Tag Archives: Ashes 2013

The Ashes: What must Australia get out of Hove?

July 25, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

The aftermath of Australia’s performance at Lords and the war of words that has erupted from old players, pundits and punters alike is still fresh in the minds of many. That said, there is a game to be played by the Australian touring team at Hove starting on Friday that presents as the next challenge for Australian cricket and the next opportunity for the games of various Australian test stars to be analysed and dissected by those in the know and those who are not but think they are.

Shane Watson, Chris Rogers and Peter Siddle have been given the game off and are convalescing in London. Additionally, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris have also been omitted from the Australian XI. One can expect that the six of them will be selected for the third test at Old Trafford. I have been a strong advocate for the same team, subject to injury issues, being selected for the third test so, if I am correct, this game probably does not present as a selection trial. That said, a player who blows the selectors away may well force his way into the team. Moreover, after the “Lords Massacre”, this game is the first of many that Australia will play along the road to regain some of the respect lost at Lords.

We are already off to a terrible start to any attempt to rebuild Australia’s place in the game given that because Australia is resting so many players it has been required to call on Asthon Turner (from the Hampshire Academy) to fill the final spot in the team. Is it really the message that Cricket Australia wants to send? That this tour match is so unimportant after a catastrophic loss that it refuses to select a team from within its own squad. Given the bad press it has received already with its timing of the BBL marketing campaign I would have thought Cricket Australia would have been smarter than this.

Anyhow, that controversy aside, here are my 4 key outcomes that we must see from the Australians in this game for it to be considered a small step forward in the context of Australian cricket:

Fight!

The biggest criticism of many, including me, of the Australian performance at Lords was that the players did not appear, outwardly, to stand up and scrap when it was needed most. I am sure they were all giving their collective best but the perception that Australia lacked fight in that game is damaging to the reputation of Australian cricket to say the least! The team selected here must show some fight, particularly is Sussex starts to get on top at any point in the game.

Dig in!

It stood out like the proverbial in the second test that Australia’s batting order simply did not have the application to spend long times at the crease without playing a false shot. In the early games of this tour Australia’s run rate was exceptional and the hundreds flowed. Whilst that is fine for a tour match, the Australian batsmen who are playing need time at the wicket. I would much prefer to see Uzman Khawaja, for example, score a hundred in this game of 200 balls rather than at a run a ball because it will give him time at the wicket and help with temperament for the furnace of test match cricket.

Will the real James Faulkner please show up?

If Faulkner plays well in this game he should be debuting for Australia at Old Trafford. For the purposes of the balance of the bowling attack a swing bowling left armer is a must to accompany Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris. His batting will help solidify the lower middle order and he is an aggressive cricketer that will lift the vibe in the team.

Has the confidence of Nathan Lyon been too dented?

I have been vehement in my view that Nathan Lyon ought to been selected for the first test of this series at Trent Bridge and Ashton Agar’s 98 aside Australia has looked short a quality spinner in both games so far. The fact that 11 of Australia’s 20 wickets at Lords were taken by off spin bowling whilst Australia’s best spinner was the decidedly part time Steve Smith MUST mean Nathan Lyon is in the frame to return at Old Trafford. His return though must hinge on what his confidence level is like after being so inexplicably dropped. I sincerely hope that the selection panel have not stuffed him up mentally because, frankly, we need him.

Despite the travesty of a team Australia has selected for this game, a positive outcome for Australia is a must. A negative outcome, be it through poor cricket or even a loss will just make this tour even more shambolic and uninspiring for pundits and fans that is has already become.

The Ashes: Injury, Opportunity and Courage?

July 23, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 3 Comments

Just reading the news out of London this morning that James Pattinson is to be sent home from England having suffered an “early stage low back stress fracture”. I tweeted during the second that I was worried he was hurt and am sad that that worry has become reality.

