6-1-2004: A watershed for Australian cricket?

Number one; are the tactics employed in this series a little to blame for the poor bowling figures of the medium-pacers? It appears as if perhaps too much analysis has gone into what makes McGrath such a great bowler- impecable line and length outside off stump. 7-2 fields were set for *all* bowlers accordingly, and supposedly they were told to bowl the same spells that made McGrath so effective. However, not all bowlers are as accurate as McGrath, and as a result straying from that line and length the bowlers were punished through the leg side and down the ground.
Sure, they should have bowled to the plan (and mostly did!), but was it expecting too much for them to continue once the plan obviously failed and simply ended up tiring the bowlers.

I am simply echoing everyone's opinion here, but the time that MacGill was an automatic in the side just because he is Australia's second-best spinner is gone. Time to try and blood someone new. And I don't mean throwing them into the deep end and bowl 40 overs on flat subcontinent wickets. They should be put in the team alongside Warne, and given as much warm-up time as possible. Hell, start them now by preparing a few wickets similar to those in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, bowled on so well by Kumble.
Give them some long spells on these pitches and watch their progress. Start coaching them on how to bowl on subcontinent wickets. Get as much advice from the Indian spinners as possible. I'm sure MacGill was taking tips from Kumble on how he exploited the Australian flat tracks so well. Not.

What to do about the lack of depth in medium-pacers? Should we give Williams a tour simply because he was seemingly dropped unfairly and didn't have a chance to not-impress in Sydney. I don't think it is as simple as that. This was an extremely tough series for the bowlers- Gillespie did well, but he is close to one of the best in the world at the moment, and he didn't really make a huge impact on the series. Therefore, to discard Bracken simply because he didn't perform on the same wickets is a little harsh. He did well in the One-day series in India (I know, hugely different scenario), but again with a little more preparation and a sensible plan on Indian wickets he could be effective. Ditto Williams.
Again, there are a few options in Shield cricket, but none really setting the world on fire. If we are serious about blooding some new bowlers, then they should be given a chance in the upcoming VB series.

I think the Australians were caught out with poor planning in this series; too simple a plan that didn't seem to change. The wrong plans for completely different types of bowlers.
Having said that, Lee has had enough chances now and probably needs a return to Shield cricket rather than automatic inclusion in the next test side. The problem is that he is one of the only experienced bowlers left (barring the return of McGrath and Warne). But the time for a change is now.

Warne will return and provide presence in the field and batting solidity, even before he takes his usual full series to get back into the bowling groove. MacGill is finished. Hauritz or White (pref Hauritz) will go to SL instead.

Hopefully the selectors won't be panicked into taking McGrath in the hope he gets fitter between the naming of the team and hopping in the plane. If he doesn't make it, Bichel has to come back (experience) and both Williams and Bracken will go unless one of the pack that includes Inness, Wright, Rofe and co does spectacularly well in the meantime. Lee, surely, is not in the race at all.

agree with most of the above comments...tho bracken has no penetration...kasper or bix should go to SL and maybe India...bung needs to rethink his career...magoo in essence retired in the 4th test..

agree also re our tactics...not helped by the fact that only dizzy and occasionally madbrad got some seam...very little ability to swing the ball...tho he eventually could not have played because of illness, Inness should have been opicked ahead of hacken as a proven wicket taker and mover of the ball

That is some pretty thoughtful analysis there Mr Earth-shaker.
I am not sure that I share your views on Martyn. He seems to have whole-heartedly adopted the Mark Wuagh attitude. Look graceful and then get yourself out. His inability to perform when needed has been raised before. In principle, I think that Australia are crying out for a guy who can bat for long periods - a la Dravid. Love might well be this man. In the long term I would have him at 3, Ponting at 4, Lehmann at 5 or the next two or so years with Clarke ready to takeover if needed. Katich has shown enough to stay at 6. Martyn does deserve first chance in Sri Lanka and India. Hopefully he can use Hayden as inspiration for a guy whou couldn't play spin and learnt how.
On Gilchrest, I think that his average at present flatters his ability. In the large scheme of things I think that an average of around 45 would reflect his batting ability. Somewhere around the Doug Walters mark.-not sure that made any sense. This would still be phenomenal for a guy keeping wickets. HIs average is falling a will continue to do so. HIs style is hit or miss and one cannot expect him to be the guy to dig Australia out of trouble - if he does so it is a bonus. He should be there to move Australia from a good position to a winning one.

On the bowling plan, you're right it didn't work. The inability to change it when the opposition are over 550 is the greatest worry. An inability to move to plan B has marked Waugh's captaincy.
This is a time of transition and it will take time to find the replacement for McGrath. It is a question of trying different guys and giving them a reasonable chance to prove themselves. I think we have seen the last of Bichel.

