To say that we’re here again is something that is true. To say that I’m again unsurprised is also true.
T20 is not a format that the Australian hierarchy care about, or has really ever cared about. We win ODI World Cups for fun; even in a bad season, we’ll make finals.
We’re in contention for being the hardest nation to tour even when we’re at our lowest ebb, and you’re going to struggle to find a person who feels completely secure if we’re coming to visit.
We’re giant beaters, even when we’re not proper giants ourselves.
So, again, I feel myself compelled to give Bangladesh due respect, respect which has not been shown to them by both the Australian public and by Cricket Australia. Neither care about the performances of the Bangladeshi team; if they did, they’d be more willing to concede defeat.
We clearly do not care about this series. If we did, we would have gone there with a completely different squad, with a different attitude.
We would not be fielding sides that cannot play spin, in a nation that historically speaking has produced better spinners than they have pace bowlers.
We would not be failing to chase 131, and we would not be posting 121 to defend.
I suppose my question is this: who here, once seeing the squad we’re sending and the degree to which Australia as a whole seemingly do not care about this tour or respect the result – we aren’t even televising this – is really taking this seriously?
Finchy was one of the Aussie punters taking to Twitter to look for a stream of the first T20 against Bangladesh (Photo by Andy Kearns/Getty Images)
Is it the pundits, whose desire to get people to click is inhibiting their ability to discern a foregone conclusion?
Is it the fans who do not care outside World Cups or Test matches, and even in the latter case only when they’re at home?
Is it Cricket Australia, who are treating Bangladesh as if they were a poor unfavoured cousin?
Sure, they’re every chance to beat us; they’re two games up in a five-game series, but who’s truly saying we gave this our best shot?
Why on Earth are we ignoring the biting questions here?
The following are the points of criticism that should be addressed:
• Why are Cricket Australia virtually ignoring any tours that are not against India or England?
• Why are Australian techniques to combat spin so basic that Bangladesh and the West Indies can expose them the very second we remove our top bats?
• What was the point of this tour and the tour of the West Indies?
• Who are the people in development at Cricket Australia, and why is any squad assembled from the best of the Big Bash League so far from able to compete internationally?
That the argument isn’t going in this direction suggests that the media is both lazy and – frankly – a little lacking in actual analysis.
Why are we so entitled to victory in this country? Why are we so unable to accept the fact that sometimes an opponent is simply better, based on the squad selected and the conditions at hand?
It’s preventing us from being capable in India, England, and recently Sri Lanka and Pakistan (or the UAE).
It’s prevented us from realising just how poor we’ve been to spin for the last 15 years. It’s prevented us from giving the West Indies their due, and it’s preventing us from giving the Bangladesh team appropriate credit.
Only when you acknowledge your own short comings can you seek to improve. We are the fool who believes that they are perfect, and thus locked into stagnancy.
This needs to change.
Dominic Marsh
Roar Rookie
Players have always relied on some form of advice. Whilst coaches as we now know them may not have always been in existence, players had personal coaches, and or relied on advice from fellow players. Players also take responsibility - through selection. They get dropped. However, Langer’s job is to ‘coach’ the Australian Cricket Team. Unless your eyes are painted on, it’s pretty obvious that the team has been going in reverse at a rapid rate of knots. That means his position must be under scrutiny. Otherwise, why not just have a lucky dip for the next coach as you don’t seem to think it matters. It’s pretty simple, my friend.
Ace
Roar Rookie
And the new coach is.... More the fragility of the team
jose
Roar Rookie
They missed a big chance to win series, thanks to Paine fielding first in last test and also the botched review in Headingley test.
jose
Roar Rookie
Langer should go, period
Clear as mud
Guest
Langer out!
Great article what I can no
Guest
Great article I think that the selectors go picking teams sometimes with a that will do attitude. We could of picked Inglis as a batsman he has a strike rate of 150 in the big bash and an average of 33. Most if not all the players in the squad average under 30 and strike at 130 or less. I figure that the selectors don't see this because they could not be bothered to look. If no one cares about the series why do research into the team. Just pick players that are available and have played before hoping that with a few more games they will prove good.
Paul
Roar Guru
Really? So the players have zero responsibility for fixing what ails them? Prior to coaches becoming part of the cricket scene in dressing rooms, when a player had an issue with their technique, how did they fix it? Your ability to blame others when the players have a significant amount of responsibility themselves is exactly what's wrong with Australian cricket - my friend.
