Ask any effective leader, whether it be in sport or otherwise, what the most significant characteristic of a successful team is, and chances are the response will be to have a clear sense of purpose and intent.
Over the course of history there are examples of highly successful teams that all share a ruthlessness to win. Whether it’s the New Zealand All Blacks in recent years or the New York Yankees of the late 1920s, these teams etched themselves in history by having a crystal clear purpose – to win.
In Ancient Greece winning was so important that a Greek Goddess was dedicated to this notion.
Nike, the Goddess of Victory carried a wreath, always ready to crown a victor in battle or games of challenge. She is often seen with a shield upon which it was said that she inscribed the name of each victor of a battle.
The relevance of this to modern sport is that since ancient times, mankind has equated success and triumph with being regarded as number one in some pursuit whether it be a sport or other aspect of life.
As an outsider watching the current Australian cricket team, I don’t see clear purpose and intent, and they are certainly far from being number one. I’m sure they want to win, but is that their true purpose?
If we are to believe their most recent internal review and renewed commitment to the Australian public it would appear not.
I see phrases like elite honesty and words such as fairness, but the word ‘winning’ seems to have taken a back seat. To watch the current team, is to observe a team that looks lost, confused, and unsure where the new line of competitiveness lies for them. They appear to have lost their intent.
Aaron Finch and his disappointed Aussies (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
After the first one day match in Perth and ultimately crushing defeat, the above view appeared to be substantiated.
After the second match in Adelaide we were given a sense of hope with a spirited win thanks to a special individual bowling and fielding performance from Marcus Stoinis, but overall the win was unconvincing.
In the third match in Hobart, the Aussies were well placed to instil their own crushing defeat as they had the South African batting line up in trouble early, three for 55 after 15 overs.
At this crucial point in the game a Mitchell Starc rocket ball strikes Faf du Plessis on the arm. The South African captain was clearly rattled.
With a clear intent and purpose, Starc would have relished this moment. The Mitchell Starc of old would have stared the batsman down and given some stern words of advice – intimidating him not just physically but mentally.
Instead, Starc chose not to engage immediately walking back to his marker. At the end of his over Starc is hit for four and walks back to his fielding position presumably swearing in frustration as he covers his mouth with his hat, I assume, so as not to display any unsociable behaviour.
This is one of many examples where, when given the opportunity to be ruthless, the current Australian team hasn’t taken it.
What followed was the highest partnership ever in an ODI against Australia. The Australian team of old wouldn’t have allowed this, just as the Starc of old wouldn’t have.
A team whose clear intent and purpose is to win would seize these key moments. And therein lies the problem for the current team as it adjusts and develops under a new regime. It is unsure of its purpose and intent, of how to behave, and ultimately unsure of how to win.
The team should be given time to establish a new winning brand under its new leadership. With the World Cup only seven months away I hope this happens quickly, and maybe then they will be graced by the Greek Goddess Nike, and inscribed on her shield of Victory.
Ray Romano
Roar Rookie
https://apple.news/AQ5PkgKtYSOWYyxOz40fHPQ Interesting perspective from the South African Captain...
Elice Max
Roar Rookie
nice article
OpHead
Roar Rookie
Some good comments there, but you forgot one thing Matt, we did win against them in game 2. Largely in part to Stoinis, who for that day, was showing all the hallmarks of what Ray was talking about.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I thought it was an honourable loss. we lost in no small part due to poor fielding and no amount of sweary intent can make up for that.
Matt
Guest
Don’t be so literal and try and have some insight. This team would lose to South Africa no matter what, it is the way that you lose that matters. The loss can be honourable or, as Ray has clearly articulated as is the case with this particular Australian team, dishonourable when you lack intent and purpose. Starc can swear all he wants, we will still lose to South Africa. But at least he would show some fight and intimidation factor.
Jessie Kelly
Roar Rookie
What an insightful article. Thanks Ray. I might start to pay a bit more attention to the bore that the Aussie cricket team have been of late. Looking forward to your next article.
