Australia’s recent practice of resting key players for overseas ODI series has seen them lose seven consecutive matches away from home. How will this affect their confidence for the upcoming Champions Trophy in England?
New Zealand yesterday completed a 2-0 series win over Australia on the back of a remarkable performance by gun quick Trent Boult, who snared 6-33.
That series loss for Australia comes on the back of their historic 5-0 whitewash defeat in South Africa in October. Both of those series saw Australia field line-ups which were nowhere near full strength and the opposition duly capitalised.
In the just-completed series against New Zealand, Australia were missing five members of their top seven – superstars David Warner and Steve Smith, opener Usman Khawaja, all-rounder Mitch Marsh and in-form keeper-batsman Matt Wade.
Against South Africa, Australia chose an utterly bizarre bowling attack, which I described in the lead up to that series as their worst ODI pace battery I had ever seen.
Not surprisingly, Australia lost both series as their makeshift line-ups struggled. But that does not excuse a run of seven consecutive losses on the road. Prior to this form slump, Australia had been better on the road than any other ODI team.
Australia had a fantastic 18-12 win-loss record in their previous 30 ODIs away from home.
Among that haul was a 4-1 series win in Sri Lanka, a 3-0 victory over Pakistan in the UAE, a 3-2 series triumph in England, and a tri-series victory over South Africa and the West Indies in the Caribbean.
But these past successes on the road have been largely overshadowed by Australia’s recent failures. The resting of Warner and Khawaja against New Zealand made sense given there was little riding on this ODI series and that pair were being offered a chance to prepare for the upcoming Test tour of India.
But when Smith, Wade and Marsh then all went down injured it left Australia vulnerable.
New Zealand would have sensed this and, apart from late in Australia’s innings in the first ODI, the Kiwis bowled very well. When Australia found themselves in sticky situations with the bat there was no Smith or Warner to haul them out of the mud.
In their absence no Australian batsman stood up and played a match-winning knock. It was left to all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to lead their recoveries in both games. The rookie showed tremendous composure with the bat and has pressed his case for a spot in Australia’s XI for the Champions Trophy in June.
Australia have won that tournament two of the past three times but the trophy is currently held by India. The upcoming Champions Trophy looks wide open, with Australia and India among five sides who appear to be in the mix, along with South Africa, New Zealand and England.
Australia have the world’s best ODI attack, as I wrote recently.
And their first-choice batting line-up is strong thanks to the extraordinary dominance of Warner and Smith.
What the series in New Zealand showed, however, is that the batting has grown too reliant on that pair. Since the form of Aaron Finch and George Bailey faded, Australia have not had any batsmen making consistent runs outside of Warner and Smith.
Fortunately, Travis Head is showing signs he can become a quality ODI batsman, having made 474 runs at an average of 53 this summer. Head’s consistency has been fantastic – in ten innings this summer only once has he been dismissed for less than 29.
Khawaja, meanwhile, has enormous potential as an ODI batsman and should be offered a proper run in the line-up. He has an astonishing domestic 50-over record – 1866 runs at an average of 53 – and has become a fine Test number three.
Smith, Warner, Khawaja and Head undoubtedly have the ability to provide Australia with a consistent foundation in ODIs. That would leave their dynamic all-rounders Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner to play with freedom, pushing Australia to the giant totals needed to win consistently in modern-day ODIs.
Australia have to quickly rediscover the balance in their batting line-up which has helped them win four of the past five World Cups and two of the past three Champions Trophies.
Although their recent form overseas has been horrendous, they should feel at home during the Champions Trophy in England, where ODI decks in the past two years have been firm and high-scoring, similar to Australian pitches.
Australia remain the favourites with the bookies to win that tournament. Losing to New Zealand was not exactly great preparation, however, as Australia do not have another ODI series before the Champions Trophy.
They will need to erase the memories of their seven consecutive losses on the road if they are to win that tournament.
qwetzen
Guest
It'd be far more appropriate if you changed your moniker to Monica.
qwetzen
Guest
Paul D, Ahh yes. 2015. That was the season CA moved the whole MMC to outer Sydney. Get back to me when it's a level playing field.
davSA
Guest
Another really good example was Quinton De Kock. The India test series really dented his confidence (and stats) . He was sent back to domestic leagues to try and regain form prior to the Aussie ODI series , so on his return he gets presented with a huge bonus of a very poor and disorganised Aussie attack. Net result was lots of runs and confidence regained courtesy of the opposition. He took that same form into the test series and was a major factor in the series win.
