Throughout the recently completed ODI series, Australia kept finding ways to shoot themselves in the foot. Even in the fourth match, chasing 197, the home side floundered before the cool-headed Tim Paine took them home.
Below are the reasons Australia lost the series.
1. Warner and Smith
David Warner averaged 14 heading into the fifth match but looked early as if he would put the disappointment of series behind him. Instead, he fell to the man of the match, Tom Curran.
Steve Smith, who averages 28 in his last ten ODIs, perished yet again to spin, this time to Moeen Ali for 12. He is trying to do the role Joe Root does for England, but it’s not working.
With Aaron Finch injured, the two senior members’ failures cost Australia the series.
2. The number three and four conundrum
Smith batted at number three for the first two matches and then dropped down the order with a view to anchoring the innings, but failed miserably.
The skipper’s form is a shadow of his Ashes batting, and the experiment of having a part-timer like Travis Head at four hasn’t worked – although, with Head firing in the fourth ODI as an opener, he could be tried at first drop.
Cameron White could have anchored the innings, but he was asked to bat at No.3 against moving ball, where his technical deficiencies were exposed. Chris Lynn, who was in squad earlier to bat at No.4, isn’t a great player of spin either. In fact, in the 2017 IPL, Lynn batted on top to protect him from taking risks against spinners later in the innings.
In short, the number three and four spots are still up for grabs.
3. England’s fearless approach
It sounds pretty odd to say Australia the reigning World Champions approach to ODI cricket seems bit school, unlike England who are taking o the bowlers from the word go. Even though Australia had England for 8-5 in fourth ODI but still Moeen Ali, Eoin Morgan.Tom Curran and Chris Woakes took on the bowler .In fact, Morgan after the loss even went on to say, he wouldn’t cut down on aggressive approach even after the defeat and would prefer 40-2 after ten overs instead of 20-0.
4.Conservative captaincy
In the fourth ODI, Smith brought on part-time spinner Head before 15 overs were bowled – even though frontline tweaker Adam Zampa was still in the squad.
The result was Moeen Ali, who had just come to the crease, hit two boundaries by the end of 20th over, seeing Australia with four men near the boundary rope, when they should have been trying to get England out.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood still had overs up their sleeves, so fast bowlers should have been breathing fire from both ends.
These fielding tactics leave a lot to be desired.
5. Ashes hangover
Regaining the Ashes must have taken a lot out of the team, and a break of just a day or two before starting the shorter format series isn’t ideal.
But coming on the back of lacklustre ODI performances in 2017, the home side should have been motivated to roll over England – it would have been a strong message to other teams the Aussies aren’t to be written off – however, that was clearly not the case
Australia’s ODI woes need to be addressed before the World Cup to be held in England next year.
That said, the performances of Andrew Tye, Marcus Stoinis and Jhye Richardson were all positive, Aaron Finch continued to impress, while Tim Paine would have learnt a lot about batting with the tail.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
Warner had great 2017 where he scored 11 hundreds in a year he took his ODI batting to another level. One bad series doesn’t define him class. Warner needs to be backed But Smith needs to define his role & not drop player on basis of one or two series.
cos1
Guest
In breaking news, Smith has just come out and said that the English game plan is flawed and the Australian game plan - our 'own' gameplan (read - the Smith doctrine) is the way for us moving forward. The plan has been fine all along, its just that the 'execution' hasn't been good. Needless to say, someone in CA needs to grow a pair and learn to speak frankly to our captain. Because the alternative could well be that we will be fighting it out with the Netherlands in the 2023 qualifiers.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
Yes to the point.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
Pablo I agree with your point.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
Hey paul Warner and Smith batting to their current averages means them getting through English bowlers spell which they couldn't that's what's international cricket is all about.You are judged on how you play presently.Travis Head as part timer yes else why was he called before Zampa in fourth Australian Don't need to mess with openers till WC 2019.Right handed Finch n lefty Warner is best way forward.Head can be tried at no.3 but that's it.Australia need a specialist like Bailey at no.4.In fourth ODI ,when you are 7 down chasing 196 isn't that tough ask.English bowling did put them under pressure.
Les Mara
Guest
It is time to treat ODI cricket as a separate entity entirely, to the Test team. It is now time to drop Warner for Travis Head, and Finch to captain the team ahead of Smith.
