Australia struggled in the UAE against Pakistan but I would not say they battled. A battle tends to have two sides and is hard fought.
It is difficult to say that this two Test series was a hard fought battle. There is no way to sugar coat it – this simply was a one-sided series.
So, what went on? Let’s touch on a couple of things.
Playing spin
Australians tend to have a generally positive attitude to the way we approach spin. We look to dominate – and by we I mean batsmen, not me personally, I was a block artist – and if it’s in the arc, hit it out of the park.
I agree with this mindset. It tends to get batsmen into better positions to play the ball in attack or defence because of a ‘look to score’ mentality.
The issue I believe is in contact points when defending the ball. Put simply, when defending there is no middle ground – you either play right back or right forward. These decisive movements can potentially increase scoring options by increasing angles at point of contact.
The modern batsman has to contend with technology, namely DRS. This point should not be underestimated. Umpires are not afraid to give players out LBW – especially when the batsman is well forward.
Batsmen need to be looking to hit the ball as opposed to thrusting their pad down the pitch as a first line of defence. However, it does bring up the issue of technique differences between players from different parts of the world.
Australians look to play with bat and pad close together at point of impact whereas sub-continental players tend to get their head and hands out there to intercept the spin with the good length and fuller delivery, or let the ball finish spinning by playing right back to good length and shorter balls.
Conditions and the type of spinner will dictate whether a sub-continent batsman will play forward or back to a good length ball.
Getting into the best possible positions by either minimising the spin or allowing the ball to finish spinning is the best way to play – especially on these low, slow pitches.
Batting in general
The mindset of playing in different conditions. I am all for backing ability and trusting technique – these are important. The questions I would ask an Australian batsman would be ‘What does backing your ability and trusting your technique specifically mean to you?’
I would also ask, ‘As someone watching from the dressing room, what exactly would I see to allow me to believe that you are doing these things?’
If a batsman can answer these questions I believe he has a very good understanding of himself and his game.
I hear commentators talk about a batsman finding the right balance between attack and defence.
What they are really saying is the batsman needs to adapt to the situation. What does this mean? It is simply being able to implement your game plan yet have the flexibility to alter this depending on a situation that may arise, whether this be defensive or attacking adaptation.
It can be a tough thing to do however having that game awareness to acknowledge these moments allows the batsman the best opportunity to make a clear decision and adapt to the environment he finds himself in.
Australians can not only survive, but thrive in sub-continent conditions, I have seen it over the years. Think Matthew Hayden 2001 against India.
It was a simple plan. He either used his feet or swept, diligently prepared for the challenge and was very clear as to what he was doing, safe in the knowledge he had the backing of his teammates and coaches.
Clarity of thought is the key.
Bowling on the sub-continent can be brutal. It is a fantastic challenge and rewarding when you perform well as a bowling group for the team.
The three rules of bowling on the sub-continent are discipline, discipline, discipline. There is no other way to put it. You need to be ruthless with this.
For seamers, hit the track hard and look to hit off stump with the occasional high bouncer. Variations can include wobble-seam, cutters and cross seam to see if there is any movement off the pitch without compromising that disciplined line and length.
Using the width of the crease as well to create different release point angles is an important skill to possess.
For spinners it is simply spinning the ball hard and make sure you have the correct fields – by that I mean in and outfields.
A balance of attacking, wicket taking fielding positions and defensive fielding positions, which incidentally can be fielding positions that create wicket opportunities.
The more patient you are, the more opportunities that present themselves. We saw that this series to an extent. The issue was that Australia missed eleven chances in the field – some very tough yes, but some also very catchable too.
There is no compromise – Australia need to field better, particularly in the catching department.
While the tour was overall disappointing for Australia, I believe there needs to be an element of calm shown – especially by the players and support staff. The key is to learn from this experience.
I only hope that we are not discussing the same issues after Australia’s next Test series in the sub-continent.
Joel
Roar Rookie
I think Mitchell Marsh did a good enough job with the bat to justify his selection at 6, bearing in mind they were his first two games and he performed better than most in the conditions. Which other all rounders are you referring to? Are you classing Steve Smith as an all rounder? He bowled some overs, but then back in the day so did Ricky Ponting. Not sure it's fair to class Smith as an all rounder in this team when he is obviously a top class batsman.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Thanks for taking the time to engage! Your response does make sense - theoretically. It's just that I disagree with the blanket statement that "Australians ... look to dominate spinners". To my eyes the evidence would suggest that while they might LIKE to dominate, they don't have the skills to do so. They seem paralyzed with indecision, not knowing when or how to use their feet to either go forward or back. A halfway competent bowler will spot this very quickly and be able to take advantage with the inevitable result. I know they're only T20 games, but the first two AUSvSAF games illustrated this perfectly. In the first game the SAF bowlers maintained really effective lengths against batsmen who wouldn't use their feet. Result - a very sub par score. Contras tingly in the second game, they just about completely lost their length control and allowed the AUS batsmen to stand and slog from the crease. Result - crushing victory to Australia. Going back to the Test environment, the seeming inability of many of the batsmen to play spin even remotely competently worries me. Particularly in that they have a coach who was a decent player of spin himself. Why has he not been able to develop their skills in this area? Either he's actually not all that good as a coach, or the batsmen simply don't have the skills in them, regardless of how good the coaching is. Either way, it doesn't bode well for any success against teams with good spinners.