Dominic Marsh
Roar Rookie
I think you’ll find that player preparation is exactly the job of the coaches my friend. Let’s actually look at what Langer has achieved: •lost two series at home to India (something that had not happened before he took over) •lost our first match at the GABBA in over 20 years •lost our first series of any kind v West Indies in 25 years •lost our first series ever, of any kind, be Bangladesh The guy has achieved absolutely nothing. They managed to draw a series in England in spite of him and it is clear to anyone whose eyes aren’t painted on that the players don’t like him. So let’s actually stop perpetuating the myth and let’s actually start asking CA for some accountability.
Dominic Marsh
Roar Rookie
Interesting sentiments however I’m afraid I disagree. You seem to be blaming these results on public apathy? I’m not sure in which circles you’re moving however as a passionate cricket lover, many of my friends share the same passion and we are absolutely appalled by these results. One thing I do agree with you on is the complete lack of respect shown by Cricket Australia - not only towards our opposition but also towards the cricket loving public. The fans are the ones who drive the game. It is that simple. Yet, we are fed garbage time and time again. How is it that Justin Langer can remain in his position? It has surely become untenable. He has achieved absolutely nothing in his time at the helm and yet we are fed cliched rhetoric and are expected to swallow it. He has in recent past lost twice to India at home (something that has never happened until he took over), lost our first match at the GABBA in 20 odd years, lost our first series of any kind to the West Indies in 25 years, lost our first ever series to Bangladesh. The side has disintegrated terribly under his watch and it is clear to anyone whose eyes aren’t painted on that the players do not like him. Don’t even get me started on the shambolic handling of sandpapergate. Anyone who believes that was an isolated incident clearly doesn’t understand the game. Cricket Australia though were quick to complete a smoke and mirrors investigation, hang three players out to dry and swiftly move on. The issue my friend isn’t a lack of care from the cricketing public but rather sheer frustration at the way Cricket Australia operates - with complete autonomy and utter irreverence towards those who drive the game - the fans.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Probably the 40's
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Gee is it really two years since we played an overseas test series? I wonder when the last time was that it was so long?
HR
Roar Rookie
Stokes is looking iffy too. And that's before we even consider that there may be wholesale withdrawals by English players if they can't have their families touring with them.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
My teams' performances did not improve at the bar. We seemed to have an unspoken philosophy that as bad as we were on the field, we were high quality drinkers and that what truly mattered.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I can't imagine why any cricket person would be shocked by us losing. Last tour, our preferred version of the sport resulted in a drawn series. We do not regularly win T20 internationals and struggle against spin in the sub continent. I would be surprised if we win two games.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Something far more interesting than t20: Joffra Archer is out of the Ashes.
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
Slightly off topic: the weather in Dhaka is not great since thu evening. So the 3rd game might be affected by the weather.
Paul
Roar Guru
exactly. I still can't work out why I wasn't snapped up by an NRL Club or got to wear the baggy green. For sure my recollections of the games where I starred, means I should have cracked the ton for both. :happy:
Tony
Roar Guru
It's funny you know. I now can't remember ever playing a bad game
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure why you say it’s about entitlement- the makeup of the squad is a result of a number of well known factors mainly related to the impact of Covid at the moment. And I’m sure the players and CA saw it as a good chance to try out players and get match practice in the lead up to the World Cup. This is the first time in my memory that West Indies spinners have caused any problems. I’m not sure which other batsmen were more likely to do better against spin. All teams tend to do poorly overseas in the last decade (except SA in Australia!) thanks to lack of warmup games. But Aus did do a lot better in England last time as you’ll recall.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
This is a little puzzling when the article is about giving respect to opponents but i feel lack of respect in it. Answer of the first question - Australia actually toured every major country in recent years. New Zealand, England,India, South Africa, West Indies. Answer of the second question -We were all out scoring ninety in world cup game against New Zealand here in India with our top batters. West Indies is defending shortest format champion. Bangladesh is under-nineteen world champion. In their national team they have world's only top ranked in all format all rounder. I feel the lack of respect here. Why those two countries are singled out? Should Australia do better against these two countries than they should against the rest of the countries? Answer to third question - I have no idea. I have no idea why we went to Sri Lanka on eve of playing a test series in England. Answer to fourth question - I believe people know deep down. No matter how hard we try, Cricket is no soccer. Even in soccer ,players have to perform in national level to be judged at different domestic leagues. I do not believe cricket is in any position to do it in reverse. The quality is not there. It is not only for Big Bash, but true for all shortest format league. For how many years we have been playing IPL? How many shortest format world cup we have won? But we lost to Sri Lanka with our IPL heroes.