Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald has fired back at former state teammate Darren Berry, rejecting his “far-fetched” claim that Pat Cummins should stand down as Test captain.
Berry was among Australia’s harshest critics during the drawn fourth Ashes Test, launching a tirade of tweets about Cummins on day three.
Included in them were claims Cummins should resign as captain after the Ashes, due to short-ball tactics Berry labelled as both maddening and unwatchable.
Berry has history with several of the Australians, including McDonald, who he captained at Victoria and later coached at South Australia.
McDonald has been a staunch supporter of Cummins’ captaincy, and made a clear point to stand by his skipper.
“I was across those comments from Darren. They were most interesting,” McDonald said ahead of Thursday’s fifth Ashes Test at The Oval. “What I would say is leadership takes on all different shapes and forms.
“And if we’re living and dying in the world of tactics only, then I think it’s fair and reasonable to critique some of the execution and tactics that we implemented.
“But to go as far as suggesting that the captain resign post-series I think is a bit far fetched. There are opinions that we respect and opinions that we don’t.”
McDonald has not spoken to his former teammate and coach over the comments, and appears unlikely to do so. Cummins endured the worst Test of his career at Old Trafford, going for 1-129 with the ball as England’s all-out attack took hold.
The 30-year-old has since insisted the captaincy did not have an impact on his performance, adamant he is fine with the workload on the field.
Under Cummins Australia has won 11 Tests and lost four, winning the World Test Championship and retaining the Ashes along the way.
Australia, however, do know tactics need to change for Thursday’s final Test at The Oval if they are to secure their first series victory in England in 22 years with a win or draw.
They went short and straight to Zak Crawley too often in his blistering 189 from 181 balls in Manchester, while numerous chances created outside off stump to the opener did not go to hand.
McDonald conceded his side’s plans had unravelled with the ball, but was insistent Australia had been the better team in the first four Tests and would not go to The Oval without answers.
“We’ll revisit those plans and the way that we go about it and the personnel that we pick to execute those plans,” McDonald said. “It was a disappointing three days or so. We’re not going to shy away from that. We own it.
“The way that Zak came out and put pressure on us, you’ve got to give some credit to the opposition as well.
“But this team’s played some great cricket over the last eight months. So to judge us on three days would be very harsh.”
Australia would be prepared to play Mitch Marsh as a specialist batter and pick only four bowlers for The Oval, if the in-form allrounder pulls up lame from Old Trafford.
Marsh lingers as one of Australia’s two big fitness concerns for Thursday’s fifth Test, with the other being Mitchell Starc’s left shoulder after he was injured in Manchester.
Medical staff are confident that Starc will be fine to play at The Oval, after overcoming damage to his AC joint and continuing bowling the following day last week.
Marsh’s fitness could have more significant ramifications, however, as Australia eye off their first outright Ashes series victory in England in 22 years with a win or draw.
One Test after playing both Marsh and fellow allrounder Cameron Green in Manchester, it’s likely selectors will have to pick between the pair if they bring in Todd Murphy at The Oval.
Mitchell Marsh celebrates with Travis Head after reaching his century at Leeds. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Australia are yet to see the pitch for the final Test of the series, but the south London ground is renowned as one of the more spin-friendly venues in England.
If a selection squeeze is in place between Marsh and Green, the former has made a near-irresistible case to be the front-runner.
After he scored 118 while filling in for Green at Headingley, Australia may not have retained the Ashes with a draw at Old Trafford if not for Marsh’s unbeaten 31 on day four.
In contrast, Green has not had the series he would have liked, averaging 20.6 with the bat and taking four wickets at 47 with the ball. The only issue for Australia could be Marsh’s ability to bowl.
Medical staff will keep a close eye on him in the lead up to Thursday, after he spent time off the field on day three with stiffness in Manchester and did not bowl after that. If the issues continued, it could potentially leave Australia without a fourth seamer if Marsh was picked ahead of Green.
Despite that, McDonald said it would not necessarily prove an obstacle for Marsh. “He’s a little bit sore, hence why he was off the field. So I’m not going to hide that,” McDonald said.
“Does it impact his position in the team? I think the team has played three quicks and one spinner, if we go that way, numerous times in the past.
“We have had the luxury of allrounders, or in particular Cameron Green, that’s changed the shape of the team over time. But I mean, runs are premium first and foremost.”
Australia’s young prodigy as an allrounder a few months ago, Green now faces the possibility of time spent as Marsh’s understudy.
The 24-year-old’s dip in form comes during a six-month period where he has spent two nights in his own bed, with a Test series in India and the IPL. “People probably draw some conclusions that that’s affected the way he’s gone about things here,” McDonald said.
“But it’s a little bit like Steve Smith, I think he’s in a good space. He’s working hard on his game. A lot of our batters are working on the right things and the way they go about it and runs are just around the corner.”
Zak Crawley celebrates reaching his century. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
England believe a 2-2 Ashes scoreline would be the fairest result for the series, adamant the final Test at The Oval is no dead rubber.
Australia enter the finale with almost everything still to strive for, up 2-1 but driven by the desire to win their first Ashes series in England in 22 years.
England, in contrast, cannot walk away with Ashes urn and are instead attempting to save face with a second straight drawn series at home. But the hosts do not see it that way.
Players are insistent they have matched it with Australia through the whole series, following three thrilling Tests at Edgbaston, Lord’s and Headingley.
The hosts also outplayed Australia at Old Trafford before rain forced a draw, re-enforcing England’s belief they deserve to finish level on the scoreboard.
“I think 2-2 would be fair,” opener Zak Crawley said. “They had the better of us at Lord’s, Edgbaston could have gone either way, we probably deserved this one (at Old Trafford) and Headingley could have gone either way.
“We’re disappointed. We wanted to win, we were in a good position to win, and two days of rain cost us. But that’s how it is.
“We’re massively up for (The Oval). Any game, you want to win.
“It felt like we were getting on top of them for sure and if we’d won this game it would have been very interesting to see.”
England named an unchanged 14-man squad for the fifth Test, with bowling allrounder Chris Woakes under an injury cloud after pulling up sore from Old Trafford.
James Anderson’s spot is also under a cloud following an underwhelming series, with questions over how much longer the 41-year-old will continue.
That has put quicks Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson both back in the frame, after Tongue impressed at Lord’s and Robinson recovered from back spasms at Headingley.
Crawley’s spot is in no such doubt, with the English opener now the leading run-scorer in the series with 385 at an average of 55 following his lightning-fast 189 at Old Trafford.
The 25-year-old believes Australia’s attack suits his game, a point emphasised by the fact his captain Ben Stokes claimed on Sunday that Crawley made Australia look a second XI side at times.
“Fast bowling suits my game and the Australian attack is a quick attack. I think a bit less when they’re faster,” Crawley said.
© AAP
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