Thoughts behind Australian ODI team selection

 Australia begins their ODI stint of the summer missing four premier batsmen in the country. Warner, Watson, Clarke and Hussey are established batsmen asked to put up their feet or get themselves fit for the daunting tours of India and England. So are the players chosen worthy replacements? What is thinking behind choosing couple of the players at the age of 30 and over? Were they any notable players left out? I looked at four contentious selections.

Brad Haddin

Considering Brad Haddin is on the wrong side of 35 and with the likes of Paine, Neville and Hartley awaiting their turn Haddin was a surprise selection. There is no doubt the inclusion of Haddin suggests the selectors are looking to include him in the team to India and England. John Inverarity later confirmed this logic. The other reason for selecting Haddin must be his ability to play spin bowling. Considering Sri Lanka’s team composition will consist plenty of wily spinners it is a wise choice. On the top of that Haddin’s glove work is far superior to Wade and his inclusion should keep the Victorian on his toes once he returns to the frame.

George Bailey

Stuart McGill stated “Bailey is definitely not in the top 6 batsmen in Australia”. It was a fair comment but with 5 of the top 6 batsmen unavailable surely Bailey fits in the next slot of elite players. The Tasmanian skipper averages a healthy 40 in his 13 games and has been the team’s leading scorer in 4 of those 13 matches making his selection a no brainer. Bailey’s old-fashioned style of batting is a necessity to Australia, especially with the abundance of stroke makers in the top order. Although captaincy has come premature to Bailey with Warner out there is really no other option. Even at the age of 30, Bailey experience will add calmness to this inexperience team.

Usman Khawaja

The selection of Khawaja is puzzling. Ever since he burst on the scene he was always touted as a Test prospect so to select him in the ODI team is mind boggling. One of the deficiencies in Khawaja’s game is his inability to manipulate the ball into gaps. Perhaps the selectors see the ODI game as an opportunity for Usman to develop that element of his game. Also with the India series around the corner, it gives the selectors an opportunity to observe Khawaja’s play against spin bowling. With Finch, Hughes and Haddin expected to bat in the top 3 followed by Bailey and Dave Hussey one doubts if there is spot for Khawaja. One day specialist Callum Ferguson should have been chosen ahead of Khawaja.

Notable Absentee –Fast Bowling All-rounder

With Shane Watson bowling career in turmoil, it is essential Australia find a medium fast bowling all rounder. Last couple of years, Dan Christian has been a liable option. But for some curious reason the selectors have not named a fast bowling all-rounder unless the selectors believe Mitchell Johnson or Ben Cutting can fill the void. The three men who could classify as fast bowling all-rounders are Coulter-Nile, Dan Christian and Moses Henriques. All of them have had promising seasons in the Ryobi Cup. The exclusion of the bowling all-rounder is strange but it is an indication selectors priority in the series is to find a spin bowling all-rounder.

Australia need to derive a strategy to play Spin

Matthew Hayden spent countless hours practising the sweep shot on a dry Allan Border pitch before the Indian tour of 2001. Damien Martyn allegedly watched innumerable tapes of Tendulkar and Dravid's footwork against spinners before the 2004 Indian tour.  Both batsmen went on to top the series averages in the respective tours.  

By the way the Australian batsmen handled Sri Lankan spinner, Rangana Herath at the SCG this week it is imperative they devise a solution to tackle spin ala Hayden and Martyn.

Apart from Michael Clarke, each of the other batsmen looked clueless against the guile of Hearth. There only line of attack was to get their pad outside the line of the stumps and attempt an extravagant sweep.  The shot eventually led to the demise of Cowan, Hughes and Wade.

Relying on the sweep shot could prove fatal

 

Relying solely on the sweep against spinners in the sub-continent is a disaster beckoning as the English found out against Pakistan in February last year [England lost 3-0].  To their credit the English batsmen came back to the sub-continent with fresh strategies to tackle spin and beat India only eight months later.

The catalyst of the England victory was their captain Alastair Cook. Ed Cowan might be long way off Alastair Cook as yet but there batting technique strike a resemblance.  Apart from both being left handed, both score majority of the runs off the bat foot, horizontal shots are foundations of their game and both like to accumulate. As Ed Cowan takes a breather from the ODI’s, it might be wise to watch tapes of Alastair Cook’s tactics to counter the Indian spinners.

