A one day series in the middle of an Australian winter has revealed the true strength of Mickey Arthur’s team and challenged his coaching and selection methods.
There is no Ashes as the main course to this five match appetiser. The cynics would say that it was a revenue raising exercise, just an opportunity to sell some tickets and TV rights.
Ben Pobje: Does anyone care about Australia’s ODI loss to England?
But I didn’t mind spending a few late nights watching some more cricket and the current England team are certainly worth watching for their skill and execution.
You can’t have too much cricket, and those who reckon the game is overexposed are not true fans.
England are playing with bucketloads of self-belief that used to be the domain of Australian teams. The pace of the role reversal is staggering.
Mickey Arthur has even stated his team needs “more mongrel”, aka self-confidence, often mistaken for arrogance. It means that you really do believe you can beat the opposition on any day and under any circumstances.
Well, Mickey, that is all very well, but cricket is a skill game and Australia are being outskilled in every department.
It is hard to believe this Australian team could be ranked number one in ODI cricket. They have looked decidedly second rate in this rubber.
Granted, England are in the middle of their home summer (a term as loose as Mitchell Johnson’s control, with temperatures in the mid teens and rain forecast almost every day), while Australia have not played since Test cricket in Dominica in late April.
Australian players perform better in sunshine and warmth.
The pitches have been classic County jobs: slow and seaming, thanks to the damp climate, with the finale at Old Trafford a classic northern summer’s day.
England’s batsmen and bowlers, understandably, have dealt much better with what has been served up.
On a short tour, with limited practice and scant lead up matches, the rain affected visitors have not had time to adapt. David Warner, in particular, looks totally at sea.
His footwork is non-existent.
He has turned into a pensive and hesitant player, something you would never have accused him of in the past.
Arthur called for “presence … we are being bullied”. Wow, talk about the boot being on the other foot! But surely Arthur should have dealt with this issue BEFORE the series started, not in the death throes.
What it really means is that England’s bowlers command the length they want to bowl and there has been no effort by Australia’s batsmen to take them away from that dominant zone.
Warner has been rooted to the cease; Bailey and Forrest can put away bad bowling but they can’t dominate. They too sit in their crease and wait for wayward offerings.
Even Ian Bell uses his feet to change the length against Lee and McKay.
England are proactive, Australia submissive.
Michael Clarke finds himself resurrecting innings’ rather than leading them to the 300 promised land.
Wade likes to face fast bowling. His aggressive streak is lost at number seven, which begs the question as to why Dan Christian is missing from this squad.
His all round game, ability to snare vital wickets, make an unlikely catch, or create a run out and then make 50 off 20 balls, is needed. There is no dynamism in this squad.
The Australian selectors have a love affair with George Bailey that needs a trial separation. The erstwhile Twenty20 captain is an admirable State cricketer but is not in the best 20 batsmen at Twenty20 or 50 over cricket.
Mitchell Johnson’s selection has been seriously questioned (again) at a time when the depth and breadth of seam bowling stock had been talked up as the real strength.
He hasn’t played since Wanderers in early November 2011, has no match practice apart from the over-rated Centre of Excellence nets in Brisbane.
I am a little tired of the “he’s been bowling really well in the nets” BS that comes from the coaching staff and the batsmen.
How about a reality check lads?
He may be a really nice bloke, but I would prefer a totally self-absorbed narcissist loner who could bowl a line and a length in my team. What is that saying about the finishing position of “nice guys?”
His opening overs in game three were downright embarrassing.
Johnson needs serious time in State cricket to rediscover his mojo and to think he was unavailable for game four because of “foot soreness.”
You would have thought he would be champing at the bit to get on the field and disprove his detractors. His mental ability to compete when the going gets tough must be severely questioned.
“Mongrel?” Mickey, make your players take the field with a niggle, don’t let medical staff be the faux selectors, which they have become at all levels of Australian cricket.
Show some mongrel yourself and make some tough decisions.