Shouts Chen
Guest
I've seen a lot of crap from Nathan Lyon for his woeful bowling. He has the worst bowling economy in the two tests.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Sorry, what I mean Joel is that allrounders have taken the spot of the 6th batsman and incredibly the 5th and 6th batsman in this last test. 6 asiatic losses in a row.
Jason Gillespie
Guest
You may well be right- play the ball, not the man or the conditions
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Correct
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Spot on:)
Jason Gillespie
Guest
I don't believe that statement is rubbish. Australians in general do look to dominate spinners. It is how they go about this individually. Some like to use their feet to get down the wicket to create scoring options, others like to sweep. In my opinion the players that tend to not come down the wicket are the players that look to score by way of width. eg. Cutting or pulling when it's short, driving when over pitched and slog sweep when it's outside the line of off stump (especially on low, slow decks to take out the bowled and lbw options.) These players can appear to not be 'looking to score' however by and large they are- it is simply that their game plan may limit them- it becomes a challenge for these type of players to create opportunities to score when spinners bowl stump to stump, hence my point about being able to adapt to situations. Thanks for your comments-I hope my response makes sense!
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
O'Keefe has nailed it - skills are lacking in the players and the coaches aren't rectifying the skill deficiency.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Tend to agree with simoc. Hayden was very good. But I dont think I'd put him as one of the all-time great openers.
Jon Collyns
Guest
This amongst other reasons is why Dizzy is held in such high regard here in England. And why it's sadly (for us) only a matter of time before he is something very senior in Australian Cricket.
Shortfineleg
Guest
Hayden is widely acknowledged as a great. You can disagree, but you'd get arguments all over the world from test players, commentators and fans alike. You're very much in the minority. If you have Gilchrist there, you have to have Hayden.
Shortfineleg
Guest
I really like the idea of the drill of batting without pads. Forces one to use the bat, watch the ball intently onto the bat, and to play late and with care.
Simoc
Guest
Great that you can spell. But Hayden was great in India for a series and a damn good bat. Never ever close to being a great. With Langar they were an excellent opening partnership but greatness is for great players in the Tendulkar, Ponting , Richards B & V style, Gilchrist. Hayden isn't close.
Shortfineleg
Guest
Of course Hayden is a great. He is widely acclaimed across the world as such. And Maxwell should not be put in the same sentence as him. It is 'argument', by the way.
Simoc
Guest
Hardly matth. Hayden wasn't an all time great and Maxwell hasn't even got going yet but is paid over a $1m pa to play IPL for 6 weeks which Hayden never was. Maybe you reckon you're smarter than the Indians. Silly arguement to because Haddin is a wicketkeeper, and Doolan, Rogers are relatively newcomers to the test scene. It took Hayden a second coming to establish himself.
Dog's Breakfast
Guest
A lot of excellent insights. Building on your points about batting in the sub-continent, there was a lot of talk about missing straight balls... Do you think the batsmen got caught out playing the conditions rather than the balls they were actually bowled?
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Matth: 1. Please...:) 2. That's the wishful thinking bit. I think that's a myth that's been perpetuated by the odd exception to the rule (Clarke when isn't hampered by his back, Smith being a couple of examples). 3. Kind of arguing against Gillespie there really. Maxwell seems perfectly suited to T20, but doesn't have skills for a Test cricket. 4. Against good, intelligent bowling I would disagree with this. You might be able to get lucky for a short period of time, but all the great batsmen (that I can think of - happy to reconsider if you have examples of great batsmen who didn't use their feet?) were very light on their feet.
Johnnyball
Guest
Who are the Australian cricket team these days? Where are the stars, the exciting games, the personalities. I'm lost for interest not to be clever but more confused, what's to look forward to besides 20/20 bash and poor behaviour. Mitchell turned me off last year with his churlish behaviour and Clarke lurches here there and everywhere with his bad back. Everything appears half baked to me
Maggie
Guest
Very interesting comments by Steve O'Keefe re his learnings about both bowling and playing spin in the UAE in the attached article. Particularly the differences in the way Babar bowled compared to the technique young Australian spinners are taught, and the use of the sweep shot by the Pakistani batsmen. http://www.cricket.com.au/news/steve-okeefe-pinpoints-australias-subcontinent-spin-problems/2014-11-07