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Opinion
Australia has ruthlessly exposed New Zealand’s conservative tactics in the Boxing Day Test to move within one win of a summer clean sweep.
While the gap between the two nations – at least of these shores – is now apparent, the two significant margins in Perth and Melbourne reflect poorly on a Black Caps side that promised so much and have delivered so little. Kane Williamson reverted to damage limitation time and time again at the MCG when proactive captaincy was desperately required.
Williamson, by any measure, has had a superb 2019. In particular, his performance and leadership throughout the World Cup has drawn worthy praise, before again leading his side to Test series victory over England at home. Without doubt, he has been one of the world’s most influential cricketers in the last 12 months.
But by the same token, he has had a truly forgettable series in Australia. More obviously, his contributions with the bat have been minimal, returning just 57 runs in four innings. Yesterday’s dismissal to James Pattinson was unlucky, given out lbw on a ball within a hair’s width of sliding down leg side. But Thursday evening’s dismissal – again to the fired-up Victorian – was needless and wholly uncharacteristic.
The lean returns with the bat, however, aren’t the starkest aspect of his performance. Williamson is not the first, and certainly won’t be the last captain to be found out with bat in hand on these shores.
What is more worrying, and more worthy of place under the microscope, is the mostly controllable aspect of his performance. That is, the bowling changes, field placements and overall tactical approach he sets as captain.
On the morning of day two, with Australia starting the day well positioned at 4/257, Williamson would have known that without quick wickets, the Test match would be pulled further and further from their grasp and with it, any hope of series victory. He also knew that an Australian total of 400-plus, batting well into day two, forced them into a position where a draw was their only hope.
Kane Williamson. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Yet Williamson persisted with a defensive bumper barrage that reaped little results. They took just 1/79 before lunch, via a strategy that showed little signs of producing the successive wickets they so desperately required.
After Travis Head and Tim Paine put on 150, the Test match, and by extension their hopes of winning in Australia for the first time in 34 years, was over. Not once did Williamson shift tactics to exploit Head’s tendency to slash outside off stump. Rather, he directed his bowlers to stay short, waiting for a mistake.
New Zealand greats Richard Hadlee and Brendon McCullum were both highly critical of the approach. Hadlee described the distinct contrasts in the two side’s approaches on ABC radio: “the difference is, they (Australia) are bowling to get the opposition out”. He also said the allowing Australia to leave as much as they did was “wasted energy” on the fast bowling group.
McCullum was more critical, describing Williamson’s tactics as ‘staggering’, in particular the decision to bowl wicketkeeper batsman Tom Blundell after lunch on day two.
“To me, it was a submissive move. I just don’t understand it. They just rolled over.” Williamson executed tactical plans with such precision during this year’s World Cup, but his conservative approach in Australia has left his side thoroughly exposed.
For the tourists, Neil Wagner and Tom Blundell leave Melbourne with their reputations enhanced. But it’s difficult to suggest a third should join them.
Mitchell Santner has come in for pointed criticism in recent days, but the spotlight could also easily be turned on the likes of Colin de Grandhomme who showed little fight with the bat at the MCG.
This is a Black Caps side who have been humbled in a series many, myself included, felt they would be right up to their necks in.
Of course, an ever-improving Australia outfit deserve considerable the credit for four ruthless Test displays in the last six weeks.
The unyielding consistency of Tim Paine’s bowling unit has become a hallmark of this summer, while it is a mark of Australia’s improvement with the bat that their dominance during this period has come without a significant input from Steve Smith.
This is a settled Australian side, perhaps the most settled in years. It is also one whose recent performances at Test level leaves little doubt that, rankings aside, it is now the world’s second-best side behind India.