The other option for Cowan and his other sweep happy mates is to practice the shot persistently on a dry wicket against spinners, like Matthew Hayden did leading up to the Indian tour. But that is a distant thought considering players such as Wade, Warner and Hughes will be all be featuring in white ball cricket on bouncy pitches at home up until seven days before the first test match in Delhi.

If there was any assurance then in comes in the form of Indian spinners.  Ravi Ashwin and Pragyan Ojya are still relatively new to test cricket and are still learning the art of out smarting the batsmen and breaking down their strategies. Other consolation for likes of Cowan, Warner, Wade and co is the pitches they played on in the West Indies last year were similar to those they will face in India. 

But even in the series against a West Indies the batting was exposed by a mediocre spinner in Shane Shillingford and the part time spin of Narsinh Deonarine.  West Indies meager batting and Australia’s series victory ensured the spin deficiencies were swept under the carpet. One guarantee is Australia will need more runs against India than they scored against West Indies, if they are to have any hope of winning test matches.

Michael Clarke not only needs to score heavily again but also needs to pass on his expertise of playing spin bowling to his batting comrades.  Judging by the test in Sydney, Australia face a stern test and unless a formula is derived on tackling spin bowling a series victory is unlikely.

Shot into Retirement - Samarweera

Back in 1993 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia batsmen Damien Martyn played a shot that left him in the wilderness for six years.  Luckily for Martyn age was on his side but in the case of Sri Lankan batsmen THilan Samaraweera it should cost his test career. 

Samaraweera, one of the veterans in the Sri Lankan team, came to wicket with the match in the balance at 3/145. Sri Lanka had just lost 2 quick wickets and needed Samaraweera experience to nullify the Australian momentum.  Conversly, Samaraweera ran down the wicket and tried to heave Nathan Lyon over the top of mid on only to mistime it into the hands of Mike Hussey.

Mahela Jayawardena reaction at the non-strike told a tale. Samerrawera didn’t even bother looking eye to eye with his captain and walked off. It was shot of batsmen willing to surrender and not willing to stand up for himself, captain, teammates and most importantly his country.

The Sri Lanka media were agitated and were eagerly awaiting the press conference to fry a fish. But to their disappointment the team management decided to send out DImuth Karuratna, Sri Lanka’s shining light of yet another hero of the day.

Asked about the Samaraweera, horrible shot the youngster replied “I think the things he is used to doing haven’t been successful for him in the last two or three innings. I think he tried to do something different. He tried to attack and get some runs, spread the field and then he could play his normal game. There are different plans for different players. He had a different gameplan and he tried it, but he was unlucky.”

The first few sentences had some significance as the Karnunaratna gave an indication of Samaraweera mindset but the most disconcerting sentence was “I think next series he will come to the fore again”.

Looking ahead Sri Lanka’s next test series is against Bangladesh and if Samerwerra is chosen in the squad Sri Lanka would have succumb to idiocy that affects sub-continent cricket.  It will be disgrace for Sri Lanka n selectors to name Samaraweera to be named in the countries colours again. 

With players such as Thiramane, Karnunaratna and Chandimal coming along Sri Lanka need to forget the past and look forward to the future.  Sri Lanka need to be ruthless in their selection and attitude. Perhaps take a leaf out of the stubbornness of former captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Arjuna Ranatunga was not present at the ground but another former captain Ian Chappell stated his thoughts about Samerrawerra dismissals. “If I was Thilan I would be walking out of the ground and into one of the pubs in Paddington, because there is no way any player should let him get back in the dressing room”.

Chappell comments and Australian selector’s decision 20 years ago emphasized the importance of wearing the baggy green.  If the sub-contienet teams were ever that ruthless perhaps there results would stand out as well.

Beach Stand at the SCG

Sydney cricket ground takes on a new appearance this year for the New Year’s Test. Firstly, the historic Bradman and Noble stands have been knocked down for renovation allowing spectator to stare through a gaping hole towards the Sydney Football Stadium.  Secondly, the most prolific run scorer at the SCG, Ricky Ponting will not bat again at the ground and offcourse Tony Grieg will never make an appearance on his home turf ever again.
But to overcome the past, ACB and the SCG have a launched a new innovation, Coca Cola Beach stand.  

