After Australia were thumped by five wickets in the first ODI of the summer, with 304 not nearly enough at the MCG against a superb England batting outfit, Steve Smith flagged post-match that Australia needed to have a serious re-think about its approach to one-day cricket.
Anyone that’s watched even just a reasonable amount of one-day cricket since Australia’s emphatic 2015 World Cup win at home will know that pretty much all the major cricketing nations have adapted their game since then, and moved on from what was thought to be leading-edge at the time. All except Australia, that is.
Indeed, England brought Trevor Bayliss in as one-day coach with the express task of revamping their limited overs game. History and stats sites tell us that the revamp has gone rather well, with England playing some incredible one-day cricket and winning pretty much everything since.
So after Australia looked on track to make 350 or more in the first game, but didn’t, and England chased down 304 with no real pressure and in complete control, it was genuinely encouraging to hear Smith recognise that the writing was on the wall for Australia’s ageing approach to batting for 50 overs.
“England’s got to be up there as one of the best teams in the world in one-day cricket at the moment,” Smith said after the Melbourne loss. “It just looks like the way they play is for everyone to go really hard and Joe Root is sort of the rock in the middle. He just plays good cricket and guys bat around him.”
“That works for them and it’s something that we might have to think about as well. Having guys that are going really hard and having someone, it might be me, who just bats normally and then you see how you go.”
The method isn’t without risk, as Smith acknowledged, but he could also see at close quarters why it was working so well for Eoin Morgan’s side.
“I guess when you do that, perhaps you’re going to have days where you get bowled out for not many. But you back your players to come off maybe more often than not and get those big totals. That’s what the English players are doing at the moment. They’re playing with such freedom and have pretty good game plans.”
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
When Australia lost the second game as well, after they looked on track to make 330 or more at the ‘Gabba, but didn’t, and England chased down 270 with no real pressure and in complete control, I conceded that this kind of change couldn’t happen overnight.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, etc, etc. The revolution will not be televised (because it will happen in the nets, presumably); that kind of thing.
But when Australia lost the third game as well, after they looked on track to chase down England’s 302 at the SCG, but didn’t, I did start wondering just when we might see evidence of learning these lessons.
Curiously, national selection panel chairman Trevor Hohns hopped aboard Smith’s way-late change-of-approach train, declaring after the Sydney loss, “We are reviewing how we’re actually playing the game and type of player that’s required in the one-day format.
“We haven’t played well in this series, we don’t seem to have been able to put it all together on the one day, there has been something lacking. We’ve got a bit of work to do there,” he told CricInfo.
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“With the World Cup in 2019, there is a lot of one-day cricket to be played between now and then. So, we will be trying very soon to get together the main nucleus of our squad, so they can play together for some time. We are reviewing the personnel and also the way we’re playing the game.”
Hohns specifically flagged the need for more power-hitting, the very high likelihood of Smith staying at no.4 – which Smith himself said in Sydney will happen for the rest of this current series – and for “specific and specialist one-day bowlers”. This included re-opening the door for the coloured-gear recall of Nathan Lyon, who as an aside, finished his BBL campaign on Tuesday night with seven wickets at 13.4 and economy rate under six runs an over.
It’s good the door will be reopened, but it should never have been closed in the first place.
It will be interesting to see when these now-flagged changes, as obviously late as they’ve come, will finally arrive. My suspicion is not until the short ODI tour of England in June.
Certainly, they right top order mix needs to be found, and evidently, built around Smith at no.4. I’m not sure Cameron White is the power-hitting answer through to the next World Cup at first drop, however, and I’m quite sure it’s not Travis Head either. Is it David Warner or Aaron Finch? Is it seriously Chris Lynn? I wonder.
If power-hitting allrounders is going to be the approach in the middle order, I’m not sure it can be both Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, more because of their bowling similarities. And yes, Stoinis has far more variety to his bowling than Marsh does, but when they come on after Starc-Hazlewood-Cummins, they are just another two right-arm seamers. It feels like there’s too much ‘sameness’ about this Australian attack. And we all know there’s another power-hitting allrounder out there that doesn’t bowl right-arm seam-up.
Tim Paine’s doing a great job currently, but I’m not sure how long a future he has in the coloured gear, not since Alex Carey did the job for a day and looked immediately comfortable.
