Match 10: Sublime Smith Guides Australia to Victory

It may not have been all about one man, but there is little doubt that if Australia did not have Steve Smith back in its one day team last night, they would have fallen to a heavy defeat against a resurgent West Indies XI. There were various peripheral performances that drove the victory for Australia last night, but without Smith’s calm guiding hand with the bat at number four it would all have come to nought. It emphasised just how much Australia has missed his batting and leadership in the game, and will also have rung alarm bells for England for the upcoming Ashes series as well.

• The West Indies executed their battle plans perfectly in the first half of this match. They had made no secret that they would be targeting Australia with the short ball, and while only one actually took a wicket, they all contributed to the early dismissals. Thomas’ peach to get Finch caught behind was a beauty. Warner’s prod to gully as his desire to get bat to every ball defeated him. The barrage that rattled Khawaja so much that he ended up in such a muddled mindset that he threw his wicket away (albeit to a great catch by Hope). Maxwell’s brain explosion second ball in trying to hook. Stoinis seeing a paddock of space but pulling straight to the only man at mid-wicket. All of it was planned strategy, and despite the wides that came along with this plan it was more than worth it with Australia at 4/38 and then 5/79. They should not have made more than 150.
• Alex Carey and Nathan Coulter-Nile were both exceptional. Carey was criticised by the commentators for being just 3 off 25 deliveries, but like Smith he took the time to get his eye in and have a look at the bowlers and the wicket. He then proceeded to put every loose ball away, and was only defeated by the drinks break, immediately after which he was dismissed. His 45 from 55 balls was exceptional. Coulter-Nile has had a good time with the bat in recent games, and with 16 overs to bat he used it all to his advantage. With the fire having receded from the bowling attack and the pitch, he blasted away at precisely the right time, making his highest score of 92 from just 60 balls on the same ground that Ashton Agar had made 98 in his debut Test six years earlier. 
• What to do about the no ball rule? Chris Gayle fell LBW to Mitch Starc which hurt the Windies chase. However, after the event the ball before the dismissal was shown to be a no ball – by a lengthy margin. Indeed you can only wonder how Chris Gaffney missed it. If it had been called, then the delivery that dismissed Gayle would in fact have been a free hit. More to this, if that previous delivery had taken a wicket, it would have gotten the usual look at by the third umpire and would have been overturned because it WAS a no ball. Yet because it didn’t take a wicket, it wasn’t looked at. You can understand how the Windies would have been aggrieved at this, and there’s no doubt that the current rule in regards to reviewing no balls has to be looked at. It can’t be good enough to only look at possible no balls when a possible wicket is at stake. In short form cricket where the ‘free hit’ rule applies, every no ball has to be actioned or a batting team is then disadvantaged. 
• The Windies fought hard with the bat, and were probably in the position to win it at 4/190 needing just over a run a ball. The dismissal of Hope by Cummins stalled the chase, and the return of Starc at the end was a key. Firstly he picked up Andre Russell to remove that danger, and the dismissal of Brathwaite and Holder both in the 46th over was the crucial final play. In the 2015 World Cup Starc was the talisman. He is not as feared this time around but for Australia he is just as important if they are to challenge later in the tournament. He took the last four wickets to fall and finished with 5/46 from his ten overs. It was a statement. 
• But it all comes back to Steve Smith. Coming to the crease at 2/26, he calmly took dot balls and singles to build into his innings, even as wickets fell at the other end. He didn’t bother with his strike rate, he just play the ball on its merits and moved along at his own pace, almost oblivious as to what else was happening. When Carey and Coulter-Nile got into their swing, he calmly gave them the strike and stayed in his headspace. As the innings reached its conclusion he began to break out, and it was only a freaking catch by Cottrall on the boundary – one of the best you’ll see – that halted him just as he was about the take over. He left at 7/249 having scored 73 from 107 deliveries, and through his calm and commanding batting he was able to guide his team to a defendable total. Carey, Coulter-Nile, Starc and Cummins were all tremendous. But without Steve Smith, Australia would stand today at one win and one loss in this World Cup, and not two wins. 