This is not a blog to say “I told you so though”. Simply put, the return home of J Pattinson presents a massive opportunity to Australia. There was an obvious sameness about the fast bowling attack at Lords that could now be broken up with the selection of James Faulkner. I know I decried the notion of mass changes to the team for the test at Old Trafford but this misery for Pattinson presents the opportunity to select a genuine all rounder who swings the ball and plays with aggression. He would bat number 8 and take the new bowl with Ryan Harris if selected in my view.

It will be a courageous selection with the series on the line. The obvious replacement is the return of Mitchell Starc and that is the “safe” option but given his form in the first test I think it is better for the selectors to be bold rather than revert to type here.

The other news overnight suggest a hint that Matthew Wade maybe set to be recalled as a batsman. Does Australia really need more disruption to its top six? Surely the better option is to give the guys in the top six a final chance in the 3rd test to get the job done. Afterall these make shift solutions (a wicketkeeper playing as a batsman is obviously one such solution) to real problems in the team so rarely work why risk it now?

Selecting a cricket team when the team’s form is down is no doubt a hard job. Even harder is to have the courage to stick with the team the selectors thought could win at Lords despite the shambolic result. The question is: will the selectors show courage and stick with the last side (injury aside) or bow to the pressure of a country of fans and pundits whose expectations are too high?

Only time will tell!

The Ashes: Where to from here for Australia?

July 22, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 5 Comments

The question of what next for Australian cricket has one that has been on the lips of many since the completion of the “2013 Lords Massacre”. I have a longer blog about the state of cricket in this country in the works at the moment but really that looks at the broader issues effecting the game.

My bigger concern for present purposes is how do we win at Old Trafford. Actually, forget winning … How do we compete at Old Trafford? There were plenty of players who failed at Lords but we still have a test to play in 9 days time AND, stop laughing English fans, the Ashes is still there to win.

Calls for mass sackings and the drawing in of players from outside the squad are at best knee jerk and at worst stupid. I mean: has Australia become as bad as England in 1989 yet? I do not think so!

I think we need to do the last thing everyone is expecting us to do: change nothing! That’s right: you read it correctly … CHANGE NOTHING! Keep the same 11 for this next test match and empower them with the task of bringing Australian cricket back from the edge of the abyss.

The only player I would countenance leaving out is A Agar. The experiment has failed: opposition spin bowlers took 11 wickets at Lords and he took none so despite how many magazine covers his image and that of his girlfriend sells it is probably time for an experienced spinner to step in.

England think they have the Australian team and fans broken and maybe they do have some of Australia’s fandom on brink BUT there is a lot of cricket to be played yet and they have not won the series yet.

So let’s keep this team together and empower them to get the job done. They can compete and, you never know, they may just surprise us fans with something special!

The Ashes, Second Test: Australian Player Ratings

July 22, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , , 6 Comments

Australia lost the second test at Lords by a whopping 347 runs and, as painful as it is, here are my ratings of the performances of Australia’s players from this game.

Chris Rogers: 4 out of 10

Two of the more bizarre dismissals I have seen in test match cricket from the man they call “Bucky” and at times when his “expertise” at Lords, given that he is the captain of Middlesex and has score a ton of runs on the ground, was needed most. Was energetic in the field.

Shane Watson: 5 out of 10

Made two starts and was again out LBW in both innings. Top scored in the first innings which was overshadowed by the DRS referral issues. Got the initial breakthrough with the ball and shouldered the workload most have been screaming for from him.

Uzman Khawaja: 6 out of 10

Terrible shot in the first innings but top scored in the second innings. Will be much better for his performance here and thrived in the pressure of the second innings till he got a ripper from J Root. Suggestions that he is a liability in the field proved false by a solid performance.

Phil Hughes: 1 out of 10

Scores of 1 and 1 so why not go with that as his rating here too. More to the point, if Watson is to be pilloried for a bad review then Hughes must be similarly pilloried for two terrible reviews.

