It’s official: We can blame the selectors

The feed back from my last issue was that I was too hard on Matt the Bat and that the bowlers should take most of the blame for the losses in NZ. Also, in fact, the selectors should take most of the blame for the current state of Australian One Day cricket. I stand by what I said about Hayden. You can’t score at 80 runs per hundred balls for 40 overs. The most obvious reason is that if you get out when you try to accelerate, there is no redemption. It also seems I have been remiss. I forgot to congratulate the Kiwis on a fantastic series. Well done New Zealand, you beat us even with a second string bowling attack. Well done. It’s no disgrace for the World Champions to be beaten by such a formidable outfit, playing with the advantage of home soil.

Getting back to our pathetic bowlers, I’ve run some numbers on the bowlers for the last five matches (yes, the losing streak). Before I go on, consider this: This is the first time Australia has lost five one day internationals running since 1645 or 1997 or something. When was the last time a side was on a 12 match Test winning streak and simultaneously on a 5 match ODI losing streak? No, not 1997. That was the Tubby Taylor dead rubber loss era. The answer is: I don’t know but I’m guessing never. Back to the bowlers. The numbers are:

Watson: 40 overs (5 matches) conceded 271 runs at 6.77 rpo (hint, this is our biggest problem)

Bracken: 45 overs (5 matches) conceded 216 runs at 4.80 rpo (still needs to lose that girly hairdo and that ridiculous girly headband)

McGrath: 35.4 overs (4 matches) conceded 167 runs at 4.68 rpo (so, actually, not that bad).

Hogg: 36 overs (5 matches) conceded 213 runs at 5.92 rpo (another big problem, and a bit of a surprise to me).

My gun is out and it’s pointing at you, Watto. Our biggest problem is finding a batsman who can bowl some useful overs. Symonds is a huge loss in this department – we all know that. Michael Clarke seems to be overlooked in this area – for the whole CBA series he provided tidy spin with the odd wicket. His return will add to the team. Watson doesn’t deserve to be going to the World Cup. He hasn’t played all summer and he has not earned the right to demand selection simply because he is fit again. That right is reserved for the very select few. Shane Warne, I mean.

And let’s not forget this: The selectors were saved from themselves when Watson was injured on the eve of the Ashes. I announced the event of Watson’s injury with “There is a God” but those silly pudknockers were determined to put him in as soon as possible. Now Watson is off to the World Cup to be hit all over, and out of the Caribbean, without I suspect, returning the compliment. All Australians will be hoping that Symonds can make a speedy and complete comeback. I’ve already talked enough about tinkering with the team and how unhelpful that was. Ian Chappell (and his shadow writer) said it very well in Cricinfo a few days ago, so I won’t keep banging on about that.

I think the selectors have really outdone themselves now by ordering that the World Cup squad members who should be playing in the Ford Cup final (that’s the Australia domestic One Day final) be wrapped in cotton wool. Stronger language is probably warranted but for crying out loud. This isn’t soccer. The players being rested are Hodge, Watson and Johnson. Watson!! That man is in more need of match time than any cricketer that ever breathed. I know. Here’s an idea for the selectors: Perhaps Watson could be rested for the ENTIRE BLOODY WORLD CUP. Surely after taking such a hiding it would benefit the players to drop back to something a little less demanding so that confidence can be regained. What’s more, with the players representing both sides (Qld and Vic), somebody is bound to end their losing streak.

You will all know by now that Stuart Clark will be taking Brett Lee’s place. Lee is a great loss as he is the best batsman of the bowlers, not to mention our best strike bowler. I don’t know if he is the answer, but Clark will add something – at least the players know who will be playing rather than having to wait. Stability has been a very underrated word these past few weeks. Clark will also bring that winning feeling to the team. I would imagine he might be wanting to give the selectors a big “up yours” as well.

Come back Trevor. We miss you. Come back AB, we don’t mind what brand of beer you drink.

Free fall – Australia’s stocks plummet

The Australian World Cup preparations are in turmoil. The New Zealand tour has been a disaster. Australia has lost five matches in a row (and won only one in the last seven). In the past three days, Australia has allowed the 2nd and 3rd highest successful run chases ever. The Australians have slid from the top of the one ladder, being replaced South Africa. Yee Gods! And the World Cup may be all the better for it.