Mitchell Starc is the up-and-coming leftie who would have been more value in the ODI squad than playing county cricket and Doug Bollinger is much better value. He swings it at good pace and has the aforementioned “mongrel” Mickey is looking for.
Maybe the selectors should take their own advice for picking teams.
Lee and Watson are injured (and now David Hussey, too). Both have had major time out of the game in the last few years thanks to injury and the preparation of this team must be closely questioned.
Does High Performance cricket operations manager Pat Howard know what questions to ask?
The Argus report criticised the fitness and medical staff. There has been no change to accountability for that group. There is still no use of Sports Chiropractors as an integral part of treatment and maintenance.
This is culpable neglect.
Players who are not allowed use their own practitioners will be taking legal action against Cricket Australia if this continues. Then again, when contracts are handed out for hundreds of thousands of dollars that discourage the actual playing of the game and medical staff take the easy option to every niggle of taking “rest” with no appropriate treatment, how can the national coach expect his players to be tough, to show “mongrel”, to want to actually compete rather than sit on the sidelines and pick up their pay checks for attending the gym.
There is an inherent softness to this Australian team – and maybe that softness has become endemic in State cricket as well – because the system not simply allows it, but encourages weak options.
If Mickey Arthur wants a change in attitude – and I think he is totally correct with that demand – then he had better pick the players with inherent mongrel and he had better find some coaching and medical staff who understand the demands of contemporary professional sport.
He needs some “working class” players or he too will be quickly watching from the sidelines in Capetown, but without a medical hall pass.
Dan
Guest
Greg the research is saying otherwise! Rather than use hearsay and articles out of the media do some research before you make a hopefully educated opinion. See the articles below for current research: Risk of vertebrobasilar stroke and chiropractic care: results of a population-based case-control and case-crossover study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18204390 Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23060056 The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20374662 Does maintained spinal manipulation therapy for chronic nonspecific low back pain result in better long-term outcome? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21245790 Spinal high-velocity low amplitude manipulation in acute nonspecific low back pain: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial in comparison with diclofenac and placebo. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23026869 Vertebral artery strains during high-speed, low amplitude cervical spinal manipulation. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22483611 If you are going to see a Chiropractor look for a good one recommended by your GP or Sports Physician and preferably who is a Sports Chiropractor who integrates with Sports Medicine for the best outcome for patients. Dan
Michael Hussey? Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn might argue they were rushed into the set up too early, eventually only coming good well into their playing careers.
Disco
Roar Guru
Let's hope Khawaja doesn't turn into a lifestyle coach.
for 2013 no there is not enough time. Much of this change needs to come at junior rep level into the centre of excellence. we need test cricketers not 20-20 players. if australia follows suit like in england, 20-20 is a fad that is dieing and it will all be a complete waste of money, infrastructure, coaching and time. In england they were once getting sell outs to county 20-20 but the novelty has worn off and no body is going to watch it anymore. all the investemnt into this circus form of a game is costing us. we need to start asking us what is important. The big bash and coaching young players how to play the double reverese sweep over the keepers head or the ashes and coaching our players how see off quality outswing bowling on a green top? if 20-20 keep appealing to our masses we may be behind the 8 ball for a long time.
tonysalerno
Roar Guru
I agree with everything you say werewolf- but id there enough time?
Disco
Roar Guru
"Ponting, Ponting, Ponting, Ponting..." Yawn. Never ever any analysis of the form which led to his dropping from the ODI side (much like the much-younger Cameron White) nor the three-year decline that has seen him retained as Test player due to favouritism and hero worship. No, these are not the best we've got (a fact confirmed by murmurings of picking this side with Test cricket/ forming a close-knit squad in mind) It's a boys' club and there are plenty of players outside the squad with better credentials and/or more potential, as outlined by other posters. You truly are one-eyed if you think only Hussey and your man could add something to the present batting line-up, with the likes of Hughes, Khawaja, Cooper, Ferguson, and Quiney being ignored for one-day cricket. As well, the likes of McDonald, Bollinger, Couter-Nile, McDermott, Christian, Faulkner, Butterworth, Hauritz and O'Keefe could arguably be better alternatives to the likes of Lee, Hlifenhaus, Smith and Doherty. The same scenario is repeated when it comes to Test selection. Cricket Australia and it's four selectors (two with a conflict of interest) pays little heed to domestic form or quality, but would rather focus on mates and/or characters they deem to fit in well with "the group".