Michael Clarke: 6 out of 10

When Clarke doesn’t score hundreds the chances of Australia winning dissipate to zero. No hundred here but a solid 50 in the second innings showed a glimpse of a return to form that is sorely needed by the team. Tactically a few question marks particularly regarding his use of Pattinson when so woefully out of form and heavy reliance on Agar when the game was gone and he was injured.

Steve Smith: 4 out of 10

Gains with the bat seen in India disappeared in this test match but his work with the ball in the first innings got Australia back in the game, albeit fleetingly.

Brad Haddin: 2 out of 10

Did not get past 10 with the bat and two gaffes with the gloves, one the most costly of all given that Joe Root was on 8. Never thought I would say it but Matthew Wade must be close to coming back in off that performance.

Ashton Agar: 2 out of 10

I commented in my preview about the potential for “second test syndrome” to strike and it certainly did in this test match. 44 overs without a wicket whilst a part timer took 4 and for the other side the spinners took 11 just not good enough for the “next big thing”.

Peter Siddle: 5 out of 10

Heart the size of Phar Lap and his spell on the afternoon of day 2 was a stirring effort. Innocuous in the first innings when Harris needed support up the other end.

James Pattinson: 2 out of 10

Went for 5 an over in the first innings and was yanked from bowling in his first two spells after 2 over and 3 over respectfully. Not good enough. Workmanlike in the second innings without being threatening. Gritty with the bat but that is not his job.

Ryan Harris: 8 out of 10

It is a measure of his performance that without it Australia would have lost by much more but for it. Was wonderful in the first innings when the other two fast bowlers in the line up did not come up with the goods. Sadly looked like he was being nursed through the second innings a bit but off the back of 3 hours rest got to expect that. 10 days break before Old Trafford vital for him.

Simply, we were beaten in all aspects of the game. Can only suggest that a massive improvement is needed and we now have 10 days to do what we need to do to make that so.

Postscript: as I am currently taking a break from twitter, please feel free to comment on this blog or at shumpty77@mail.com should you wish to have a chat about these ratings or any other blog topic.

The Ashes: Second Test, Day 3: well this is a bit uncomfortable!

July 21, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 10 Comments

Well: hasn’t this test at Lords turned into a …. well words escape me as to what this test match has turned into for Australian fans. To say that I, as an Australian fan, am frustrated would be an understatement. The fact is that Australia has been outplayed in absolutely every aspect of this game, perhaps with the exception of the bowling of Ryan Harris in the first innings. In addition to that fact is the fact that this is the outcome that just about everyone except for the most diehard of Australian fans expected.

It leads to this uncomfortable notion being forced down the throats of those of us who love cricket in this country: England are simply better than us at the moment. Not in some aspects of the game: all of them. From preparation, through to the quality of their domestic game and into the tactics and attitude of the actually game of cricket they are just streets ahead.

This might seem like I am, metaphorically, throwing the baby out with the bath water AND it may very well be but having already been through the Argus Review that was supposed to avoid, as its top goal, this sort of embarrassing performance now is not the time to sugar coat where Australian cricket is at.

The domestic game is not producing players that are up to test match standard at the moment, well batsmen at least, and we are now, more than ever, beholden to the dollar that comes from the Big Bash League and, more broadly, short form cricket. It is not just our state cricketers that playing more and more short form cricket: our junior and club cricketers are playing more and more of these games whilst at the same time our cricket cultural heritage of being a test cricket dynamo is being swept away because we can not produce players that are suited to the long form game.

I know this is only one game of cricket but this performance has been a growing storm that has been masked by some miraculous efforts by the captain and some individuals. We all know though that cricket is a team game and the team is only as strong as its poorest player: the Australian team has too many players who are not upto to the top flight of the game just yet.

The sticky tape that has been holding cricket in this country together has been well and truly ripped off in this test match. Some would say it already had been in India but our performance in Trent Bridge fooled us into thinking we were improving. We are not though and that frustrates me more than anything I have seen over the last 12 months.

