AUSTRALIA SELECTIONS AND STRATEGY UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER A LOSS TO AFGHANISTAN

Australia’s high performance coach, Graeme Hick has defended Australia’s selections in the humiliating defeat to Afghanistan in the Under 19 World Cup.

Australia had made three changes despite winning the first match against Namibia by whopping margin of 101 runs. While captain Alex Gregory’s didn’t play because of stomach illness the other two changes seemed to indicate the rotation policy was still in place at the Under 19 level.

“Captain had a bad stomach, couple of guys that have brought injuries into the competition and there is only certain amount of workload that they can do building to the next part of the tournament” said Hick

Further indication Australia was still obeying the much critical rotation or performance management was that the opening bowler Billy Stanlake only bowled an opening spell of four overs in which he conceded only 11 runs and never returned to the bowling crease.

While initially Hick backed the captain decision stating “that’s what the captain decided that pace is easy to hit” he then also went on to add “also a bowler coming back with injury, even at worst or best, he would have bowled a couple more”.

The objective of the World Cup is also a debatable topic with Hick stating the other reason for changes was the team management wanted each player of the squad to participate in a game.  

“We wanted everyone to have an experience at the World Cup. We have strong squad and we pride ourselves on that. We also felt couple of players deserved a chance to play”

Hick also defended that such plans could deviate from the objective of winning the World Cup.

“It’s the plan we have planned to play it, I understand what you are saying but having said that we felt the squad we have got to win, we would have made two changes anyway. That was forced upon us. They didn’t seem like they were radical changes to us”.

Australia not only have to defeat group toppers Bangladesh on Wednesday but also hope their net run rate is substantial to ensure they progress through to the quarter finals stage.

With Australia facing a cut throat situation Hick was asked if Australia will still employ the strategy of playing all the players in squad or picking the best eleven.

“We will be playing with our best eleven that’s what that is we will sit down and choose that tomorrow”.

New Ball Glory but the Old Ball a Worry

Indian captain, MS Dhoni stated at the toss pitches with nice covering of grass are recipe for success for his three medium fast bowlers and he expected Indian bowlers to prosper in such conditions.  He was spot on about his assumption. Indian bowlers thrived under the gloomy skies striking three times in the first session to leave New Zealand in a spot of bother at 3/54. 

Dhoni also said the Indian bowlers tend to struggle when there is no lateral movement and the bowlers have to rely on extracting bounce to trouble the batsmen. Once again the Indian captain was right. As the post lunch session, the seam moment had vanished and the Indian bowlers were put to the sword by Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson. The pair added 125 runs in 27 over's at a scintillating run rate of 4.63 an over.

Indian pace bowlers either need seam conditions for the duration of the match or they abrasive pitch to ensure the ball reverse swings.  If either of these components are missing the Indian attack looks pedestrian and clueless.  From his  theorem at the toss, Dhoni is aware of the weakness and the strengths in the Indian bowling but the frightening aspect is India keeping evading the issue.

In the recent Test series against South Africa the Indian bowling looked threatening in the 1st innings at Wanderers because the pitch still had a bit of juice but once that receded,   Indian bowlers were tame as South Africa nearly chased 450 runs.  In the Durban, the reverse swing was in but only Shami  looked dangerous because of his pace and accuracy. Zaheer is in his twilight and despite been a master of the reverse swing, he simply doesn't have that extra yard of pace through the air to trouble the batsmen. While Ishant  is still learning his style of bowling  despite playing international cricket for over six years.

It would be these same glaring issues that bit India in the back side after the lunch interval on the first day of the 1st Test. 

Furthermore to be successful with the old Kookaburra you need to bowl close to the 140Km/h mark and need to bowl relentless line and length.  Sharma struggled to touch the 135km/h mark and so did Zaheer.  Sharma figures after lunch and up until the new ball was taken were 12 - 0 - 54 - 0, in those 12 over's he was hit for eight fours. Zaheer plans to bounce the batsmen went astray he was pulled for six fours.  The pair simply could not sustain the pressure. Precision, is one of the virtues of succeeding with the old Kookaburra.  A skill that Indian bowlers have failed at miserably.

Bowling probing line and length with the old ball also requires as much skill as learning to swing or seam the ball. After all in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand bowlers need to take wickets between the 25th and 80th overs.  Over the past few years the Indian pacers have always lacked this skill of bowling with the old Kookaburra and until a solution is accomplished recoveries such as the one today by New Zealand with be regular circumstance.