What has Australia learned from this match as they prepare to take on India in two days’ time? Hopefully that it is okay to build an innings at the start and increase the pace after that. Smith and Carey showed what could be done in the middle order, and if our top order showed that patience perhaps it will work just as well. The Windies lost their way with their bowling in the last 20 overs, whereas Australia seemed to improve. It was an important difference. Everyone will need to contribute if Australia is to beat India on Sunday.

Match 7: Afghanistan Blows Chance to Take Down Sri Lanka

Afghanistan won’t get a better chance to win a match at this year’s World Cup than they did last night, and the method of their collapse in chasing a mid-range target has more than likely confined them to spectators for the remainder of the tournament. Though no one expected them to challenge for the title, there was great hope that they would push for not just one victory but multiple victories during the six week tournament. After falling to Sri Lanka last night, that now seems like fairy take stuff. Mind you, this could well be the only victory Sri Lanka tastes as well. It should also be noted that once again a team that was invited to bat first after their opponents won the toss and gave up that advantage has once again won. Runs on the board… and all that…

• Sri Lanka’s opening duo of Karunaratne and Kusal Perera made a great start, taking 92 from the first 13 overs. That they then lost ten wickets for 109 runs from the following 24 overs, even given that rain changed their batting equation, is what has proven costly for this team for some time. One suspects against most other teams it would have cost them the match, But… runs on the board… and all that…
• Hamid Hassan was taken for 30 runs from his first two overs of which no delivery managed to reach the 140kph range. But his second spell was a beauty, combining with Nabi and Rashid to squeeze the life out of the Sri Lankan innings. His speeds reached the heights of 145kph as he had in the first match, and his next four overs produced 1/16 and multiple deliveries flying past the edge to pound into the keepers gloves. He still has a lot to offer this World Cup in regards to excitement.
• Two periods defined the match, and both saw five wickets fall in next to no time. Sri Lanka had been cruising at 1/144 off 21 overs when Mohammed Nabi took three wickets in one over, but which required the nous of putting in a slip during a period where the batting team was on top. It was great to see attacking cricket being rewarded, with Thirimanne bowled by alazy shot, and then both Mendis and Matthews fooled by clever bowling that resulted in catches at first slip. This then led to the onset of the run out of Thisara Perera through the pressure being exerted by Nabi, Hassan and Rashid, all of which topped off an excellent period of play by the least experienced team of this World Cup.
• Similarly, after Afghanistan had gotten away to exactly the kind of start they needed if they were to win this game, it was the excellence of Malinga and Pradeep in particular that turned the game around, with five wicket falling for just 23 runs over nine overs that destroyed any hope of the underdogs getting up and winning the match. There was good bowling by all the Lankan seamers, but the four wickets from the recalled Pradeep who did not play in the first game was the clincher. He hit the pitch and moved the ball such that the batsmen were consistently under pressure, and his two spells both contained two wickets.
• Afghanistan’s batting is not up to a standard at this stage where it can win these contests. They are more likely to get runs from their lower order than the top order, and there doesn’t seem to be a stable presence at this stage in the batting order. In the short contests they will continue to be felt, but they need to develop a strategy for the 50 over game that includes scoring runs without throwing the bat at the ball as hard as they can.

While the match itself was made up of moments that created an exciting contest, it also proved that neither of these teams are likely to provide any upsets for the remainder of the World Cup. That may prove to be yet another early call in a tournament where those kinds of calls have already proven to be far from accurate, but on face value here neither team looks to have the balance required to make a big splash at this year’s tournament.