The SCG has transformed seats in Bay 10 into a beach.  There have been new bucket seats placed into the area and the section has been converted into beach by pouring sand.

Australian cricketers, Shane Watson, David Warner and Mike Hussey were the first ones to comfort themselves in the beach stand earlier this morning.  The players were greeted in the stand by life savers, few beach models and couple of bottles of coke.

Warner seemed to love the idea and joked “Might ask pup [Clarke] if I can stand in front of the stand all day. If the sun comes out then I will be tempted to jump the fence and sit on the other side. It is great idea by CA”

 Shane Watson who is not playing in the test loved the idea but was not sure if he would be sitting in one of the seats during the test match. “Great innovation and they should have it across all grounds in Australia. In the West Indies they have swimming pools so this will be our way of enjoying cricket”.

Although the beach stand is only small section of the Bay 10, it still took a bit of time to assemble. One of the SCG spokesman said “We had to remove the seats, cover the concrete with a large sheets of plastic and then pour in plenty of sand”.

The SCG might be reforming the history for now but it is also providing us a glimpse of the future.

Mike Hussey - The cricket tragic

Matthew Hayden in his book ‘Standing My Ground’ summed up Michael Hussey the best by calling him a cricket “nuffie”.   

Whether it is on the field or off it, Mike Hussey can’t live without cricket and cricket will never be the same without Mike Hussey.  His enthusiasm for the game has always been there, right from junior club cricket to the international arena. 

Simon Katich is one cricketer, who has seen Mr Cricket evolve right from childhood.  The pair struck up a partnership playing for the Swan district U’9s in Perth.  The pair eventually went on to play 34 test matches together in the baggy green.  

I had the privilege of meeting Simon Katich on a few instances at corporate events in last five years and Katich had shared a few stories about “Mr Cricket that I was able to note down.

Katich recalls “I first played together when we were 9 and even in those early years I thought how hyper is Mike?  He would be one of the first people at the ground and he wanted to do everything from putting the cones out to knocking the stumps in”.

“Even as he kid he was always more enthusiasm that the others. During fielding he would want to chase the ball hit on the off side even if he was fielding at mid on. The coach didn’t say it at the time but I am sure he would have thought “Why can’t everyone be like Mike”.”

Over time as his career blossomed, Mike Hussey would learn the trade of becoming an ultimate professional.  Playing for Western Australia, Mike Hussey would often study past scores and pick the brains of the coach so he knew about the opposition bowlers.  Mike always wanted to be ready for the challenge from a young age. One of this greatest attributes was to think about each and every ball.

Matthew Hayden backs up that theory in his book when he says “we knew Hussey was a great thinker and feeler so when we[Queensland] played against him Symo would often count out loud the number of deliveries Hussey didn’t score off”.  The strategy would be a success and Hussey had a modest average against the Queenslanders. It worked wonders for us early on but I’m sure such instances ensured Mike Hussey was ready for test cricket.

When Hussey finally did make his test debut at age 30, with over 10,000 first class runs not only was he mentally ready but he had brought along all his cricketing rituals.

One of those rituals was his love affair with cricket bats.  I recall Simon Katich mentioning an incident at a function when he said “Mike Hussey loved his cricket bat so much that he would sleep with it throughout the cricket season”. We only found out because apparently his mother had asked the other parents in our teams if their kids did the same.  

Matthew Hayden scripts it well in his book. In the Australian dressing room there were plenty of bat lover’s like Ponting and Langer, but Hussey was always one step ahead of them.  While Ponting had a habit of picking up each and every bat in the dressing room for the sake of it, Mike Hussey was so obsessed getting the weight of this bat right he would travel with set of scales.

At his retirement press conference he stated time away from home was one of the factors he will be walking away.  Katich joked and said, “when Huss retires you have to feel for his wife and the kids because he would never sit still at home and I can see him juggling balls or just walking around the house with a bat”

As he prepared for his last test match there was no evidence of his enthusiasm declining at the final training session, he was the first out for training and last to leave, he always seemed to have cricket ball, stump, helmet, bat in his hand and he never stood still.

Hussey’s coach at the under 10’s did not get a chance to say it but now the all cricketing world must be saying it “We all want to be like Mike”.