Paine is on the way for Australian cricket

They say a fish rots from the head, and that’s exactly why Steve Smith and David Warner had to be suspended for lengthy periods. Their actions were symptomatic of an arrogant culture that thinks it’s above the laws of decency.

We’ve tolerated and even overlooked the behaviour and indiscretions of our cricket leaders because of their freakish talents. In fact statistics show that Smith and Warner have scored 35 per cent of Australia’s runs over the last few years between them.

Opposition teams leave their biggest celebrations for their prized wickets. Even in the most recent Ashes series the victorious Aussies were saved time and time again by the batting heroics of Smith and Warner.

That’s exactly why Australian cricket fans are in for a tough time. The batting line-up is brittle without the Smith-Warner spine. It will show very little resistance against the world’s best bowlers.

You have to feel sorry for Tim Paine, who has been handed this poison chalice thanks to the ball-tampering scandal. This period in Australia’s history is reminiscent of Alan Border’s rise to reluctant captain in 1985, when Kim Hughes broke down in a press conference and relinquished his captaincy after a number of heavy losses.

(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Alan Border went on to become a legend of the game with his stubborn refusal to give his wicket away while all others fell around him. How will Australia’s 46th captain be remembered?

It seems he’s only been back playing first grade for a few months, so it’s a meteoric rise. He’s clearly determined to right the wrongs of the past and build a new team culture, which is promising.

To start with, he showed strong leadership by reminding everyone that cricket is a gentleman’s game, organising the Aussie team to shake hands with the South Africans before the start of the fourth Test. This gesture was accepted by the hosts, who feel a little uncomfortable about the rough treatment handed down to captain Smith. Maybe this is because they’ve been known to cheat in the same way, although their captain used his zipper instead of bright yellow and highly visible sandpaper.

As for Tim Paine, his batting won’t save Australia, and he has to deal with a shattered team who seem to be playing like they can’t wait for the current tour to end. Will the new opening partnership of Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns stand up for him?

Will Usman Khawaja actually score some runs? Will the Marsh brothers prove that their Ashes form wasn’t a one-off? Will the tired and bitter Australian bowlers be able to bowl teams out for scores as low as ours? It’s unlikely, but time will tell.