Lyon seams an obvious inclusion, but Australia will need a line of quality one-day spinners. This 40-year-old thinking that four seamers and a spinner is all you need in a one-day game is crazy. Australia has to get used to the idea that some days you might need more than one spinning option.
Some days you might only want one quick. The need for power-hitting in ODIs literally means you don’t need power quicks to put it in their hitting zone at just the perfect speed.
(AFP / Jekesai Nijikizana)
If there’s an upside to this current one-day showing, it’s that least the penny has dropped now and not this time next summer, or worse, the one after that.
“Just playing smarter cricket and executing our skills a lot better is a good place to start,” Smith said in Sydney.
The same applies to selections, too, and maybe – just maybe – we will soon see some evidence of that.
Clear Release
Guest
knowing cricket is more than counting Finch's selfish batting cost us the first two games
ozinsa
Guest
Rather Uzi to deliver that slog/accumulate option. His technique is sound and he knows how to go hard
PeteB
Guest
Finch averaging 92 at a strike rate of 96 Marsh 47 at 80 Smith 29 at 79 Warner 15 at 82. The only bat doing their job other than Finch atm is Stoinis with 40 at 135. You need to look a little deeper mate. Not sure you know much about cricket !!
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Please stop destroying our language. Get your own. Ah. You have.
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Guest
Khawaja has played only handful of ODI games. So to compare strike rates doesn't tell the whole story Manyof his ODI's to date were before his 2016 BBL form, which was a turning point for him has been at times undeniably world class. IMHO the season he won the thing for the Thunder he was the best in the world at that time. He has the potential to win tournaments on his own. His strike rate will only get better if given the chance.
Clear Release
Guest
at face value yes. But delve a bit deeper as I have in a comment above. Its curtains for Finch.
Clear Release
Guest
Based on the big bash Khawajah is a much better option than Finch in terms of aggression and potential match winning innings, yes. If you recall a couple of years back he was in phenomenal form, single handedly winning the championship for Thunder ie i doubt there was a better batsman in short form cricket at that time. He looked back to that form in recent weeks. i think thats what people are talking about. He has the potential to become a world class match winner. Finch on the other hand does not look like a match winner. He scored successive hundreds, but neither were splendid and crucially nor did they set up a victory on either occasion. IMHO he batted for the 3 figure personal milestone and should've accelerated each innings much earlier. To be fair Finch showed glimpses of making a more significant match winning innings in the 3rd game. His 60 odd was a better innings, because he batted for the team and at-least attempted to accelerate and take the pressure of the middle to lower order to come. He got out but the intent was much better. That innings, much more than his previous two may have saved his ODI career. The reality is Finch has not done his reputation any favour with the manner he scored his two hundreds, and now that he's injured it may be curtains for him. The selectors will bellowing for an excuse to drop him for others more in the English top 3 mould. Thats reality. Cricket is more complex than whom ever scores the most runs is the better player. It can be the manner in which you get them and the significance of the inning sin terms of match winning. Khawaja could be an almighty ODI match winner for Australia. Finch is only ever going to be a contributor. Not a real match winner.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Brett , You are right. Cricket Australia is two years behind the rest of the world. Khawaja and Smith should be the accumulators. Lyon and one other spinner. A mix of our test pacemen, Carey as best option for now and the future. Dedicated coach and selectors otherwise the one day team will be perennially in the shadows as a distant second priority.
PeteB
Guest
What’s the fascination with Khawaja ?? His ODI strike rate is 82. Well below Finch’s strike rate.
PeteB
Guest
Any proposal to drop Finch after the last 3 games is simply insane !!!
Internal Fixation
Guest
G’day Brett and all, I agree with those talks about preparation. Not much done for this series and it shows. England shows batting deep is important. Also using spin to contain is vital. The following line up will help us defend the cup using those principles. Warner Finch Khawaja Smith Mitchell Marsh Maxwell Carey Cummins/Stoinis pending conditions Starc Lyon Hazlewood/Agar pending conditions Here we have an opening pair that can go hard or accumulate. Head is unfortunately a liability against spin - love the man and player in Oz conditions T20 but he needs time against spin and will benefit from more IPL. Lynn can’t field. Should only play T20. We have spin options and agar can really bat On a dustbowl Maxwell, Lyon and Agar can play - not that relevant for next CWC. Seaming England wicket - Id actually back our quicks. If all flat pitches - Hazlewood out and Stoinis in - bat 10 deep!