Some Australian optimists are saying that it’s all part of the tactics. There is some sound reasoning there: 1. Allowing South Africa to start as favourites is the surest way to see them choke. 2. Four weeks ago the odds for an Australian win were pathetic. The lads have now ensured some return before they duck down to Sportsbet.

Then of course, we have the captain, after the CBA finals loss saying, “This is the kick in the pants we needed.” That’s about as convincing as the national leader saying, “This is the recession that we had to have.”. Booo.

On the other side of the coin, some of the players have dropped their bundles. They are obviously concerned. On Monday, Brett Lee spoke on 2GB radio station and lamented the rotation policy and was quite clear that it had caused a loss of momentum. Gillie, candid as always (and probably about to be in big trouble) said on Inside Cricket (and reported in the Tele) that (paraphrased) the New Zealand tour is a waste of time and the players would have been much better off having a rest. He has a point. The World Cup squad is 15 players. The NZ squad is 13 players and 3 of those selected are not in the World Cup squad. With some simple maths, I can work out that only 10 of this touring party are going to the World Cup. Go figure.

Today, in what was a real slap in the face for Australia, New Zealand rested their star bowlers, Bond and Vettori for this dead rubber. They paid the price as Australia plundered 5/346, with Hayden making 181 not out. But it didn’t matter. The Kiwis still won. In the past twelve months, Australia has conceded the top four highest run chases in one day history. There is something to this. The first is that they are not making enough runs, batting first on perfect pitches. The four scores posted were 7/331 (12 months ago in Christchurch), 4/434 (that match in South Africa), and 4/336 and 5/346 (in the past three days). The theme is not many wickets down. The second is that they are not astute when it comes to defending targets.

Today, at the half way point in the Australia innings, I predicted that Australia would score more than 300 and that NZ would run it down. That was for two reasons:

1. Hayden was scoring too slowly and
2. We don’t have an “at the death” bowler. We don’t have someone like Steve Waugh who had balls of steel and ice in his veins.

You may think it harsh that I have identified Hayden after he scored a colossal 181 not out. He is why: Hayden crawled to his century (100 from 129 balls). Not exactly Geoff Marsh but by today’s standard, and according to the local conditions, it was crawling. At one stage when Watson was scoring at 100 rphb, Hayden took 20 balls of 30 (Cricinfo shows the split for the past five overs). At another point, with Haddin scoring at 122.22 rphb, Hayden took 22 of 31 balls. Provided the team has not lost excessive wickets, if a batsmen isn’t scoring at more than 100 rphb, he’s not in the race. Get out the shepherds crook. You can’t make up for slow scoring by a late burst.

And why could this team not defend these high scores? I remember in AB’s day, if Australia posted 200, that was it. Shut up the shop. I realise that 200 runs is not what it used to be but surely huge totals should be defended. Why on earth did Hogg, who conceded “just” 5.7 runs per over, bowl just seven overs? His other three went to Voges who conceded 33 runs.

Or is this what one day cricket has become? Bob Simpson today was lamenting that we were being bored by batsman dominated games. Perhaps he has a point. Get used to it. The conditions like we had for the last two matches will prevail at the World Cup. Small grounds and perfect pitches. It’s a great leveller as it removes the need for skill from batting. Half decent shots that are caught in the outfield on Australian grounds, go for six. Express pace bowlers like Lee and Tait can be a liability. Top edges fly for six. Edges through the vacant slips arrive at the third man rope in the twinkling of an eye.

On the other hand, in today’s game, two bowlers managed to keep their economy to below five runs per over. Good bowlers can be effective.

No, the optimists are wrong. The wheels have fallen off. The selectors can’t be blamed for everything. There has been a sudden spate of injuries. Symonds is the most serious in terms of injury and impact to the team. Ponting, apparently, is injured. And then Clarke and Lee bit the dust. It is still 3 weeks until the start of the World Cup and 5 weeks until the start of the business end (the Super Eights) but the selectors are taking some big risks sticking to Symonds, Lee and Gillie (who will miss at least the warm ups through injury). I think they need to select 15 fully available and fit players and put everything behind those. It’s a huge risk otherwise.

Me, I’m not panicking. While there is Ponting, there is hope.