SandBox
Roar Guru
a friend almost lost his licence as an airline pilot because a Chiropractor did his best to destroy his back. He needed significant time off flying and two operations to recover. Last I spoke with him, he said his exercise is limited to walking and some weights. Not sure if he can even play golf, maybe darts is ok Myself and another friend have had great experiences with Chiros. Most Doctors I speak too will not recommend them for the risks Greg has mentioned. They seem to go in an order of, first: Physio, second: Osteo, and never really recommend Chiros. In fact they seem to see them as only one step above Filipino Faith healers or Indian snake oil salesman
Greg
Guest
They are terrible symptoms you were dealing with. I'm very happy to hear that you are feeling better. But I stand by my comments Bearfax. Completely. The evidence is in that over 500 people have suffered strokes as a direct result of chiropractic manipulation. Over 500. These are neurosurgeons saying this, not some backyard yob throwing insults over the fence. Sorry to repeat myself mate but it appears that there are other specialists who are competent at versions of manipulation who both provide the therapuetic outcomes of skeletal adjustments who do not carry the substantial risk that goes with chiropractice. I'd have to look further to find who these specialists are. These neurosurgeons know the rules and tensions on nerves and arteries and all the rest. Chiropractors do not. Furthermore, the article states that the incidence of stroke is under-reported. Not good. Cheers mate and I hope you continue to feel better. Greg.
Brew
Guest
Will Sage point. Lawson was vociferous in his condemnation of Ponting's selection against the Indians. I think he still pontificated about dropping him until the end of the series when Ponting was the highest and most consistent run scorer in the series. Even when Ponting was scoring runs, and at times struggling with playing across the line early in the innings, later in the same innings rather than Lawson lauding him for good shots at face value, instead he often said, "That was the best shot he has played for a long time." Notwithstanding, Geoff probably makes a few sage comments.
Bearfax
Guest
Sorry but I base my attitude on experience regarding the chiropractic 'science' A year ago I was a mess. Because of weight issues and occasional bad shoes, my whole skeletal frame was significantly out of line, pedominently because of an out of place pelvis. Over a period of months I found I couldnt walk, breath deeply, had head aches, back pain, knee pain, general nausea. It was so bad at one stage that i was breathing like someone with advanced emphysema, and was for a short while sitting up to sleep because I was gasping for breath while lying down. And I have never smoked in my 61 years of life. I thought I was on the way out. Step by step the chiropractor I attended corrected the pelvic region so that my stance was corrected and first one and then the other foot could be walked on without concerns. The right knee which had been giving me trouble for years is now stable. He then corrected my rib cage which was pressing against my lungs....I was suddenly breathing deeper than I have for years. Then the neck and head aches have gone. I have a deterioration at the base of my spine which X rays have identified and which I will have to live with. Still remains generally uncomforatble most of the time. But I now walk most days 4 kms to start and feel healthier than I have for many years. That's what a chiropractor did for me and I thanked him deeply
Greg
Guest
Geoff Sorry, have I misread you regarding chiropractors? I haven't read through the rest of the responses but advocating chiropractors is very unfortunate. And I might even say irresponsible. Chiropractic practice is not scientific; they in fact advocate against vaccination and believe that the spine is the source for many bodily maladies, which is not backed up by scientific evidence. The level of manipulation of the spine and surrounding soft tissue by chiropractors, which has never been a part of human evolution to this (severe) degree, can be so severe it can cause stroke. These article explains further: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/may/14/dangers-chiropractic-treatment-under-reported http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2012/apr/27/chiropractic-manipulation-spine-strokes "Well over 500 cases have been documented where a patient has suffered a stroke after getting his or her neck manipulated and many have died subsequently.... The conclusions of the American neurosurgeons in their recent paper speak for themselves: Chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine can produce dissections of the cranial and cervical segments of the vertebral and carotid arteries. Given the popularity of chiropractic treatment, the incidence of this phenomenon is most likely underreported. These arterial injuries can be severe, producing adverse neurological sequelae and even death (including 31% of patients in this series). Consequently, aggressive endovascular and surgical techniques may be required to restore vessel patency and to preserve neurological function." Geoff, please refrain from using the Roar to push bogus, appallingly dangerous, non-medical practices which could cause cricketers or their family members permanent disability. It has even happened to children. Take care mate. Greg.