Mike Dugg
Guest
My side would be Finch Warner Khawaja Maxwell Smith M Marsh Carey Agar Cummins Starc Hazlewood
jamesb
Guest
I think one of the reasons why England bat so freely is because they have someone like Chris Woakes who bats at eight with an ODI average of 28, and has 9 first class centuries. Woakes makes England's batting line up that much deeper. In some ways, England may have copied Australia's template from the 2015 world cup with James Faulkner. Isn't it a coincidence that Faulkner's form over the last few years mirrors that of Australia's.
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I think the series loss to England could prove a blessing in disguise and force our selectors and coach/captain to change tact, starting with selecting power hitters at opener, first drop, and at 6 and 7. With our bets batsman at 4, and a n unconventional player at 5. (The England blue-print). lets not forget Cummins and Starc can also hold the bat better than most other bowling options. something like this would be better than the status quo.... 1. Short 2. Lynn 3. Khawajah 4. Smith 5. Maxwell 6. Stoinis 7. Carey 8. Cummins 9. Starc 10. Lyon 11. Hazlewood Warner 12th man
Linphoma
Guest
There is wisdom in your words CR. I would love to see the Fab Four strutting their stuff in ODIs but will this selection panel make the necessary changes to the batting order, Nos 1 to 7?
Clear Release
Guest
If we pick the correct batting lineup we don't have to over think who we pick as our best 4 bowlers. Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon are by far our best 4 bowling options in all 3 formats. It doesn't matter what the pitch is, they are still our best options. The batting lineup choice and the tactics we are asking of the existing top order is our problem.
Linphoma
Guest
By all means, if the Ashes Fab Four are to be the anointed ODI Four then spice up the pitches! See Buttler playing those funky drives when the ball is heading for his teeth! I do not subscribe to the idea of limited overs cricket entertainment being runs, runs and as an afterthought, more runs. Ian Brayshaw's devoted a whole volume to a particular one day game between QLD and WA: I watched it live as a kid and it was some of the most captivating, compelling cricket I have ever witnessed in a limited over format. The 50 over format is proving moribund: cricket authorities do something about it. Spice it up. Fielding restrictions, new balls from both ends -nah, just prepare a deck like a Test. And also, play 2 or 3 ODIs in a row on consecutive days. Make these cricketers earn their keep. MLB baseballers regularly play high-tempo series on consecutive days. They have 162-game regular season. And fly around a continent between engagements. Why are we subjected to a match on Sunday and then the next one the following Friday? Short answer is the product is NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN AS A DAILY ENTERTAINMENT OR COMPETITION.
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The idea that we have to pick one owner to play through and one hitter is the problem. They both need to be teeing off once there eyes are in. As england have shown, they've actually gone for their first drop to join in on that fun. Thats their top 3 all their to tee off. if it comes off they have Root nd Morgan to solidify, and if it doesn't they have Root and Morgan to rebuild. Then they trump it all with the fantastic Butler to up the anti at the end. Its brilliant. Thats why they are breaking records.
Clear Release
Guest
+1
Clear Release
Guest
A good article. I think we are guilty of yet again arrogantly paying no real attention to the opposition's capabilities. In the past 18-24 months this England ODI side has scored 350+ no less than 8 times. This side has 8 out of England's top 10 highest ever totals. Including the world record highest ever ODi score 444. They've set the standard. They can chase anything and if they have to, set huge targets that will take some beating. For some reason we've moved away from where we once were constantly choosing sides capable of massive scoring. Think 2003-2007. I think Starc's momentous heroics at the 2015 world cup, masked the fact that we have slowly transformed back into an old fashioned approach to ODI's. For some reason we've stifled our openers tactics and think that 5 or 6 an over is enough. That was once the case. The good news is that we clearly have the stock to match England and others, we just have to fix our selection and pick a top three to score at 7 or 8 an over. Theres a whole buch of big bashers to choose from. take your pick. Then Smith comes in at 4 to solidify it all, and follow this with some unconventional hitters like Maxwell and Stoinis. Then stick with our best 4 bowlers, pretty obvious who they are, they just won us the ashes, and we're as good a chance of any to win the next world cup.