Cricket Australia’s national talent manager Greg Chappell says he can understand why people on the other side of the world might be getting a bit carried away.
But the Test great says Australia’s 37-run loss to Afghanistan at the under-19 World Cup in Abu Dhabi isn’t a case of the sky falling in.
“We’ve got to be careful not to over-react in these situations,” Chappell told AAP from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
“You blokes (in the media) are the worst of the lot. You tend to love these sorts of stories and make them perhaps bigger than they are.
“This is about helping them develop. Australian cricket is not going to win everything and it’s not about winning.
“It’s a matter of exposing our best of the next generation to as wide a variety of experiences as they possibly can.
“It was always going to be a challenge because we knew they’d have five spin bowlers who are all fairly experienced and many of them have played in the Afghan national team.
“It wasn’t as big a shock to us as it might be to people reading it from a distance.
“The Afghanistan national team qualified for the 2015 World Cup, did it not?”
Asked if he understood how Aussie fans might be taken aback at the result, Chappell went on: “Those that don’t follow the cricket closely could easily have that feeling.
“But Afghanistan cricket is a lot stronger than people understand,” he said.
“A lot of them have experienced a lot of everything.”
Chappell says every game of cricket for Afghanistan is a celebration.
“I’m sure a lot of these guys have probably been in refugee camps in Pakistan and playing a lot of cricket in that part of the world,” he said.
“There’s a lot of influence from Pakistan.
“These guys have played a lot more cricket than our guys have.
“Our kids are coming out of school cricket.”
War-torn Afghanistan, which doesn’t have Test-playing status, is now locked in a tense battle with Australia and Bangladesh for a top-two finish in Pool B to advance to the quarter-finals.
Coach Graeme Hick’s Australia (1-1) will play Bangladesh (2-0) on Wednesday. Runners-up in Townsville in 2012, Australia need victory and a strong run-rate against Bangladesh to hope to qualify for the next stage.
Chasing 254 to win, Australia were bowled out for 217.
Brisbane Heat BBL T20 batsman Ben McDermott, son of ex-Test paceman Craig McDermott, made a duck at No.3 against Afghanistan.
Fellow Queenslander James Bazley top-scored with an unbeaten 54 after taking 3-69.
NSW teenager Jake Doran, who played against England in a tour match in Alice Springs in November, made 45.
Captain Jaron Morgan (47) and Damien Mortimer (43) also got starts.
“I don’t think many people expected us to defeat Australia but we did it and we did it convincingly,” Afghanistan captain Nasir Jamal said.
AlanKC
Guest
One of the issues with the internet is the ability to rush into print and sometimes be made to look a little silly by a turn of events a few hours later. Oh for the luxury of having to sit down and actually write a letter to the editor - many of these comments would then simply have been torn up and put in the bin. Congratulations to the team for reaching the quarter finals and good luck!
Nudge
Guest
Must have even a great Knock. We were in some real trouble early on as well. We won by 74 runs but Afganistan knocked over there total in 25 overs so not sure where that leaves the teams situated now
Nudge
Guest
Thank god he was there today
Jo M
Guest
But a big congratulations to Jake Doran on 99 not out after 50 against Bangladesh. Bugga. Like I said, definitely a player for the future, but needs some more time. The bowling attack isn't going that well. Don't think they will get through on run rate, even if they win tonight.
Vic
Guest
Hm- yes. Well, we have plenty of refugee camps in and around Australia, maybe our young'uns can be sent there to get some practice.....
Armchair expert
Guest
I wonder what the excuse will be if Bangladesh beats Australia U19s.
DJW
Guest
That a baffling ignorant comment by Chappell I want Australian cricket to do well. At the same time I think it's awesome for the sport of cricket that a country like Afghanistan can get up and beat Australia. Results like that could be immense for cricket in Afghanistan. It's amazing there even competing after what's happened in there country over many years. Be interesting to compare cricket funding for Australia and Afghanistan.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
“I’m sure a lot of these guys have probably been in refugee camps in Pakistan and playing a lot of cricket in that part of the world,” Chappell said. “There’s a lot of influence from Pakistan. These guys have played a lot more cricket than our guys have. Our kids are coming out of school cricket.” Wow. So Australia lost because the Afghani players had the advantage of living in refugee camps in Pakistan rather than being stuck in Australian schools.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
It's U19s, performances are always going to be pretty variable. Kids don't have consistency.
Jo M
Guest
He is way too young to be there. Player for the future, yes definitely. But no way should he be there. They seem to have stuck with the squad that have been training and playing overseas without much success for the last year or so. NSW won the national championships but only got 2 players in and for me neither of them should have been picked, both have been fairly ordinary even in 1st grade, but it is tough. Even with the bowling, they stuck with the same ones, some of whom were way down the list of bowlers at the national champs.
Armchair expert
Guest
Jake Doran, who G.Chappell claimed was ready for 1st class cricket, has under 90 runs from 6 innings for Australia U19s this year.
vincemabika
Guest
With all due respect, this is the future of australia and they should be putting teams like afghanistan to the sword, they are the same age group are they not and with the better infrastructure in australia there should be no excuse, remember there was a loss to zim in the warm ups as well