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Australian cricket begins its renaissance today with Darren Lehmann’s first appearance as the new coach.
And before he starts seeking success on the field after six losses and a rained-off no result in the last seven international games, Lehmann has to sort out his captain Michael Clarke.
On the field, Clarke is one of the world’s best batsmen, and tactically, he’s pretty good.
Off the field, he falls way short, and that’s where most of the team’s problems stem from.
Lehmann is a renowned communicator; Clarke is wooden in that department.
Lehmann’s first job will be to make Clarke understand he must have wider vision. and while he’s at it, stop having favourites. Every team member is an equal and deserves equal recognition from his skipper.
Clarke will never be a Richie Benaud, or an Ian Chappell, an Allan Border, a Mark Taylor, or a Steve Waugh. They were very special Australian captains.
But Clarke can be a better captain than he is, and he will be if he listens to his new coach.
“If”, that’s the big question. Let time dictate that answer if Clarke is man enough to listen. At the moment he is a law unto himself.
Why else would he turn up to a Shane Warne charity day when his team was playing a Champions Trophy game with George Bailey standing in as captain for an injured Clarke?
Incomprehensible.
Immediate task two for Lehmann will be to get David Warner, Phil Hughes, and Usman Khawaja back among the runs. All three are struggling and have been for some time.
Lehmann is perfect for the task. In his time at the top, the left-hander was a joy to watch, and his three charges are all lefties.
And when they are firing, they too are a joy to watch.
Immediate task three will be to sort out giant left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc.
This bloke has all the physical capabilities to be the toughest, fastest, and most dangerous bowler to face in the Ashes series on both sides.
But he’s not a thinker: he runs into bowl and hopes for the best. His new coach is a thinker, one of the very best.
Once Darren Lehmann sorts out the skipper, Warner, Hughes, Khawaja, and Starc, then his prediction yesterday that Australia can win the Ashes will be pretty close to the mark.
It’s a whole new and exciting ball game.
Bring it on.