- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
So the question has to be asked: what has awoken me from my four year submission slumber for The Roar? Simple – the Australian cricket team.
Our Test squad are headed for disaster during the upcoming Ashes series and Cricket Australia’s administrators have made a major contribution due to a haphazard and contradictory preparation – one that has left me, an ordinary punter, dazed and confused.
I can only imagine what is going through the minds of Philip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Ben Cutting, Shaun Marsh and others – players who thought that the past couple of months of cricket may have had some impact on their chances of being selected for the Gabba Test starting 21 November.
No longer can I sit by and suffer in silence without making my opinion heard.
In the months after losing the Ashes in England, we were told that the Australian team would be well prepared for this summer’s return bout.
We were told that our domestic cricketers would get three rounds of Sheffield Shield games. This preparation would not only allow selectors to see the form of players who could fill some of the vacant spots, but also allow contenders and certainties alike to get much needed long form practice.
Now we hear that the First Test team will be announced on Tuesday, leaving the last round of Shield games being played this week irrelevant to its selection.
Selectors have also decided to rest a number of fast bowlers who will more than likely play in Brisbane from Shield duties this week. This number includes Mitchell Johnson, who even the most casual of cricket followers knows needs regular bowling to be match-ready – both physically and mentally.
Finally, it appears that Cricket Australia is most concerned about ensuring that England face strong opposition in the lead up to the Test series by having a NSW Invitational XI playing England.
This only kneecaps the states from having the strongest sides play in the Sheffield Shield, which will yet again weaken what was once the benchmark of domestic competitions.
A competition that the rest of cricket world was in awe of, due to its high standard and the depth of talent that it once produced.
Cricket Australia’s hierarchy have had their share of critics over recent seasons, especially as the men’s team has not been as successful or dominant as they once were.
Throughout that, I was convinced that there was some master plan of rebuilding in place. I am now convinced that Cricket Australia has not only lost the plot, but has a room of chimpanzees banging on typewriters trying to come up with a new one.
Despite all that I hold a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, I will get to see Michael Clarke lift the urn at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January.
I’d like to think it is because I am one of the true believers, but I did say that I was dazed and confused.
The bottom line is that if Australia lose the upcoming series, it shouldn’t be just the players but also the administration that should be held accountable.
They haven’t been in recent seasons, but like the players they will select this summer they should also be held under the same level of scrutiny.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.