger (no room for a second leftie, Johnson can go back to the bowling coach to find the swing and variety needed to get international quality batsmen out), Siddle and McGain with Watson to fill the all rounders role on his home turf.
Obviously Brad Hogg’s unorthodoxy and effectiveness was quickly forgotten by Andrew Hilditch and panel, and the Black Caps have never played wrist spin well, so put Casson in the 12 … just in case.
Don’t even think about Symonds until he makes a run or takes some wickets or doesn’t drop dolly catches, no matter what his analyst says.
So my team for the first Test against New Zealand is: Katich, Rogers, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, Watson, Haddin, McGain, Siddle, S Clark, Bolliger, Casson.
A team with energy and ambition and the potential to bowl teams out twice.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
No doubt Australia will rout NZ in the coming weeks. Not looking forward to it.
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Peter Roebuck has always written that Matthew Hayden is the most important player, and the one who most defines it, in the Australian side of the 2000s, even ahead of McGrath and Warne. I would not go quite this far, but I have no doubt that he is the best opener in world cricket since Greenidge, Haynes and Gavaskar. So let's examine the series Hayden has just had in India. On the third ball of the series he was given out caught behind to a ball he did not edge, a decision, which, incidentally, set the tone for the whole series (a nice touch was that the series ended with a poor lbw decision against Australia). Four times after that Hayden was given out lbw, and three of these were highly questionable. Of his two remaining dismissals, one was the run-out in the first innings of the fourth test. So that leaves just one dismissal out of 7, when Zaheer Khan bowled him in the second test, as genuine. All this is somewhat reminiscent of Damien Martyn in England 2005, when poor umpiring and bad luck killed his career prematurely. Of course I fully recognize that Hayden must be getting very close to the precipice of age-related decline, but I just think that it's not possible to say from this series that he has fallen over the edge. As for replacing him, please spare us Chris "The Librarian" Rogers. If ever a player on debut looked like he didn't belong, it was him. Besides, there is no need even to consider him, because Shaun Marsh - the Hayden of the future - and Philip Hughes - the Langer of the future - are both very special talents, something that has been obvious from their mid-teens. I mean, Hughes is close to notching 1000 Sheffield Shield runs at an average of over 50 before he has turned 20. Who was the last person to achieve that? Hmmm, wasn't it one RT Ponting? One can't fluke things like this, just like one can't fluke the extended success that Marsh had in the IPL.
Michael C
Guest
Mid/lower order things that became apparent as the tour went on - Watson is not a number 6 batter, nor is Haddin a quality number 7. White was wasted at 8. If White had played as a number 6 effectively as cover for Symonds, then fine. However, M.Clarke and Katich offer 'wrist' spin part time options, M.Hussey a bit of medium trundle,...........what WAS needed was David Hussey or even B.Hodge who can bowl some useful little finger spinners.
Scrum Importance
Guest
Surely if Ponting didn't get the 90 overs bowled and knew he wouldn't - its cheating. The rules say 90 overs must be bowled in a day - so if team captains think that if they can get away with bowling 80 and have a rest for one test match to avoid the opposition having any chance of getting required runs then cheating is justified. I for one support Ponting for atleast trying to lay the game in the right spirit - if they got so far down, surely the guys with computers should have said something earlier. I didn't hear the same critism of bowling M Clarke when he gets 3 wickets ina couple of voers - you can't have the cake and eat it too. India were the better team in the conditions - I suspect they chose a better team - Aus did not win or lose this test or the series in 60 mins on the 4th day of the last test match, they lost it at the Airport on the way to Dehli with the wrong players checking in.
M
Guest
Phil, What the hell are they taking a guy on tour for if they don't think he's about ready to play test cricket? Surely he is taken along as a guy they can slot into the side if they need to change the bowling attack. As they did. And as he did. And if he was taken on tour because he was about ready then surely in this one test he has proved he IS ready... at least for another crack in another match. I'm not posting as his brother or a long term supporter or anything... just curious.
Chris GS
Guest
I'm starting to wonder if Ponting has trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, or that he's not very good at reacting to changing circumstances on the field, once the coach-devised game plan goes out the window. Ponting had 2 sessions (and perhaps the 1st day's play as well - don't know if the Over-Rate thingy accumulates over 2 innings) to keep half an eye on the progress they were making - he should never have gotten into an impossible Suspension v Bowling Pie Throwers dilemma in the first place. Could we pay some boffin to go through all the TV footage and calculate exactly how much time was spent in mini-conferences, setting fields and general dawdling? Roy got stood down for his own time management issues, he must be wondering why some rules seem to be applied more stringently to particular players :-)
Rabbitz
Guest
There seems to be a bit of a recurring theme here:- Ponting needs a rest Lee needs a rest Symonds was forced to have a rest Hayden is "past it" Maybe the ACB needs to have a look at their contracted players and ask should we allow all these 'tired' players exemptions to play non-international 20-20 tournaments? Should the ACB bite the bullet and spell some of the 'tired' players for the summer? You never know if we do some serious rebuilding with younger 'fresher' players then the tired players might spark up (or give it away, either way we get fresh bodies on the park). Rabz
Justin
Guest
Sheek agree re Krazy but we have the benefit of hindsight. Remember he was flogged mercilessly in the tour match and could have comfortably not been bowled much after Sehwag and others smacked him. I dont think too many would have questioned that if he had 8 overs for 50+ and no wickets. Its happened to others in the recent past... Re Johnson I have tried to understand his position in the side but his figures while not atrocious are not good enough to be opening the bowling and I would argue he shouldnt be in the side without trying Bollinger also (being the other LH bowler). Not sure how these stats will paste in but this is Johnson's record including this current Test - Mat Inns Overs Mdns Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR overall 13 26 521.0 95 1639 47 4/41 6/159 34.87 3.14 66.5 Best of 4/41 v WI (big deal, they are rubbish), no 5 wickets in an innings or 10 wickets matches obviously. So as I say not atrocious but when Clark and Lee are down we need someone to step up (as they have both done in the past). For the opportunity he has been "gifted" I dont think he has repaid enough. His first class average is over 31 by the way...I might be being harsh but Lee and Clark are clearly better when fit and firing.
