South African batsman HM Amla makes runs as Australian bowler James Hopes follows his misfielded ball during the 4th One Day International cricket match between Australia and South Africa at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
What can be made of Australia’s sterling comeback in game five against South Africa to lose the series by only the narrowest of margins? Was this a sign of resurrection for the aging champion team, hanging onto the second rung of the ladder by the captain’s quick bitten nails?
Or was it a genuine sustainable rise in form and fortune?
South Africa rested its ODI skipper (once more consigned to remedial elbow straightening classes) and brought in the warhorse, Ntini, and the colt, Morkel. It was clearly not the Proteas number one unit.
The ‘dead rubber’ syndrome may have been a bigger factor for the home team’s loss than the preservation of pride by the visitors in their win.
South Africa retain the number one ranking and Australia slip back to number two, having retaken India’s slot.
Leader Ponting bemoaned the “return to form” as being “a bit late.”
Well, okay, but the loss of successive ODI series in total 7-2 has got to make a statement of concern for selectors and coaching staff.
The constant and consistent slide of Mike Hussey’s form going back over twelve months has been confirmed rather than allayed in the limited over game. Brother David continues to appear out of his depth, while Michael Clark is having his middle order pedigree denigrated by going in first.
Brad Haddin is consistent and classy, though Tim Neilsen must be talking to him about the plethora of soft dismissals after making wonderful starts.
Hads, have a look at Hershell Gibbs. He knows how to make fifties into hundreds, whether batting first or second.
Maybe Brad needs to be a bit more selfish and that that will ultimately aid his team. Lobbing dolly catchers to long on off straight break bowlers is not the way to service the team goal.
How bizarre was the inclusion of Brett Lee in the original ODI squad for the Pakistan series?
Fancy picking a player for international cricket with NO game time at all under his belt for five months, not even practice matches.
Chairman Hilditch came out with this gem “the NSP [National Selection Panel] want to take a careful approach to his return to the Australian team.“
To then declare that he was not fit enough after reporting to his IPL franchise says more about the lack of cohesion and poorly informed selection process.
Then you add Chairman of Selectors Andrew Hilditch’s justification for picking the man who is in “a prolonged form slump,“ mentally limping Andrew Symonds back to international cricket: “a great player at his best.”
Great player is a tag that Ponting has put on David Hussey, as well, this epithet based, it seems, on the younger Hussey’s limited 20/20 international batting.
It also seems that personal relationships rather than objective cricket rationale is now the key to playing for Australia.
Phillip Hughes, Chris Rogers and the new substitute for Brett Lee, Doug Bollinger, can’t be on the “drinking buddies“ list of Ponting or Hilditch. Maybe new Chairman of the CA Board, Jack Clarke, could actually make his presence felt for a change and give some much needed direction to the NSP and Ponting himself.
“Big Jack” has been almost invisible since his appointment.
Symonds has been given more opportunities and second and third chances than any player I can remember in the last 30 years.
How he will react to Michael Clark’s captaincy will be THE key issue in the UAE.
Their personal differences are well documented, and given Symonds’ dreadful form with his State team, it is hard to see how the environment at international level will be of any advantage.
Of course, if he does fail, it leaves the Australian selectors with a lot of cracked eggs in a diminishing basket. Perhaps it is time for the youngsters to be given an extended run?
Ponting will not be playing against Pakistan, nor will Mike Hussey (I’m not sure how he will find batting form in the WACA indoor nets before June). And nor will Mitchell Johnson.
The Pakistan series is being used to rest a number of players and shows a considerable lack of respect for their opponents.
Pakistan will be hungry, given their lack of international competition recently, but they will also be underdone against a highly ranked team.
If Michael Clark and his team lose the first game, or even two, there may be some serious division within the camp.
Despite the amount of cricket being played recently, this series will bear some very close examination.
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