Watching Marcus Harris, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, and Travis Head sacrifice their wickets against India at Perth yesterday was like watching the Wallabies constantly butcher rugby basics of pass, catch, support, retain possession and tackle.
Blessed with a 43-run first innings lead, all the Australians had to do was stick to batting basics to play every ball on its merits.
Not one of the four did what was required.
Harris shouldered arms and lost his off stump, bowled for the first time in his last 36 first class digs – what poor timing to let his defences down.
Marsh hooked a bouncer when he should have let the ball pass through to the keeper, to be caught by the keeper instead.
Handscomb has the same defensive flaw as Aaron Finch, falling away to his right, leaving his head outside the line of flight and susceptible to be trapped in front – that’s exactly what happened.
Head made exactly the same mistake yesterday as he did in the first dig, back-cutting to be caught at third man. Doing it once deserved a reprimand, do it in successive digs is inexcusable.
He trudged off dragging his bat, with head bowed, knowing what he did was dumb, dumb, dumb. If Australia lose this Test Head will be a prime candidate for most responsible.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Usman Khawaja wasn’t too flash either, back-cutting after Head’s dismissal that flew past Ajinka Rahane at slip.
Had Virat Kohli been there, Khawaja would be in the shed with 24 against his name instead of starting the fourth day on 41 not out with his skipper Tim Paine on eight.
These two, plus the injured-fingered Finch who had to retire hurt at tea yesterday, plus the bowlers must put at least 80 more on the board to lead by 255 on a drop-in track that is a bit two-faced with the cracks widening every day.
There is one major factor in the Australian’s favour with Test cricket having a habit of repeating itself.
India’s two champion run-getters – Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara – are not nearly as successful in their second digs of a Test.
Kohli has scored 4482 at 62.25 in his first digs with 20 tons and eight half-centuries, but only 2009 at 42.74 in his second innings with just five tons, and 11 half-centuries.
Pujara has made 3567 runs at 58.47 in his first innings with 14 tons, and 11 half-centuries, but only 1556 at 37.95 in his second innings with two tons, and nine half-centuries.
Both Kohli and Pujara are well aware of those shortcomings, but it’s comforting for Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and the wicket-taking Nathan Lyon to also know both Indian batsmen are vulnerable.
But it won’t matter if the Australians collapse today to let India bounce away to a 2-nil series lead.
Then the suicidal batsmen of yesterday can start biting their fingernails.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
That comes down to experience the way he got out twice in adelaide. I'd be surprised if it happens again
Maxwell Charlesworth
Roar Rookie
Blaming the leading run scorer for Australia this series who still managed more runs than Marsh and Handscomb for what you thought would be test loss. Even after scoring 58 in the first innings, the second highest Australian score that innings. Give him a break. Yes it was a silly shot, but he scores a large amount of runs in that region, its the same and someone who scores mostly in the V nicking off twice in the match. He is an attacking batsmen but by no means in a T20 mindset. For example his 72 off 175 balls to help save that UAE test, or, simply look to last test match where he scored another 72 off 167 balls (with only 4 boundaries). How he chose to combat the tricky pitch was to go the attacking route.
Gus O
Roar Rookie
Whoa! Watching India’s first innings it looks like a pitch where batters need to score from balls with enough width, but not try to overhit the ball unless deliberately playing up an under to clear the infield; and otherwise to play forward through the line with the full face to rotate strike. The successful Indian batters provided these lessons. You cannot simply bat time and play defence on such a pitch. Head played a cut and top edged it - it was poor execution in attempting to overhit the ball rather than shot selection that brought him undone. I think the author is overstating the issue. Harris has been a beauty, and this new opening partnership looks better with every opportunity. Huge resonsibility rests on the two openers. The weakest link is Hanscomb, and the options appear to be: Burns, Maxwell, Renshaw or Mitch Marsh. Maybe someday we will find out why Maxwell is so unwelcome. But right now we are half way through the series, Handscomb has failed and the selectors should pick whichever replacement has the best current form. No need to panic, the team looks like a determined team.
Mitcher
Guest
‘Dooder’?
