Michael Clarke stood resolutely behind Australia’s unpopular rotation policy despite admitting selection changes contributed to their Gabba nightmare on Friday.
Captain Clarke labelled it a “horrible day” as his men were routed for 74 before Sri Lanka (6-75) chased down the target in 20 overs for a four-wicket win and a 2-1 series lead.
The day-night match was finished at 6pm local time as a disappointed crowd of 20,271 traipsed home in the daylight.
It would have been over much earlier, well before the scheduled tea break, if not for a last-wicket stand of 34 by tailenders Mitchell Starc and Xavier Doherty – the only men to make double figures.
Clarke, who had no hesitation in batting first, was among three first-choice players who returned from a two-game rest after a 3-0 Test series whitewash.
Asked as he left the ground whether it was difficult for cricketers to maintain rhythm and confidence if they weren’t consistently selected, he said: “Yeah, I can’t doubt that.
“Today is an example of that.
“If you’re playing well and winning consistently, it builds momentum, that’s for sure. It’s still no excuse for the way we performed.”
But Clarke then staunchly defended the rotation policy at his official press conference, instead blaming poor shot selection and defence for the third lowest total in Australia’s one-day history.
“When you bat like that you’re not going to win many games of cricket,” he said.
“My opinion hasn’t changed on, let’s call it once again, the rotation policy. Our performance today was very poor.
“We let ourselves down, we let the people down who came to watch us.
“I think our cricket throughout the summer has been pretty consistent – today is, for sure, our worst day.”
The loss also exposed Australia’s frailty against quality swing bowling.
Led by the mesmeric Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lankan pace attack completely embarrassed the hosts – reducing them to 9-40 in the 19th over when captain Mahela Jayawardene had thought 220 would be a par score.
In scenes reminiscent of the carnage in Cape Town 15 months ago when Australia’s Test team were bowled out for 47 by South Africa, man-of-the-match Kulasekara took 5-22 and Lasith Malinga 3-14 as Australia failed to counter the brilliant mixture of swing and seam.
Sri Lanka’s batsmen also had their problems with the sideways movement, crashing to 4-37 as Mitchell Johnson dismantled their top order with 3-4 from his first eight deliveries.
But Johnson was inexplicably taken off after the tea break while Australians were also left to rue missed catches by Clarke, George Bailey and David Warner.
It was only the determined rearguard by Starc (22 not out) and Doherty (15) that saved Australia from more embarrassment.
When Doherty leg-glanced his first ball to the boundary, Australia passed the lowest total by a recognised Test nation – 43 endured in South Africa by both Pakistan (1993) and Sri Lanka (2012).
The spinner’s last boundary ensured they crept beyond 70 – which Australia made in 1977 in England and also in 1986 against New Zealand in Adelaide.
lou
Guest
Well, isn't that why they rested him from test cricket in the first place? He does have weaknesses that need to be protected. Bowling 10 overs is far less strain that bowling who knows how many in a test match. So what if he never plays another Boxing Day test? That is not relevant to his resting or selection for the starting 11 for that match. Not only is that an impossible thing to tell in advance, but that sort of thing has to be meaningless to the selectors.
GENO
Guest
"If we ignore the media and the commentators"? Seeing is believing, Warner can win you a World Cup Bailey can't end of story CHEERS!
GENO
Guest
Warner never played first class cricket before his aussie call up why should pommers be any different! Anyone who knows anything about the game can watch pommers bat and instantly see he has that special something to be a top international performer! Perhaps you just don't have a great understanding of the game?
Brendon
Guest
Hmmm, Warner top scores and Bailey does what? You're right James, totally overrated. I make that five fifty + scores in his last 7 innings but he has to go, he just doesn't have the talent to compete in ODI's, just tests and T20's, where he seems to be pretty ok. That maiden ton last year in Hobart against a swinging ball on a green monster was also a terribly overrated innings as well. Drop him now, please, before he top scores again!
Roger
Guest
Khawaja, Warner and Clarke will be the backbone of our team for the next 5 years, Burns is another one to watch out for.
Roger
Guest
Khawaja should never have been the scapegoat for that loss, he got run out for 40 the game before and top scored 70 in a record 300 chase the game before against South Africa but onceagain Khawaja got picked on again.