Phil Coorey
Guest
"Jeez what’s Krezja got to do to earn a place in the team?" Play full time for his state - not give up 6000 runs Just the small stuff.
M
Guest
Jeez what's Krezja got to do to earn a place in the team?
sheek
Guest
Justin, It was a no-brainer for Ponting to bowl Krejza into the ground, even though he was thumped all over the park. He looked like the only bowler, Watson apart, who seemed capable of taking wickets. As Kerry O'Keeffe used to say about himself, White is a nude bowler - his deliveries have nothing on them! Johnston appears only effective with the new ball, while Lee has gone walkabout. Clark is struggling with injury, & I don't know what to think about the next-rankers.
JohnB
Guest
While the choice of bowlers looked very ordinary yesterday afternoon, a couple of things to say there - first, was Lee fit and were Johnson and Watson ready to bowl for that period? The answers might have been no in each case (although I accept that even if they were all unfit/exhausted one of them should have bowled anyway). Second, and perhaps more relevantly, is it just Ponting making every decision here? Do the coach, vice captain and senior players have no input?
Phil Coorey
Guest
Haddin will be given a chance in Australia - but he looks out of his depth on the test match stage. Maybe every single player last year talking up how great he was on those annoying Fox Sports ads got to his head???
Phil Coorey
Guest
What an embarrassing weekend - watching the Wallabies fumble their way to a win on Sunday morning then watching Australia throw away a chance to beat India.
Harry
Guest
Ponting is the first captain for close on 2 decades who doesn't have a world class bowling attack - particularly Shane Warne who was both an attacking and economical bowler - and bowled his overs quickly. And he has been unlucky with the toss in the last 3 games. That said, shocking decision by him after tea yesterday. i think he is worn down by the effort of hanging on to the Indians that there was no energy or belief to attack when the opportunity came. Incidentially can you imagine the global whinging had the roles been reversed - Australia 1-0 up in the series and with a score on the board - and Australia adopted the same tactics as India did in the 1st session on day 3? They are also hugely missing Symond's in the field, not to mention his off-spinners. Haddin at the last chance saloon as well - the WA bloke Luke Ronchi a possibility?
Gabriel
Guest
I think calls for Clarke to take over from Ponting are a bit premature, he's still relatively young and a few more years deputising would be more than beneficial. I'd like to see Symonds and the new and improved (finally!) Shane Watson in the same team but can't see it happening unless Hayden is no longer around which probably should happen sooner rather than later. Hussey can and has done the job opening the batting. Agree that it's time for Bollinger to be given a bowl, his record recently demands it really. Apart from that the biggest changes need to be made on the selection panel. They've been more wayward than White's post tea over yeasterday!
Terry Kidd
Guest
G'day Justin .... tongue in cheek maybe the ACB should apply an informal one match ban for the "look after yourself and bugger the team" captaincy but that might be a bit extreme. However I don't think that Ponting's captaincy on this tour has been very good. To me he has looked jaded and bereft of ideas. Maybe he needs a rest?
Michael C
Guest
re McGain - reported Nov 8 http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/cricket/mcgain-takes-strain-to-regain-turn/2008/11/07/1225561138842.html He successfully had the tendons re-attached and has spent the past three weeks with his arm in a sling. Today, he begins three weeks of mobilising the arm, followed by a month of strengthening, after which he hopes to be able to begin rolling his arm over in the nets. From there, it will be a matter of time to build up to match fitness. "It would be nice to think it could be two weeks to be match-fit but it could be six, it could be eight. I am prepared to wait until it is right, so I can go at 100%," McGain said So, that indicates Nov 8 + 3 weeks of mobilising the arm - - takes up up to Nov 29, then a month of strengthening - - so, up to Xmas - - then, rolling the arm over in the nets and building up match fitness - - so, earliest return even for Victoria would be late January, as, you'd not select him without a district game or two to his name first. I think that pretty well rules him out for the summer.
Justin
Guest
Terry - you arent suggesting Ponting should be dropped if there was another batsmen capable of batting 3 are you?
Terry Kidd
Guest
I like Geoff Lawson's team with one exception, I would change the captaincy from Ponting to Clarke. Ricky gets to stay in the team because no other no3 is worth promoting at this stage. A Border, M Taylor and S waugh would have all gone for the jugular at 6 for 160 and bugger the over rate .... a slow rate would not have applied if they had bowled 'em out. What ever happened to fast bowlers moving quickly to the top of their run ups? Whatever happened to shortened run ups? They both help to keep the over rate ticking over. Unfortunately not bowling well enough to keep a consistent line and length means that you get flogged all over the park and fewer balls bowled is the only way they could stem the run rate. Very poor performance from the Captain and his bowlers aside from Krezja .... I agree Geoff give some others a go in Brisbane.