Nudge
Guest
Yep my mistake. Neville into the other team for Wade, and Carters in for NSW
davSA
Guest
One must remember that scheduling is not independent of long term selection planning. A holistic thinking approach to scheduling , selection , rotation , resting ,introducing youngsters and also allowing for the unexpected ie. injuries , loss of form etc. It requires thought and sensible planning but is not rocket science. Common sense is the primary quality required. I just sense a lack of this in Australia's set up right now. You have great cricketers as well as the worlds best feeder league.. Don't blame them.
The Bush
Roar Guru
We lost a final in '96... so we're not perfect...
The Bush
Roar Guru
Crowe was a class above any Aussie batsman circa '85 to early '90s? Never heard of a bloke called Border? Now that was someone a "class" above... Crowe was alright. About as good as Dean Jones (played at the same time). So that'd put him somewhere in the top 30 or 40 odd batsman to ever play for Australia...
matth
Guest
Go away. As I'm sure you know even without a huge player base you can still have a very good elite squad, it would just be the depth past the top 20 or so that falls away. If you don't understand this, maybe you could consider the Fijian Sevens Rugby team.
matth
Guest
Agreed. Bailey or White should have gone over. And let's face it, we were already weak with the NSP apparently deciding Peter Handscomb can play ODI cricket, without any evidence whatsoever to back that theory.
matth
Guest
Amen to that. And he is expected to perform consistently while scoring at a rate well above anyone else. All while knowing that Lehman, Wade (who gave him his hated nickname), etc are not behind him.
matth
Guest
Are you doing state of origin? Because Khawaja plays for QLD these days.
KING
Guest
mate you cant' double up on your NSW types- Nevill is originally Victorian but now plays there, Khawaja is now a bull. one or the other please annoyed Victorian
Rob
Guest
How true.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Steady on Zozza ... (a) this is an Australian site ... most articles/responses are written from that perspective, and (b) I would be more than happy to stand by these comments involving many touring sides in recent times in similar circumstances, whether they be Australia or not. The comments centering on Australia are merely reflective of this particular example and the theme of this original article. You are clearly a devoted NZ cricket fan. I would have thought therefore that you would want to see the Chappell-Hadlee trophy, no doubt amongst others relevant to NZ cricket, always played by the best possible players in the best possible circumstances. This most recent instalment has had neither and more shame on all involved as a result. This trophy deserves better than the shoddy treatment it is receiving at present. And point (c) ... maybe leave the name calling for other forums, there are plenty out there to suit your requirements.
Jacko
Guest
Nudge...Read the story.....Its about ODIs and speciffically the Aus ODI team...Not tests...
Jacko
Guest
No Nudge I was talking about the ODIs. Which is what this article is about. When there is an article about tests I will comment about tests...
Peebo
Guest
Mate, I need a brick wall demolished. Was gonna use a mallet, but reckon you'd do a better job with your fists. BTW, this a compliment. Love the passion.
Zozza
Guest
Hutchorman - they typical patronising Aussie cricket "fan". Mate - the cricket world does not revolve Australia, and the rest of the world doesn't need to "cow-tow" to the whims of what chumps such as yourself feel what series Australia should or shouldn't be playing at any one time. This home and away CHAPPELL-HADLEE series - the block letters are to remind of the reverence both those family names should bring to both countries - had been organised by both boards over a year ago. And remember it was NZ that that took the risk and accepted the first ever Day-Night Test last year, so our board said: "OK James Sutherland, we will give your pink ball Test match experiment a go - but in return we want more contact between both nations in the coming years". Hence = both boards agreed to bring back the Chappell-Hadlee series on a home and away basis. Actually next year due to the Ashes NZ agreed to forgo the Aussie C/H series in Australia, and just have the series at home. So, your boys will be back in NZ again around the same time next year. You got a problem with that? If you have - get stuffed. Now, mate - I think you can crawl back into your self-absorbed Aussie billabong, and rise to the surface again when you have something meaningful to add about the relationship between NZ and AUS cricket nations.
Zozza
Guest
And then NZ won the return series at home, followed a few years later by winning the solitary test at home v Aussie in 1990 I think. In mid 1980s to early 1990's NZ easily accounted for Australia in test matches. And why wouldn't they have with Richard Hadlee (the best bowler that ever lived) and Martin Crowe, a class above anything Australia had at the time. Things turned around for Aussie under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh - I am not going to deny that.
Zozza
Guest
True we lost those test matches in India, but were competitive in parts of them. Unlike Aussie whom got ABSOLUTELY THUMPED LIKE A BAD JOKE 3-ZIP IN SRI LANKA.