Kandeepan Arul
Roar Rookie
Once you slot warner and smith in place of Lynn and Head the batting looks well balanced. The main concern from the last game was the death bowling. 130 runs from the last 10 us just not acceptable. Too many full tosses and half volleys, hardly any well disguised variations in terms of speed.
Bobbo7
Guest
They need a player like George Bailey or Callum Ferguson who can bat time. Too many 1 in 10 game batsmen to have any sort of consistency. On their day this team will make 380+ but too often these all or nothing batsman will fall in a heap. You look at decent ODI sides like India, England, SA, NZ - they have Kolhi, Williamson, Root, Taylor etc who will hang around with the more aggressive players
Kandeepan Arul
Roar Rookie
The fact that two of the top 6 batsmen will have to make way for Smith and Warner in a few months time means that these games appear more like selection trials than a team desperate to win. The one positive out of the Smith/Warner suspension is that it has given the selectors a good look at a number of fringe players at the international level. If we can find a good death bowler to partner Starc and put Smith and Warner back to the side I think Australia will perform better in the world cup than most people expect.
Paul
Roar Guru
So according to Ray, Australia has lost it's ability to win games in less than 8 months? After all, it was January when we completed a 4-nil hiding of England? That makes exactly ZERO sense. What Ray has failed to talk about at all is what constitutes a "team". The examples he uses for great teams, are for sides who had very little change in personnel and those players who came in, who came in could easily be nurtured by the more experienced players. We saw exactly the same thing happen with the Australian cricket sides in the 20 years from 1989. These guys are elite sportsmen who have been "winners" all their sporting lives. They have NOT lost the ability or will to win, but have yet to form a team. It's down to two simple factors to remedy this situation; pick a squad of guys in form who are suited to a particular style pf cricket and stick with them. Once the team(s) starts to gel, and it will, wins will come for sure
SteveD
Guest
On the basis of last night's game, I would take Ngidi over both Starc and Cummins. Ngidi's bowling at the death was awesome. For a young bloke, he played it perfectly. Starc and Cummins however....
Truthseeker
Guest
Wasn't Ray Barone the sports writer... rookie error.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Finch for Hendricks, Maxwell for Klaasen, Stoinis for Pretorius and Starc/Cummins for Ngidi. I think a 7-4 split between the respective sides' personnel is about right. Maybe also S Marsh for Markram purely on current output, but Markram will be an absolute gun.
Cobra
Roar Rookie
I agree with a settled team for a decent period of time. This does mean results may be against us, but my question is how will they be judged? For their "elite honesty"? To Ray's point, difficult to decipher "how to behave, how to win".
Ozibatla
Guest
This point is valid. To elaborate further, we are ultimately picking players either on perceived potential or their statistics from domestic cricket. Therein lies the problem: If our various forms of domestic cricket arent of a high enough standard as many experts and fans alike are suggesting, then how can we expect these domestic players to make the step up without some failure first? What we are witnessing is an era where cricketers are just not as good as past players. It is what it is!
OrangeBiscuits
Roar Rookie
It's a good point. You still need the cattle on the park. Ultimately skill with a mix of the right attitude, determination or killer extinct will win you games. The will to win only gets you so far.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
The Aussie team is stacked with batsmen from the big bash , they aren’t up to international standards This is my opinion, but the results seem to verify this lately
Kangas
Roar Rookie
I think many people over rate the Aussie team and expect we will win South Africa imo are clearly better , not many current Aussie would make the s a team , who would you swap ?
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
I agree with Ray too. The Aussies are trying to work out how to win without being mongrels; to be aggressive without being inappropriately aggressive. It's a tough needle to thread. Hopefully, for the sake of the upcoming summer, they find the appropriate balance pronto. That said, I think Friday night's win was a triumph. And I was pleased to see the batsman fight last night. Until Marsh got out, they had me believing!
OrangeBiscuits
Roar Rookie
Ray raises some interesting points but I believe the true problem is every man playing for his spot/reputation, worrying about getting picked for the next game rather than playing for the team and to their own strengths. We need to see a team with little or no changes for an extended amount of time. This will build unity, trust in each other and ultimately trust in their own ability. The results will then speak for themselves.