Match 6: England Drop the Ball as Pakistan Redefine Unpredictable

If any team was going to go through this World Cup undefeated, it was England. Their recent ODI record was superb, and coming into their match with Pakistan, whom they had just defeated 4-0 in their recent bilateral series, and whom themselves had been savaged by the West Indies just days before, no one could really see anything but a strong English victory. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

• On Pakistan’s side was the fact that they score over 300 three times in that just-completed series, something that wold have given them some hope. Doing it again would have seemed unlikely after being routed by the Windies, but the batsmen did their job. Not only did they get the start they needed from the top order, they finished off in style. 30 runs came from the final three overs of Pakistan’s innings to get them to 348, and having been sent in by Eoin Morgan they couldn’t have asked for anything better.
• England would have decried the number of balls edged over or through the keeper and slips when they batted, and they would have been right. There were plenty of edged shots flying wide of the field set. However, that was more than evened up when England batted, as both Root and Buttler had a similar amount of luck in edges circumspectly dividing the available fielders to the boundary.
• The match changed on Jason Roy shelling a sitter at mid off from the bat of Mohammed Hafeez. Whether or not the sun hindered his efforts he immediately started looking for excuses when really there were none. Hafeez was on three at the time, and Pakistan was 2/134 off 24 overs. If that catch was taken, England win the game, simple as that. As it turned out, Hafeez went on to make 84 runs off 62 balls and added 145 runs in 18 overs while he was at the crease. It was a game changer. Adil Rashid, the bowler, ended up going for 43 from five overs, though he bowled far better than the figures say. If Hafeez goes early he may well have run through the rest of the batting line up.
• Jason Roy had a dog’s day out. Several misfields added to his dropped catch meant he was already in a foul mood. He was then fired LBW by Shadab Khan which looked as plumb as you like, yet he and Bairstow chose to burn their only review to have that confirmed. He’s a moody cricketer and is all smiles when the world runs for him. When it starts to move against him, he tends to drop his bundle pretty quickly.
• It looked to be a similar story when Joe Root was dropped on 9 at 1/33, though perhaps not immediately. Pakistan was on top at 4/118 in the 22nd over, but Root along with Buttler then carried their team to 248 off 39 overs before his eventual dismissal. It left 101 still needed with 11 overs to bowl, but at this stage Pakistan would have been ruing not getting Root early. Certainly there was at least twenty strokes from both batsmen that were edged behind the wicket for major runs.
• Buttler was phenomenal once again. He may have been quiet in the first match but he was superb here, playing all of his strokes and consistently going at a high strike rate. He likes to come in with 15 overs left and play this kind of knock. The fact that had to come in so early and was still able to dominate is a testament to his form and growing reputation. His dismissal at 288 with 5.3 overs remaining to score the unlikely 61 runs to win made sure it was well out of reach for the Englishmen.
• Mohammed Amir had another fantastic day with the ball, though 2/67 from ten doesn’t look like it. He was unfortunate again most of the day, as he has been since his return to international cricket. Along with Wahab Riaz he has made a difference to this team, and both have proven selector Inzamam-ul-Haq correct in his decision to bring the ‘veterans’ back into the squad.

England may have stumbled here, but their main components showed that even when they didn’t all click they were still close enough to almost snatch a match they probably shouldn’t have gotten so close to. There is no need for panic within their camp at this stage. Pakistan has again shown their complete unpredictability, though one suspects that this is what will stop them from progressing to the finals stage. Time will tell if that statement is as obsolete as the one made about England going through unbeaten.

Can Cricket Survive England Winning the World Cup?

With the World Cup finally upon us after a long and enjoyable build up, it is becoming morosely likely that we will see England finally come through and become champions of the one day format. The question that needs to be asked about this possibility is this - can cricket survive such an occurrence? 

For decades we have laughed along as England has consistently failed to not only win the World Cup, but in recent years not even come close to qualifying for the finals stage. Don’t pretend you haven’t enjoyed it as much as I have. 

Okay sure, they have made three finals since the World Cup format was introduced back in 1975, but they didn’t win any of them; destroyed by Viv Richards and Joel Garner in 1979, eliminated by Mike Gatting’s reverse paddle in 1987, heartbroken by Inzamam Ul-Haq and Wasim Akram in 1992. 

Since then it has been boundless joy in watching England capitulate at each tournament. In 1999 on home soil they failed to make the Super Six stage on net run rate after Zimbabwe smashed South Africa to get in front of them. In 2003 their decision to not play in Zimbabwe eventually meant they qualified for the Super Six in front of them. Again. In 2007 they reached the Super Eights by defeating Kenya and Canada (yip yip!) but failed to make the semi-finals from this position. In 2011 they reached the quarter final despite losing to Ireland, and were then thrashed by Sri Lanka by 10 wickets. And in 2015 by losing to Bangladesh they again failed to make the quarter final stage.