If Marto has trouble with the pressure of batting at 4, how the bloody blue blazes do you expect him to cope with batting at no. 3?
If he stays - and he has to be looked at very carefully given his indifferent performances this year - he should be dropped down the order, not moved up. His best performances have come batting at 6, so that's where he should be kept, if possible. His elevation was simply to cover the gap left by Lehmann's absence.

Katich has to be in - he is too good against spin not to make the tour, the same as with Lehmann, and it's an extra advantage that they are both lefties.

It's no good picking new/ish batsmen on the basis of form against pace - we need blokes like Katich and Lehmann who have proven they are comfortable with spin. No idea whee that leaves Love, though . . .

Generally good analysis, though, Poseidon - especially about the bowling and tactics. To repeat what I've said too many times already, the field placements were wrong for the bowling that was happening, the bowling too loose, and the plan itself poorly thought out and stuck to regardless of success or the lack of it.

McGrath sounds hopeful of being fit but he's not going to rush back and make things worse, so don't count on having him. Warne is a different matter, I'd have him in there provided he passes a stringent fitness test that involves bowling under match-like conditions for extended spells. And a 24/7 minder.

Bix probably still deserves consideration for his form on the sub-continent, and may get it with Punter at the helm. His batting will be a bonus.
Otherwise - get ready for the slide down to the new '80s. :-(

Hi Tails. Welcome back. You missed the latest Boof attack.

Which being there for Tugga's last innings can't hope to make up for.

What's Boof been up to? Or don't I want to know?

Thanks. Can't say I've missed the place, but it's good to be back in touch.

At least I can be sure the bugger's dead and buried now . . .

Boof? Wouldn't count on it....

He called me a Nazi in the middle with a blue with Lardbucket over SRW. The Nazi bit came after I posted blank a couple of times. (I still can't see the connection!) I pointed out the irony of being called a Nazi by someone whose hero is called Lehmann, then all hell broke loose.

Oh, you mean doctorwolfboofer. Just been reading that piece of arrogant insanity on Nath's.

And the "sure he's dead and buried" was for Steve. I figured shortie would want an eyewitness. ;-)

Maryto at three LOL. Then he can kill the innings off even earlier. Piss him off I say. I can't stand watching the guy bat.

regards,

REB

sack Marto, bring in Bevo!

it keeps the dubbers happy, he's a lefty and he can play spin, and chuck a few balls down, can field, and will be in the country for the one dayers (at some time or another)...oh and take that young whipper snipper along; Clarke.!

As for the bowlers Posy, I reckon one thing has been overlooked, the strength of India's top six. It's the best (visiting top six) I have seen since the Windies of Clive Lloyd's day. I think most attacks around the world would struggle to dismiss them on such good batting decks, particularly without bowlers of the calibre of Warne and McGrath.

I agree that Bracken should be taken to SL, but why did the Australian selectors continue to drop wicket taking bowlers? Bix bagged a couple in Adelaide and was then left out for Melbourne and Willow bagged a five for and was then left out in Sydney.

As for Lee, he needs to do a McDermott and put in the hard yards in the moo moo until he learns to pitch the ball up and actually do something with it. It was embarrassing to watch India's young bowler Pathan move the ball more than any of our attack. I also think Bracken would benefit immensley when actually instructed to take wickets rather just be a containment bowler...remember, McGrath can actually do both!

I don't think the Aussies should be panicking. They were outplayed by a team with plenty to prove when Australia were at their most vulnerable and still managed a 1-1 result. This series is probably a long overdue wake up call and perhaps a change in coach could bring about a fresh perspective, perhaps ol JB is beginning to like seeing his name in the papers too much.

Perhaps in future Cricket Australia/John Howard/The Powers that be will use our resources more effectively. Willow, Bracken, Bix and Lee would have been more than enough to trouble the winter minnows but we burnt McGrath and he was in the stands instead of making a stand when we really needed him.

regards,

REB

On MacGill, this is from z-score over at the ABC:

"However, one should measure his bowling by the standards of the opposition. For some reason, Indian batsmen normally play legspin with ease. To find a legspinner with better figures against India you have to go back to Richie Benaud in 1959-60 and 1956-57, when India were a much weaker batting team.

MacGill's average and wickets/match (51 and 3.5) compare favourably with Shane Warne's against India (av 55 and 2.6 wkts/match in 11 Tests)"

I suppose that Warne's batting and fielding see him come out on top overall.

From Wisden:

'Waugh's job was made infinitely harder because his bowlers and fielders decomposed. Gillespie was good, but increasingly more container than wicket-taker. Brett Lee went from not-bad to crap. Stuart MacGill was a reservoir of four-balls. Nathan Bracken was asked to bowl ineffectual cutters from around the wicket. Brad Williams, their best bowler at Adelaide and Melbourne, was shockingly left out for the decider.'

