VB Tour of West Indies – One Day Internationals

So Australia have just lost the second test in an absolute thriller against New Zealand, losing by 7 runs after needing 42 off the last wicket. A disappointing result but this kind of cricket is the reason why, in my book, test matches still have a place in the cricket world despite the emergence of T20 and the short nature of One Day Internationals. 

Australia have gone with a mixture of youth and experience for the test series against New Zealand but part of me wonders whether it may just be better to cut the cord and start from a clean slate. The youth have shown that they are up to the task, this test series alone has uncovered Pattinson and Lyon, and shown us that David Warner is capable of adapting his short form talent to the longer form of the game.

Just today David Warner almost got Australia over the line single handedly in just his second test match, a fantastic century that came off just over 150 balls. Quite an effort for someone just starting their test career and who is constantly being written off as only a “T20 and One Day player”.

It’s our experienced players though that should be leading by example, many of them are past their best so the only reason I can see to keep them on is if they are providing the younger players an example to follow, they don’t seem to be doing that at all to be honest. Michael Clarke isn’t doing too much wrong as captain, that knock against South Africa in the second and final test match when Australia were on the ropes suggests to me that he has what it takes to lead by example.

I’m mainly worried about Ponting, Hussey and Haddin. The middle order has let Australia down far too many times recently, most notably today when they collapsed in a heap, allowing New Zealand to fight back and win the test match. I couldn’t imagine Gilly giving away his wicket so cheaply knowing that one wicket could lead to the bowlers having to get Australia out of trouble by chasing runs that the batsmen should have put on the board.

We’re already in a rebuilding phase and have just drawn a series against a New Zealand side many thought would struggle against our Domestic sides. Perhaps it’s time to complete the transition and replace our middle order with some in form youngsters, they couldn’t do much worse and would only benefit from the experience. 

Australia needs to return to the glory days of world cricket domination and the only way I can see us doing that is to uncover some more young gems like Pattinson, Cummins and Warner. 

Our bowling attack with Starc, Cutting, Pattinson, Cummins and Lyon, not to mention Copeland and Hazlewood, looks promising. Injuries to Australian quicks before the summer brought about the change, why do we have to wait for a player to be injured before he is replaced in the test team? They always say it is harder to get out of the Australian Test Cricket side than it is to get into it, things don’t seem to have changed much.

I think that will change with the new selectors and coach showing that they are not afraid to make the hard decisions. With Cricket Australia’s board also going through somewhat of a facelift, I think the test series against India is going to be a chance for us to see just how far they are willing to go to put Australia back at the top of World Cricket.

I don’t think chopping and changing the side is the answer, players should be given a chance to get themselves back into form, but we need to have some sort of backup plan for those players that are clearly going through an extended rough patch, for example Phillip Hughes. This guy has undoubted talent and could be one of the great openers of this generation, he has time on his side at just 23 but for some reason he just can’t seem to get amongst the runs at the moment.

I’m not sure whether it’s because there is no competition for his place at the moment, or whether it’s just one of those things that will correct itself the more playing time he has, but I think we need to have a squad of players ready to come in and replace an out of form player. That will force the player to go back to domestic cricket and iron out the flaws, rather than hoping a few extra net sessions will correct everything knowing that he’ll have another chance in the next match.

Thankfully, Michael Clarke as our new captain seems to be on the same wavelength. After today’s loss to the Kiwis, Clarke suggested that Hughes may need to go back to Domestic cricket to find that form again, we should have Shaun Marsh back and Watson will probably be fit for Boxing Day so we have options at the top of the order to replace the out of form Hughes without having to go back to the drawing board and blood another youngster. I wish I could say the same for our middle order…..

What are your thoughts now where Australian Cricket needs to go next? Do we need to continue to blood these youngsters slowly or should they come in at the expense of the ageing and out of form players such as Ponting, Hussey and Haddin?