All of this has been wonderful to watch, more enjoyable even than South Africa’s constant choking at the vital stage of each tournament. But that all looks as though it is about to end. 

On form it is impossible to go past England to win this World Cup. They have been the outstanding ODI team in the world for the past two years, with their belligerent line up battering bowling attacks all over the world. Jason Roy can often be dismissed early, but if he gets to double figures he is almost unstoppable. Jonny Bairstow has become a great foil for him at the top of the order. Joe Root, Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes are the perfect middle order mainstay, while Jos Buttler has proven to be 'The Finisher’, with his hitting ability breathtaking to watch. For two years we have watched and waited for this line-ups decree of ‘keep going hard no matter what’ to fall over and fail. To this point, it has barely had a stumble.

While the batting line up is electrifying, the bowling attack is almost underrated, and while the job it has done over this period has been somewhat surprising, it has been just as effective. Mark Wood bowling 150kph off about five steps has been a revelation for England, while Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes have both turned themselves into key bowlers with run conservation and sneaky wicket taking ability. Combined with the all-round batting and spin options of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, England has managed to acquire a team that can adapt to any conditions and any game situation without having to change their playing personnel, something that only the best teams can boast. In reserve they still have Tom Curran and Jofra Archer, which gives this team a terrific advantage. 

Can anyone beat England? Of course. India are still hovering. South Africa, despite their own problems in previous World Cups, have the batting and bowling to challenge. New Zealand do as well, and... Australia... maybe... 

But it doesn’t look good. Since the start of 2018 England has won 24 ODI’s and lost 7. This shows that they are not infallible, and perhaps someone out there has worked out a method to beat England’s current winning formula. I would like to think the world will have the last laugh in seven weeks' time. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem likely, and we have to start preparing ourselves for the fact that cricket may never be the same again if England does finally get to call itself Champions of the World.

Creaks Aside, Australia's Cup Defense on Track

With Australia’s final hit out consigned to the history books, can the country’s fans be confident of retaining the trophy that they won at home four years ago, or is it a bridge too far considering what has happened over the past twelve months. Such has been the upheaval within the squad it could perhaps be considered an achievement just to be in the position they are in, which is that Australia are a very good chance of making the semi-final stage without looking like a realistic chance of winning the World Cup itself.

There are creaks within the squad that bely the fact that it is still significantly stronger than any Australian team that has taken the field for an ODI in recent times. The simple act of reintegrating Steve Smith and Dave Warner into the XI does this. Warner is yet to showcase the form he had during the IPL, but Smith has been sublime and looks ready to be the rock at number four throughout the tournament. 

In the absence of Smith and Warner, Glenn Maxwell has rediscovered himself and has been the main thrust within the team, and this is perhaps not an unconnected occurrence. Under Smith as captain and Lehmann as coach, Maxwell’s bowling went from underused to non-existent, and it was very noticeable in the way he was ignored in this fact. He also appeared to be getting mixed messages from the leadership and the selectors in regards to what was expected from him, and it did appear as though he was being forced out for reasons that did not include his performance on the field. Since their departure from those roles, Maxwell has fought his way back, not only exacting a lift in the order from seven to more likely role at number five, but also bowling significant overs and with success, being both economical and as a wicket taker. This change has been plain to see for all, and in some way must come down to the encouragement of both captain Aaron Finch and coach Justin Langer. It is an interesting comparison as to how a talented player can either thrive or wilt under differing leaders. How Maxwell performs his role will be crucial to Australia’s chances over the next month or so.

How the selectors go about choosing Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh will be interesting. Both have been excellent in ODI’s over the past twelve months, and both look in good touch right now. However, unless it is decided to abandon Marcus Stoinis as the allrounder at number six, only one of these two left handers can fit into the starting XI. Whoever misses out if this is the case will feel unlucky, but it does appear likely that both will have their chance at some stage through the tournament to be in the team and play their part. 