When David Warner punched Joe Root and Mickey Arthur got the sack, I wrote that it was also time for Pat Howard and James Sutherland to go. This test match is not over nor is this series but if things do not improve starting from today’s play can anyone tell me how, certainly, Howard and, possibly, Sutherland, will survive? This is the series they have put all of their efforts into improving the Australian team to challenge for through the Argus Review and its aftermath and absent massive improvement those efforts have been rendered nugatory!

After a terrible day 2 and 3 at Lords, day 4 beckons with a massive improvement in performance needed regardless of the ultimate result of this game. Australia must improve: it is as simple as that. Then again, it would be hard to countenance a performance today that could possibly get any worse.

I, like any Australian fan, want Australia to win and Australian cricket to be dominant. More than that though I want us to compete: and I do not think we did that on day 3. I do not like writing these negative sorts of blogs but the circumstances give me nothing positive to write about. All I can hope is that day 4 is a much better day of cricket for the baggy greens and, by extension, their fans.

The Ashes, Second Test Day 2: Don’t let DRS drama mask the truth

July 20, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

It has only taken seven days of this series for many Australian fans to return to the view that Australia is well behind England and will not win back the Ashes in England. The efforts of our tenth wicket partnerships in Trent Bridge masked some of the frailties in the Australian batting lineup that ought to have be obvious to all.

Simply put: Australia’s batting was not up to standard in the the first innings and, frankly, has not been for some time. Forget the batsman who come in at number 8 through 11: it is not their job to score runs for us and in recent times they have been doing that job. This issues did not just arise in Trent Bridge but has been a fairly constant refrain through Australia’s test cricket for a number of tests now.

Last night’s efforts from Australia’s top 7 were nothing short of woeful. Did anyone really get a good delivery that lead to their wicket? Shane Watson was dismissed because another bowler exploited his most obvious technical flaw. Chris Rogers missed a full toss. Usman Khawaja had a brain snap and hit one to mid off. Phil Hughes slashed at one a foot outside off stump. Steve Smith meekly gloved a ball to short length. There was no mystery in the English bowling: they simply bowled the ball at Australia’s batsman and even when it was not in the right areas the Australian batsmen contrived a way to get themselves out.

Much has been made on social media of the use of the DRS system by Shane Watson. Australian fans need to stop whinging about their players and start looking at the real frailties in Australian cricket. Whether the use of DRS was right or wrong arguing about it masks the fact that the batting order Australia has in England and has stuck with since the retirements of Ponting and Hussey is not up to the task at test match level.

I am all for seeking to bring young players through and for trying to develop talent from within the team. That said, a massive question hovers over some of the selection decisions that were made during the Mickey Arthur era that have flowed through into this team now. I am not talking about revisiting the past here: we must stop waxing lyrical for a return of Simon Katich for example. Conversely though here are some names of players who have performed in Shield cricket that have not received an ounce of the chances that others have: D Hussey, A Voges, A Doolan, P Forrest and J Burns. I am not saying that they would have performed any differently at Lords over night but the fact that they have not received a semblance of a chance in the test team is something that must be questioned.

Australia was 9/114 in the first innings of the first test match at Trent Bridge and was dismissed for 128 at Lords on a wicket described by all as a run machine. That is simply not good enough. It is time to forget the vitriol aimed at one player about his use of DRS and focus on just how poorly our top 7 is playing. There is not much Australia can do given that they have squad to select from in England and those players must be relied upon to at least try to get the job done. Equally, perhpas the Darren Lehmann era will proceed when he has the reigns in full back in Australia with the end of the careers of some of the players who have not performed in recent times and the elevation of those who have earned their chance in Shield cricket.

Only time will tell: until then, if nothing else, last night was a jolt to the expectations that Australian fans probably needed after those expectations were elevated by the events of Trent Bridge.