Australia’s performance since the last year has been ordinary. In 2013 it has been calamitous. Losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 0-4 to India in India was followed by Australia not winning a game in the just concluded Champions Trophy.
Heads had to roll. But was it wise to sack the coach just 16 days before the all important first Ashes Test? Players have not performed and someone had to be blamed. But is coach Mickey Arthur the only guilty party?
When he tried to discipline his players in India for their “who cares” attitude by giving them self analysis tests to improve their attitude, he was ridiculed for being a headmaster who treated Test cricketers like lazy students.
Now he is blamed for not acting like a headmaster and allowing players including David Warner to be at a pub in early hours of the morning.
For him, to be a headmaster was a sin. And not being one: a greater sin. It is the duty of the team manager and not a coach to supervise players’ nightly forays.
Changing a coach mid-tour will do more harm than good. He could have been diplomatically removed before the tour to England started rather than a fortnight before the first Ashes Test.
England’s captain Alastair Cook will be delighted at this development while Ian Botham, wherever he resides, is possibly dancing with joy.
This instant sacking reminds one of former Australian Test captain Kim Hughes’ tearful farewell as Australia’s skipper midway through the series against Clive Lloyd’s all-conquering West Indians in 1984-85.
It was after Australia’s eight wicket defeat by the Windies in the Brisbane Test in November 1984. But before we condemn Hughes, just look at the visitors’ team in batting order:
Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, Larry Gomes, Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Courtney Walsh.
That team would have given any team a hiding. The only XI which could have stood up to them would be Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles.
Going back to 1984-85, Australia under Allan Border lost the next Test in Adelaide by 191 runs.
So changing a leader (captain or coach) mid-stream is not a magic cure.The Indian team which whitewashed Australia under Michael Clarke a few months ago was nowhere near Lloyd’s killer combination, but changes have to be made before a tour commences and not midway.
The selectors have also to take some blame as indeed the players, who without Michael Clarke, performed like headless chooks in the Champions Trophy.
Was selecting George Bailey as captain of the Australian ODI team in absence of Clarke wise? Brad Haddin is an experienced campaigner and a canny leader. He is in England as vice-captain to Clarke.
Why was he ignored and Bailey thrust as captain. Haddin would have provided stability rather than a new cap like Bailey.
Anyway, good luck to Darren Lehmann.
Now the ball is in your court, Roarers.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
In the 79 competition sarfraz nawaz clocked 121 kph.even without seeing him bowl, hard for me to believe he was slower than ganguly or astle.pascoe managed 130. May that gun can be questioned of its accuracy..
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
Ronan, what may be your logic for trusting the 79 speed gun and not the ones used in 75-76?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
According to South Africa's fast bowler Allan Donald, Curtly Ambrose was the most intimidating bowler he watched. Donald says in CricInfo, "Ambrose demolished batting line-ups when it mattered most."
ChrisB
Guest
Sheek, do you remember LeRoux bowling all those bouncers at Lillee? I was only 10 but it is still vivid in the memory as great theatre. Loved the chance to see some of the South Africans my dad raved about as players. Also remember Hookesy's jaw being broken. Was at the ground and can still hear the crack. Amazing stuff WSC
ChrisB
Guest
Pitches in that era were rather more sauced up than the featherbeds of recent years. Add in a lack of helmets up to WSC and that adds to the fear factor
ChrisB
Guest
He must have been fast that day to elicit a response like that from the slips!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Perhaps irrelevant but fascinating for trivia lovers. What a coincidence. England played two 20-over matches in three days and lost by 5 runs in both. This was against India in CT 13 Final on Sunday (match reduced from 50-overs to 20-overs because of rains) and against New Zealand in a T20 international yesterday. In both these matches England's Ravi Bopara scored 30. Any such parallels?
cuzza
Guest
Cannot play quality four quicks backing away towards square leg and trying to upper cut all day.
pope paul v11
Guest
Glad you mentioned the 1979 side to India Sheek. Some fine efforts, Dymocks 12 wickets, AB 162, Hughes 100 and about 6 fifties. Can't quite recall but i think Yallop, Wood, Hilditch, Whatmore all got enough to keep them alive at various times. Higgs and Yardley got a few, Hoggy nearly went mad with frustration and they had a handy stumper in Kevin Wright.
pope paul v11
Guest
That's a trinity Kersi.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Right you are James, Ponting played in most of the Tests during that 16 match sequence. Cuzza I'd back that batting lineup against any bowling attack in history.
cuzza
Guest
Pascoe
cuzza
Guest
From memory Thommo bowled full tosses as it wasn't in match conditions thereby gaining an advantage. No doubts however, how quick and mean he was in the mid- seventies. He is frightening even on DVD. Personally, I can't believe anyone had bowled quicker than Akram at the 92 World Cup final, the slips wee on the 30 metre circle.
cuzza
Guest
Pas cow? Surely you jest?
cuzza
Guest
A few blokes in the 99 team who wouldn't have survived the unlimited bouncer rules of the mid 80's.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Kim Hughes' is a sad story. He got entagled in verbal conflicts with WSC big wigs. An attractive batsman, he lost his form when he most needed it. After retiring (pushed out?) from Test cricket, he led the Rebel Australians to S Africa in 1985-86 and 1986-87 without doing much.The third unofficial test against S Africa at Johannesburg in 1985-86 was traumatic for him as he was dismissed twice for ducks off the first ball he received. Then going in as Rodney Hogg's runner he was run out first ball. Thus he went to the middle three times in one match and returned all three times first ball. This was more than a King Pair. Perhaps an Emperor Pair?!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Sheek and Ronan, for digging out the KPHs of different fast bowlers. Current quickies do not have the same fear factor. Perhaps the protective equipments including sophisticated helmets have helped.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I've always believed the truth with those studies was somewhere in the middle.
sheek
Roar Guru
Ronan, That's a fair point. With improvements in nutrition, sports science, recording technology, etc, you would expect bowlers to get incrementally faster. However, to my mind's eye & memory, both Thomson & Holding were frighteningly fast. Even if in actual fact, Shoaib Akhtar & Brett Lee have bowled faster on occasions.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The most interesting part of those studies is the discrepancies in the speeds. In 1976 Andy Roberts was clocked bowling 157kmh yet just 3 years later his top speed had dropped almost 20kmh to 138kmh. Similarly, Thomson dropped from 160 to 147 and Holding from 153 to 141. I'd be far more inclined to believe the later readings. I've always been sceptical about how so many bowlers 35 years ago apparently bowled faster than most modern day quicks.