Alex Carey has shown good signs with the bat, but it will be his glovework that needs to be at its absolute best. Missed chances behind the stumps will be costly in this tournament and he will know he needs to be at 100% throughout when in the field.

The creaks are still within the team, and they will be hoping to iron them out as quickly as possible. Captain Finch is still being dismissed on the back foot in front of the stumps, and though he found form in the UAE against Pakistan that troublesome mode of dismissal is still his Achilles heel. Stoinis has barely scored a run or taken a wicket in months and despite Shane Warne’s backing he needs to deliver if he is to keep his spot in the XI. The third fast bowling spot behind Mitch Starc and Pat Cummins is problematic, with both Nathan Coulter-Nile and Kane Richardson attacking but expensive. NCN is likely to get the chance due to his lower order batting potential but he needs to find some potency to back up his opening partners. Adam Zampa will be the specialist spinner, and needs to be the equal of the other spinners in this competition. Spin will be a major weapon for most teams during this World Cup and if Zampa can be their equal it will propel Australia’s chances of qualifying for the finals to greater heights. With both Maxwell and Smith being used in the warm up games, the chances of Nathan Lyon playing a role here looks to only come down to if the fast bowling second stringers can’t do their job and it is decided he may well fill that void. 

Can Australia win? They can, but it feels unlikely. England look like they hold the fate of the tournament in their hands. India are struggling but perhaps are just biding their time. New Zealand will be strong again, and South Africa just have to find a way of not choking to be a threat. Pakistan look dreadful but are so unpredictable they could cause a surprise. The Windies young kids now have Gayle, Russell and Brathwaite back which can only help them. Bangladesh will cause some damage with their spinners, while Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will be looking to cause some upsets. If Australia hold their nerve and win the games they should they will make the semi-finals. From there, as they have shown before, anything is possible.

* This post was also published on The Roar website here.

Smith Rides the Wave as Favourites Hit a Speedhump

On a day that both of the World Cup favourites were defeated in their warm up matches by two of the three teams that are expected to challenge them, there needs to be a touch of sanity resumed in the conversation. While supporters on both sides are working themselves into a frenzy, the simple fact is that the tournament proper does not start for another four days and these results mean next to nothing.

For Australian fans the sight of Steve Smith batting with ease and controlling the innings throughout is a welcome one. Both he and David Warner were booed to the crease – as they will be all England summer – and one wonders how effective that will be. It may affect the concentration of Warner, who seems the kind of person who wats to shove such criticism down your throat with big shots, but to me if they keep booing Smith, he will score a thousand runs just to prove it won’t affect him. Everything was in place last night – the concerted building of the innings, the concentration through the middle, and then the big shots to accelerate at the end. It looked effortless, and his build up through all of the warm up matches Australia has played has been exceptional. He looks ready.

Australia’s victory means little, with both Morgan and Root not playing for England, and Maxwell, Cummins and Starc sitting out for Australia. Alex Carey’s batting cameo was a welcome sight, though doubt still remains over Stoinis. Oh if only Ashton Turner was in the squad. Jos Buttler confirmed his ability once again. He is my tip as Player of the Tournament. Note that down. What should also be noted is the affect that the two spinners for Australia played. In the modern age of ODI cricket, pace on the ball seems to benefit the batsmen who use it to strike it all over the field. It is spin – good spin, not just part time stuff – that could still be the key to this tournament.

When these two teams meet in the tournament proper, both sides will field vastly different lineups, and this result will count for nothing.

So too the match between India and New Zealand, where the Kiwi seamer put the Indian batting to the sword. India has so far shown a reluctance to have a high profile, hoping to come into the tournament under the radar. The overnight result will bring that to a screaming halt. India lost its last three ODI’s to Australia pre-IPL, and due to the nature of the draw (something I’m sure they manipulated to gain the best lead in) they do not play their first match under the seventh day of the tournament, after which some teams will have already played twice. That match, against perennial chokers South Africa, will be a real test, and if they play like they did last night they are in for a world of hurt. They may feign indifference to last night’s match, but their supporters at home will already be up in arms.