AREH
Roar Guru
Yep and for mine the approach and mindset of the two sides could not have been more different in this ODI series. You had a much improved England team with a completely transformed outlook on one-day cricket, with an attacking frame of mind with the bat. Whereas Australia were far more conservative, and needing to bat with caution far too often as a result of losing early wickets often. England played a much more positive brand of cricket, probably due to their increased level of confidence in their own ability to win OD matches.
J Wedlake
Guest
Great. We have dropped 2 rankings to world number 5 now. Thanks Captain Smith. In 2015 we won the World Cup under Captain Clarke and now we are in shambles. Stop blaming the middle-order Smith. Look at your opening batsmen, BOTH openers, not just one, must put runs on the board before the middle-order can capitalise on it.
J Wedlake
Guest
Lose Smith as ODI and T20 captain. He’s juggling too many balls in the air. He’s trying to prove to the world he can do it all, at the detriment of the ODI and T20 teams. Being ranked number 1 batsman doesn’t make you a better captain in all formats. Give Finch back his captaincy mate. If Smith and Warner had done their job by making more runs, we wouldn’t have lost this series. Be honest Smith, it was the bowlers who made you look good. Warner has nothing except statistics to back him up. His highest score this series is 35! Can he explain himself? How can someone with his stats score less than 35 runs in each match? Yet his position in the team is not scrutinised. He just keeps getting selected as if he’s a permanent fixture, immovable and indispensable. The other 9 players meanwhile gets shunted up and down the order or are accused of bad training methods and not getting selected. What fires me up is come the IPL, we will see the same Warner suddenly making tons of runs. This happened last year when we played in India, he was a big disappointment with runs then a few months later in the IPL, in the same wicket, he flourishes. What gives man? You know what? The supporters spend time, money and energy to go watch the matches. We buy the CA merchandise, buy the series tickets, pay for the rides to get there and back, suffer the indignity of drinking half strength alcohol, suffer the humiliation of the Barmy Army chantings for this kind of performance? Losing 4-1 in our own backyard? In all aspects of life we have to be responsible and held accountable. Perhaps the Captain of the Australian Cricket Team should learn some humility and say sorry to us for letting us down.
Mario Lia
Guest
Steve Smith Bats like they did in one day cricket about 20 years ago. He puts to much pressure on the batsman that come in behind him because the run rate always slows down when he is batting. He is also a very poor tactical captain, as he far to defensive and his body language is always poor when things are not going his way in the field. Currently he should be dropped from the captaincy in the short forms of the game and also he should be dropped from the one day team until he can adjust his game to suit the one day game. As for David Warner he has even been worse than Smith with the Bat in this recent series against England. Warner would make a good Captain in the short forms but not on his current form, he also needs a rest like Smith. Aaron Finch should be the captain in the ODI's and the T 20's much like Morgan is for England. The other big failure for Australia has been Mitch Starc with the ball, as he has been going for about 8 runs an over at the start of Englands innings. He no longer should be an automatic selection either because he gives away far to many runs in the first 6 overs. The other
Pablo
Roar Rookie
Selection and captaincy beat us. Morgan far superior than the cranky Smith, when he failed negatively influenced the other batsmen, whereas Morgan just smiled, as if to say, "your turn to win it" to next batsmen in. Stoinis was probably our best after Finch and Tye, yet they would not make the test team.., but who cares it is a ODI team with no bearing on the test team or players! The Poms have got it right! That philosophy needs to be in place for ODI's. Pick the best ODI team, and captain, and it certainly is not Smith, who is way too conservative compared to Morgans leadership and motivation.
Paul
Guest
Your comments are sound, though points one and three are at opposition to each other. Many pundits are claiming England won the series through it's aggressive approach, but in reality Australia only needed Smith or Warner to bat to their current ODI averages and we would have won it easily. I'm a real Smith fan in terms of his captaincy but this series has again highlighted his limitations as a short form skipper. I think he could do worse than hand over the reins to Warner or whom ever and focus on his batting as Root has done for England. In point 2, you described Head as a "part timer". Part time what? He's a full time batsman who obviously does well at the top of the order. There's probably no conundrum at 3 & 4; I'd open with Finch & Head with Warner 3 and Smith 4. This didn't happen in this series due to injury. By the way, we must have been watching two different games if you think Australia "floundered" when they chased down Englands score in the 4th ODI with 13 overs to spare. At what point were they in serious difficulty?