Decomposed? I thought they just stank. Also, when was Lee 'not bad'? Or was it just that 'crap' was the lowest available rating for a family website?

Otherwise a fair summary.

The first sentence blames the bowlers, then it says "Bracken was asked to bowl ineffectual cutters . . . "

So who asked him?

Presumably Captain Tugboat.

I'm holding judgement on Bracken until I've seen him with some decent bowlers around him.

This is how I think things should run over the next 1-3 years ...

1) No more Magoo. Ever. Warne to return, and to coach someone who will listen as part of the deal ... White, Casson, and Tubb should spend some time around the squad picking up tips from the spin guru and from his own mentor - Jenner. Don't let MacGill anywhere near them! Sorry Nath but I don't think White is nearly ready yet for Test cricket, unless it's against the Poms. He should be aiming at our next tour to the UK.

2) A long holiday and perhaps retirement for BLee. WGAF about pace - whether it's 145, 150, or even 155 kph - if most of it's wide, full, illegal, or all of the above. He needs to work on length, line, seam position, swing, sideways movement off the wicket, and bowling to a plan ... in short, he needs to learn how to bowl responsibly if he is ever to be entrusted with an Australian cap again.

3) Lehmann should back now into Steve Waugh's position in the Test squad (if he is fit); I would bat him at 4 above Martyn and Katich, with no other immediate changes despite Martyn's recent run of 30's and 40's, though he needs to produce a big innings soon. Of the shadow players I would actually send Bevan to Sri Lanka; Bevan and Clarke if Lehmann is not yet fully fit for a tour there. Love missees out for the moment, though I would reassure him that he remains just outside the squad and could be given a run in the Tests if Marto succumbs to the pressure for his place at the moment. Certainly his slip fielding would be an advantage - Love, Warne and Hayden reads well and allows Ponting to field in the covers where his skills are of more value.

With the need for transition in both opening slots and those of Lehmann and Martyn within the next 2-3 years (hopefully Ponting can continue and Katich will firmly establish himself in the side) I think there might be a place for some Australia v Australia A 4-day trial games over the next couple of seasons, exposing the next rank of players to the toughest competition and hopefully honing their skills.

Clarke is being brought along absolutely perfectly at the moment. 22, full of confidence, lots of shots, a very good record so far in the one-dayers, experience around the dressing room etc etc. Shane Watson is hopefully another who can get back on this track, although probably only as a batsman now, not a full-on all-rounder. Another year or two of this type of experience for players of this ilk and they will be ready to be slotted in for extended trials in the Test side ...

The other young player the selection panel has been trying to bring along, Nathan Hauritz, seems to be struggling badly; I think he needs some help right now or he may even be lost to the Queensland team. The last couple of times I've seen him, and looking through his match yesterday, it seems he is starting to worry about economy only - he's forgotten that taking wickets is the best way to keep the runs down ... It might be good to send him to Sri Lanka and bowl him in the Tests there, especially if Warne is not quite ready. Not the P76, please.

Keep Bracken working with Bruce Reid, rediscover that swing and perhaps a yard of pace. In Melbourne he actually looked OK, with a lot of bounce, so I wouldn't write him off yet, but he needs to work hard. As Fred says, he might bowl better when he can attack a bit more if say McGrath and Gillespie are keeping things tight at the other end. In fact McGrath-Gillespie-Bracken-Williams-Bichel-Kasper and maybe Nicholson would not be a bad pace rotation; it's Lee's profligate haemorrhaging of runs that did the damage in this last series.

picking a 15-man squad now for the next Ashes Test series (only 18 months away, amazingly):

Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Love, Rogers, M Clarke, Katich, Watson, Gilchrist, Warne, White, Gillespie, McGrath, Bracken, M Clark as the "roughie" chosen for English conditions.

many assumptions re: fitness and form there I know!

Agree with most of that except Clarke's preparation. He's missing far too much Pura Cup cricket at the moment IMO.

He could be backing himself into a nasty Bevan-like corner where he can't win. If he continues to succeed in the OD stuff, before he knows it he's been stereotyped. If he fails, he's melting in the spotlight.

If you're right about the other Michael Clark (the bowler), he'll be the first player to follow his father into the Australian Test team for Godknows how long.

Agree with pretty well everything there, pie - Fred may be right about the Clarke kiddie's preparation, but he seems mature enough to be able to adjust.

Bracken's main problem in Sydney may have been the type and line of bowling requested of him by his captain, it was not suited to him, and he had no help from anyone but an overly tired Gillespie in trying to keep things tidy. Reid needs to do a great deal of work with him, but I still feel he has a real future in Test cricket.

And hoping Lehmann is still around for the Ashes tour. He's not that old.