For the Kiwi’s, they still have the Colin Munro problem to assess at the top of the order (and for my two cents worth, he should be batting at five and allowing Tom Latham to open like he does in Test cricket – problem solved), but the sight of their trump cards from the 2015 World Cup in Trent Boult and Tim Southee doing what they do best would have been a pleasing one. They will be right in the mix again, and they look like they are peaking perfectly just like four years ago.

The weekend has offered a little taste of what is to come. There will be upsets – there always are – but one suspects that if everything mostly goes according to plan, then these four teams will be seeing each other again at the back end of the tournament, and those games will be far more intense that what we witnessed into the small hours of this morning.

Aussie World Cup Squad a Chance for Redemption

Everyone has their own opinion on who should be in the World Cup team and squad and who shouldn’t. Everyone will have their personal preferences of particular players who they believe should or shouldn’t be a part of every Australian team. Four months ago, it seemed almost impossible to find fifteen players worthy of selection in a World Cup squad. Now it seems that even a twenty five player squad wouldn’t be enough to have everyone in who deserves a place. As a result, there will be some disappointed players when the actual fifteen player squad is named, which means that if Australia now doesn’t perform well, the naysayers will be out in force over the selected squad and who should have gone instead of whom. Despite this, it is a much better position to be in than we thought was going to be the case.

Australia has just won eight ODI matches in a row. There are lots of things to digest about that statistic.

Firstly is the fact that prior to the third ODI against India, Australia’s record in one day internationals since the beginning of 2018 was abysmal. 18 matches played. 3 wins, 15 losses. They had played against arguably the three best teams in the world only – 10 against England (1 win, 9 losses), 3 against South Africa (1 win, 2 losses) and 5 against India (1 win, 4 losses). One captain had been suspended, and the other was walking a tightrope of poor form. The bowling attack rotated as much as the batting line up. Different plans were utilised, and none were succeeding. Fans were waiting for Smith and Warner’s return, but still wondered if it would make any difference.

Then came the winning streak, eight wins in a row. Three against India who in fairness tinkered with their own line-up to give peripheral players an opportunity. Five more wins against Pakistan who did the same, but still fielded as poorly as they tend to do. Australia won games by setting good totals and defending, and by batting second and chasing the total set for them. They had some luck in these games that contributed to their wins and perhaps didn’t see the best of their opponents. The conditions that the games were played in will bear little resemblance to what they will face in a couple of months in England. But in the lead up to a World Cup, the confidence taken from winning these games and finding a combination that works was more valuable than anything else.

Australia had been trying to follow England’s - and to a lesser degree India’s - batting template in recent times, that being to go hard from the very first ball, and continue to do so regardless of wickets lost. The problem with that was that both England and India didn’t seem to lose as many wickets as Australia did, and Australia was behind the eight ball consistently and their win-loss ratio suffered as a result. Chris Lynn and D’Arcy Short were given their opportunities in this mindset but failed to convert their domestic form to international runs. It could be argued they didn’t get enough chances, but to me they suffered from the fact that the Australian hierarchy eventually came to the conclusion that this method was not in our team’s best interest. No, we had to go back to a more uniform method, one that suited the team we had and their best value.

In doing this, Australia stuck with who and what they knew. Shaun Marsh had been the one shining light with the bat during the past twelve months, and his style is to work the ball around early, and build to a point where he can attack freely later in his innings. Usman Khawaja bats in a similar way, but has worked better when he can take his time before caressing the ball into the gaps to the boundary, before the field is allowed to go back out of the circle. I felt for some time that these two were too similar in style to be maintained in the same ODI team, but they have proven it can work with Khawaja opening and taking advantage of hitting the ball along the ground for four early, and Marsh then coming in and working ones and twos in the same way once the opening ten overs are completed. Complemented by the return to form of Aaron Finch, Australia’s top order has maintained a run rate between 5-6 runs an over in comfort, without taking risks. Perhaps England and India go faster, but Australia has taken this philosophy, and then banked on their middle order to accelerate towards the end.