Bearfax
Guest
And what is the best team. Team 'B' as described by everyone in the first ODI against SL won handsomely. Since then we've had a 'better Team B' and the 'A' team, and they've lost the second and third, the latter with a dreadful batting performance saved only by a couple of tail enders otherwise it would have easily been the worst on record, Trouble is the selectors 'A' team isnt necessarily the best team gauged by others.
Bearfax
Guest
136 runs in first innings against NZ Dec 2011. Lost that one because only Warner and Siddle could score in either innings and Oz lost. Khawaja was scape goated for the loss.
allrounder
Guest
16 wickets lost for 150 odd runs thats one of those days... for both sides the south african match was a test match and yes that was a huge concern. an odi is less worrying because its the nature of the beast that occasionally you'll get skittled because its not like you can really just shut up shop and see of 2 hours of good seam bowling in favourable conditions, like you should do in a test.
Bayman
Guest
allrounder, Not so much, "one of those days" as "Another one of those days". Still, it was better than the Test match in South Africa not so very long ago.
Brendon
Guest
I think the schedule is silly, and predominantly about making coin, but then half the team trot off and play IPL, why should the Aussie cricket public have to suffer when they choose to play in what could be an off season for them? It's not like the money on offer from CA isn't good, what irks me is that CA then oblige them by resting them in the middle of the summer. The squad should be resting quicks in one dayers with short breaks between games, its only sensible, I'm not a fan of the rotation policy, but at the moment for the quicks it makes sense. The question remains, what happens to blokes being rested when the person replacing them excels? I'm not sure a person saying they are gutted at being left out is a "poor me" situation, in Starc's case, he'd just come off a five for and was rested for the boxing day test, which every Aussie would love to play in. I personally think it was a bad decision, what if he breaks down now due to the Aus team playing him with apparent ankle spurs, and he never gets to play another?
Brendon
Guest
Your right, those centuries he scores at a run a ball are so over rated, get over it he's a talent and that's why he's in the team, come the end of his career and judge, not one and a bit years into his international career
GENO
Guest
Righto i'll take one ;)...
Matt h
Guest
We go in about rotation cheapening the Australian side, etc and then every other post is always demanding the selection of the latest player to have a run of three good games. Pomersbach hasn't even been a regular in the QLD ODI team and has done little in that format in the past few years. Bashing a few in the BBLkver three weeks does not get you an Australian jumper.
Jason
Guest
A real life example of the impact of the rotation policy. I have 3 spare tickets to the match today and none of my mates who I have been going to the cricket with for 20 years could be bothered going today. These are guys like me who absolutely LOVE cricket.
lolly
Guest
Yeah he leaves a whacking great gate at times. Look at the wrist position of both those opening Pakistan bowlers. Just about makes me want to purr.
pope paul v11
Guest
Far out those paki lads could swing a ball! Should have been kings.
lolly
Guest
I wouldn't consider someone who has played elite sport big-noting themselves by saying that they have. Baseballers and footballers don't play for their country every day or so. That's a franchise/club thing. I don't agree with a young new player going on twitter and having a 'poor me' moment. It just sounds lame. I could understand it more if they were someone like McGrath who was established and indispensable. But then it wouldn't be a poor me moment! There is that thing about confidence, ok, I can get that, but this is the real world of cricket. People have breaks, it's always done now with the teams that have full schedules. England rest their players and try to manage injuries in the same way as the Aussies. You only need to see the number of changes to their attacks between formats and even between matches in the same format to see that. India's senior players were/are taking breaks. It's because for some players, there is no such thing as a 'season' anymore. A team like South Africa don't need to rest their players in the same way, they probably play about half as much cricket as the Aussies overall. And the Sri Lankans would probably never rest their players for the same reason. This year they hardly have test cricket at all from what I recall of their schedule.
James
Guest
Well, he needs to show those innings very soon otherwise even with the cult of Warner in the media, he will be dropped from the side. Personally, I think he is extremely overrated. To date in 1 dayers his playing style has not come off enough for him to justify his place. At the moment, Bailey would be my fourth batsman pick behind Clarke, Mike Hussey and Watson. Warner would be lucky to make it into the side.
GENO
Guest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=Yw62TV2INS8 Watch Clarke's shot here and the one he played to get out on Saturday :). Have we learnt nothing? We will need a specialist batsmen at six (Usman) but I think where in trouble come the Ashes.