dirty tshirts
Guest
Bailey was the best performed batsmen in the Australian team and 3rd highest run scorer overall. How could you possibly consider dropping him? He has done the job required of him and will continue to develop
k77sujith
Guest
So who does coach Mickey rope in now into the team? Elysse Perry?!
dcnz
Guest
I agree with the folks who say Australia could punt on young talent showing form in domestic cricket. Should have taken Coulter-Nile and a few other bolters on this tour. Nothing against him but why is Brett Lee still there? Australia need to build for the future. Where is Usman, for example. Micky Arthur is playing the boys club game.
Will
Guest
I see it as a failure as well, never said otherwise. Hell, losing 4-0 is our worst ever result. But fact of the matter is, these are really the best we have got, I have been saying it for ages. Forrest, Smith, Warner, Pattinson are guying to have good careers, but they are all still raw. Bailey and D Hussey looked accomplished batsmen at certain times - I see both of them as players capable of playing test cricket and succeeding. We have been through the list of excuses. First it was Hildtich's fault, then it was Nielsen's, both selection panel and coach were sacked. Ponting was hounded out of his job as captain and his spot in the ODI side - Clarke was annointed captain. Fact is, we have had all the off-field changes, and still, we are under-performing. Now it was obvious to me a few years ago that we didn't have the players that we used to. But people kept blaming the selectors and/or Ponting for the results. Both have gone from the ODI format and we have just had our worst ever result. Perhaps Ponting wasn't that bad afterall? As a ODI captain he took inexperienced sides and won with them. Sure, he was tactically conservative but he still got results? Isn't that what counts? At the end of the day, I think we have the nucleus of a good side. But a lot of our players are still developing, I don't see anyone out of the side at the moment that could add a whole lot to our side other than Ponting and M Hussey. What we need is a period of stability, players need to given a long run to find their feet. Constant changing will not do any good in the long term.
SandBox
Roar Guru
reminds me of the treatment of a young Hayden. Hopefully Khawaja will overcome this as well as Matty did
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The Argus report also assumes that Coach and Captain as selectors will be impartial. It also a sort of best practice business model that doesn't take into account very good opponents. Probably not a paragraph defining mongrel either. Henry makes a good point about re Johnners hot net form. Who hasn't been nearly annihilated by a teammate at practice only to see them get pasted all over the park on the weekend?
mark
Guest
boy the excuses here are unbelievable. a little scary. and if we'd won 4 nil. would we be calling it meaningless or would we be crowing and pushing our chests out?
Dan
Guest
Yeah I see what you mean there actually, Ed Cowan is an example probably -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Bearfax
Guest
You're right about Hussey being pickedlate. But he was a successful batsman during an age when we hada strong test batting lineup and several top scoring batsmen not in the test team, such as Brad Hodge. Like I said when they reach that age you get what you see and Hussey was already a top batsman. Mind you he improved further, but he tended to be the exception in that context. The batsmen they are picking now in their post 26 years age range, all seem to have very average shield averages, and are being picked because they happen to score a couple of good centuries in a short period, belying their actual talent.