Enter Glenn Maxwell. Practically ignored by the Smith/Warner/Lehmann era over the previous two years, under the new regime of Finch and Langer he has exploded. Having been shown confidence by his captain and Victorian teammate, Maxwell has scored runs at a blistering pace, and suddenly begun bowling again, keeping the runs down while taking the odd wicket. He has been lifted from number seven to as high as four in the batting order, and is proving to be the match changer/winner that Australia needs. Supported by Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Alex Carey, Australia has found the batting format that works for them, and is suddenly winning them cricket matches. The way they bat has been crafted to the strengths of those that have been selected to do their job, and it is working. When it comes to the World Cup, this is a very important point to keep in mind.

The bowling has also been working, though the subcontinent pitches are no doubt helping the twin spin attack being used of Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon. Whether or not this is sustainable in England is open to question, but the fact that both have been bowling well and doing their job bodes well for when they get their chance during the World Cup.

Australia’s greatest threat to their success comes from which bowlers are now chosen to do the job in the World Cup. Most pundits believe both Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will come straight into the squad if they are fit in time, but is this the best fit for the team? Hazlewood has played just 6 of the 25 ODI’s since January 2018, for 8 wickets at 35.50 and an economy rate of 5. Starc has played 7 matches, for 11 wickets at 37.36 and an economy rate just over 6. More than their figures, it is the complete lack of matches in this format that is concerning for both bowlers. Both will be underdone if they are chosen. The point on their side is that none of their true contenders such as Jason Behrendorff (7 wickets at 41.42), Kane Richardson (8 at 31.75) or Billy Stanlake (6 at 42.66) has done enough to displace them if they are ruled as fit.

The team though absolutely needs Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson fit and in that team. Both have played 12 matches in this time period. Cummins has been the leader taking 25 wickets at 20.36 and Richardson 24 wickets at 26.33. Both have been the attacking weapons the team needs if they are to challenge for the World Cup. Nathan Coulter-Nile has also been prominent with 11 wickets at 26.36 from just 6 matches, but injury continues to dog his own chances.

Which all leads us to the question as to who should the selectors choose in their final fifteen player squad. There are going to be some unlucky players, and perhaps some who are also a little fortunate.

If we assume that Australia is going to stick with its current batting philosophy, then the current top seven who have played against Pakistan all must go, and must be the top seven from the first match. The squeeze will come from whether or not Alex Carey is seen to be expendable as wicket-keeper, and instead install Handscomb in that role in order to get another batsman or bowler into the team. That would be very harsh on Carey, who has played all of his 19 internationals in the past twelve months. He looks a comfortable selection at seven, and has just made his first fifty last week. Changing that position would be against everything it appears the team has worked towards in the last four months. Carey should be the keeper, with Handscomb in the squad as batsman only but back-up keeper should anything go wrong.

Both Steve Smith and David Warner look certain to be chosen to make their international returns, and their limited T20 appearances around the world should be enough to have them in shape and ready to go when asked. My belief is that they should not automatically come back into the first XI, as their inclusion would change the way the batsmen have been operating. One can only believe that they will play a part in the tournament, but that doesn’t have to be from the outset. With Finch, Khawaja, Marsh, Handscomb, Maxwell, Stoinis, Carey, Smith and Warner making nine in the squad, there is no room for the wonderfully talented Ashton Turner which is a real shame. It also means that none of Lynn, Short, Matthew Wade or any other batting candidate can come into the squad unless one of these nine is discarded, and this looks very unlikely.

The six bowling slots look to choose themselves, barring injury befalling any of the candidates. Starc and Hazlewood will get their chance if they are passed fit, while Cummins and Jhye Richardson are the other two pacemen at the top of the list. They will be joined by both Zampa and Lyon, which leaves plenty of other bowlers with cases for selection missing the plane. If any of the four pace bowlers doesn’t come up though – and only Cummins at the moment looks a certainty regarding no injury concerns - there is scope for a return. Having been in the squad for the past two months, Coulter-Nile, Behrendorff and Kane Richardson would be in the best seat to grab an available spot. However, the wild card is James Pattinson, whose return from injury once again has been spectacular. He is currently being spoken of as an Ashes certainty, but surely he has a case for inclusion in the World Cup squad as well, with his pace and swing and seam.