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Well Doug Aussie’s are leading by a lot more thrn 202 runs
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#DingoGray Well - in some respects he has had - 14 tests - Jamie Siddons never got 1. Stewart Law or Martin Love would've dreamed of that many tests. And - he'll likely get another go. And it could we be in Melbourne (I'd welcome Finch dropping down, Burns open and Handscomb go back to find a technique).
JamesH
Roar Guru
As I said above, Chris: I don't think that was his intention at all. He was looking through backward point and the ball got big on him. It was absolutely a top edge, not an uppercut. Contrast it with the uppercuts Kohli and Rahane played in their innings.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Chris, I went back and looked at the second innings dismissal and it was definitely a top edge. It went nowhere near where he was planning for it to go. The first innings dismissal was definitely a 'lean back and launch it' shot but the second one was intended to go through backward point. I'm happy to say it still wasn't a great choice of shot, given the field setting and the difficulty involved in playing cross-bat strokes with the variable bounce. Then again, that sort of delivery is normally meat and drink to Head and his ability to put it away is partly what got him into the test side in the first place. Tough for an inexperienced test player to shelve one of their strengths when they normally play it on instinct.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
While absolutely crazy getting out exactly the same way in the same Test and the timing of the second, I've still been quite impressed with Travis Head. I'll be honest in that I thought we was going to be one of these one's not cut out for Test Cricket, but he's surprised me with his temperament (mostly other than a couple of errant cut shots). He's shown he doesn't just have one gear. He can adjust to the situation. He's been far more impressive then Mssers Marsh & Handscomb. The Sad truth for Handscomb is that he's just not going to be successful at this level. He's got to go. As for Marsh, I just don't understand why we continue to beat a dead horse! I just wish Joe Burns would get a run at the Test team like Marsh has had? Crazy.
Hugh Jarse
Roar Rookie
You, sir, have a strange definition of what a back cut is. Also, may I lay some of the batting blame on one G. Hick? How did he get a guernsey as batting coach when he could barely muster a test score in Australia? And, what does a batting coach even do?
Battler
Roar Rookie
Marsh looked worse than me if I was at the crease yesterday. His shot was a desperate one.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Don't get me wrong, they were pretty ordinary pull shots, but they stuffed up shots that if played right likely would have gone for runs. Head's shots didn't go in the air to the fieldsman because he got a top edge, but because he played an uppercut. He deliberately hit the ball into the air down to third man, despite the fact that there was a fieldsman there. That's the issue there. So yes, poorly executed pull shots off balls that weren't really there for the pull isn't good, but hitting an aerial shot straight to an outfielder is just extra dumb, and repeating the dose almost exactly in the second innings, that's extra bad! But no, can't lay the whole blame for Australia getting less runs than they should at Travis Head when a number of other players have got out playing poor shots.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Actually, Finch was cleared of serious injury and I suspect will bat today unless Paine and Khawaja do so well that they feel comfortable with the lead they have without Finch needing to bat.
Dan Ced
Roar Rookie
I think Shaun Marsh's and Tim Paine's ill fated pull shots were arguably worse, at least the ball Head went after was wide.
Dan Ced
Roar Rookie
Don't think Weatherald is ready for long form. I'd test him in ODI/T20 teams first. Burns to cover Finch, Ferguson/Patterson if they don't want an allrounder replacing Handscomb.
Dan Ced
Roar Rookie
He's looked very good, more composed than most would've guessed.. apart from his bloodlust for that megaslash outside off! Lefty fever.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
I'll just say this, throwing your wicket away and being impatient is as much as anything a consequence of the times. This a test, not T20.
Extra Short Leg
Guest
It defies belief that a test quality player would play a shot like he did, with the field the Indians had set for him, while taking into account the precarious state of the game. At the very least, he should have been blasted by the coach. At worst, Head should be sent back to Shield cricket to learn to place a higher value on the Baggy Green.
doug heffernan
Guest
Tall Paul, we are 5 down dooder! read the script dooder finch aint batting today, he is in hospital. kohli behaivng like a buffoon on the field. why no action from umpire?
Paul
Roar Guru
"If Australia lose this Test Head will be a prime candidate for most responsible." So you've decided that, of the 14 Australian wickets to have fallen, his was the worst and his overall performance in the Test caused an Australian loss? This sort of comment is why people have such little regard for journalists.