Reality Check

If Australia had any illusions following their recent drubbing of England (6-1), they should now be dispelled.   CA sensibly arranged for Australia to start its World Cup preparation with warm up matches against the two best teams in the world.  While there may have been some encouraging signs against India, Australia was soundly thrashed in both matches.

Throughout the seven match series against England, the batting line up had looked decidedly brittle.  Australia won most matches on the back of individual batting performances or excellent bowling performances.  Significantly in Adelaide – which presented a perfectly flat wicket – England prevailed as the likes of Brett Lee were blunted.  Expect more of the same in India.

Against South Africa, just three batsmen passed 20 runs and the bowlers could not muster a single wicket between them as South Africa polished off 218 runs.  Against India, the bowling was good but once again, only three batsmen passed 20.  Ponting made fifties in both innings which will vindicate the selectors (and Ponting) but who knows if Ponting’s return as captain is what the doctor ordered?

The World Cup officially starts with India playing Bangladesh in Mirpur on February 19.  It is a D/N match and starts at 2:30 local time.  This World Cup returns to a more traditional format of two groups of eight. The group stage lasts until 20 March and then it is straight into the quarter finals (A1 v B4 etc), semis and final.  No Super 8s and much less chance of shock eliminations.  Top teams can lose a match or two and still survive.  The drawback is we have to put up with a longer period of one-sided matches.  Each team will play all other teams in their group.   The final will be on 2 April, which seems (and is) a long way away.

When will Australian cricket fans hold the revolution?

Pardon me for being a wet blanket with all the glam of the AB medal around but cricket fans of Australia, we need to focus.  Let Watson have his day in the sun.  He has earned it.  But aren’t we a little worried about the general state of play?

Convincingly winning the one-day series against England is little consolation, having been annihilated in the Ashes.  England came to win the Ashes and did that in grand fashion.  While I believe that the One Day series will have been important, being England’s World Cup preparation, the truth is with injuries, different personnel and a long tour, they were rather ordinary.  Australia did show signs of improvement but they should not feel too confident, especially with the return of their over-age, out-of-form, under-prepared leader.

To give an idea of the crazies that are running show, you need to read two articles.  The first, in Cricinfo, heralds the Ashes review.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/499802.html

CA are going to get to the bottom of the disastrous Ashes campaign.  The article proceeds to focus on the expanded Big Bash format for future seasons.  I’m not sure I see the correlation.

Further, if you read the Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/the-incredible-shrinking-sheffield-shield-20110207-1ak5j.html, not mentioned in the above Cricinfo article the corollary of the expanded Big Bash –  it seems the Sheffield Shield season will be shortened – i.e. two less rounds!  The truth is that CA does not give a stuff about cricket itself.  They care about swelling the coffers.  Of course, that is a recurring them in the world of cricket today.

Not only did CA mismanage the entire summer by appointing and retaining idiots as selectors and coaching staff, they have allowed it to continue with random and misguided World Cup selections (there is still a chance to correct these with get-out-of-gaol injury clauses).  Now, they are intent on disembowelling cricket itself in Australia.  Get me a valium.

Cricket fans, we need to vote with our voices and feet.  Write to cricket Australia and tell them what you think.  Insist they get rid of Hilditch.  Demand more focus on First Class cricket (don’t forget to explain to them that First Class cricket = Sheffield Shield).  Encourage your kiddies to block the ball and leave it outside of off stump.  Phone ACA and complain – oh, wrong station – better try TT.  Call Derryn Hinch – maybe he will care.

I said a few months ago that cricket was on the long, slippery slope and it becomes clearer by the day.