If I was choosing the squad, I would be looking for any way possible to fit both Ashton Turner and James Pattinson into the team, because for me they provide the kind of spark that this team needs to lift itself into a World Cup winning team. There is no way to do that without some tough calls, and I think it is unlikely it will happen, but their ability to make something happen from nothing is something I would very much like to see.

Likely squad: Aaron Finch (c), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk) (vc), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon.

My squad: Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Pat Cummins (vc), Mitch Starc, Jhye Richardson, Adam Zampa, David Warner, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson.

Albion Park Under 13's: Final vs Shellharbour Blue at Myimbar East

In a summer where the biggest news seems to be that the state is in drought and creeks are drying up and golf course dams are at all time lows, it seems quite ironic that on the final day of the junior cricket season the premiers in the SCDCA Under 13 competition has been decided by the rain rather than the contest on the field. And yet this is what occurred on Saturday when the match between the second placed Shellharbour Blue team and the fourth placed Albion Park team was washed out without the toss being made or a ball being bowled, an event that led to the higher placed Shellharbour team being declared as Premiers for 2018/19. There was no argument from the participants – Shellharbour had won both matches between the teams during the regular season and were favourites for the game as it was. But Albion Park has only played its strongest team once during the season, and that had been in the demolition of the Lake Illawarra team the previous weekend, and with the vast improvement that they had made since their last meeting in January, there was plenty of confidence leading into the weekend that they could spring another surprise. Instead, they could be happy with thought they they had given everything they had on the cricket field during the season, and that reaching the final in the first place was indeed a terrific achievement.

It has been one of the best of my 41 seasons of cricket that I have been involved in on the South Coast, even if it was just from the spectators position. Watching these 14 young kids each week, and seeing the massive improvement each of them made between October and March, has been as gratifying as any season before this. Anthony Pickering as coach has been amazing, enthusiastic at every training and at every game, positive and encouraging in every sense of the word, always with the kids best interests at heart. He has been tough when he has to be, and because it has only been on the rarest of occasions, each time he did struck a chord with the kids and they responded immediately. His heartfelt words after 15 overs of the game against Shellharbour in January, when the lethargy of the kids had shown and cost them too many runs, had an immediate impact, and their recovery in the second fifteen overs was amazing. If they had been just as good in the first fifteen overs, they may well have won that match. That’s what makes a good coach, the ability to know when words need to be said, and when to just let the kids have their head. This wasn’t the only example of this during the season, but it was the most significant. Thanks for everything you did this season Anthony, you can be justifiably proud of what your team achieved this year because of your efforts.
It is also important to acknowledge the support of the parents and families this season. These kids all perform better when they have their family there to watch, because they WANT to perform for you and to do well in front of you and FOR you. The massive support you gave to this team every Saturday is a big reason they did so well. There is nothing better than doing something good, and hearing the cheers for you from the sideline, whether you are 12 years old or 49 years old. Nothing matters more to kids than playing in front of their family and their teammates families. The support this season was extraordinary, and you all can lay claim to a piece of the responsibility for this team doing so well this season.

Everyone will have different memories of their favourite parts of the season. Mine may not equate to the same as others, but sometimes it is the moments rather than the best performances that stick best in the mind. Rob Denny’s first three deliveries of the season, all perfect left-arm outswinging deliveries to the left hand opening batsman, with the third plucking the off stump out of the ground. Lucas Thompson’s catch standing at mid on under a high ball off Josh that took six months to come down, followed by the biggest smile ever and his teammates crushing him in celebration. Kane Rex’s crushing cover drive at Gainsborough in a ‘stand and deliver’ pose, possibly the best stroke he has played in his short career so far. Watching Liam Cergovski take the keeping gloves at training for the first time, and then not letting a single ball past him, and suddenly realising we had found a wicket-keeper in the making. Blake Ison’s fearless and blistering batting when opening against Oak Flats chasing 117 to win, and perfectly setting up the team with his innings to ensure a famous victory. Will Schofield’s perfectly amazingly brilliant catch at Gainsborough as the ball continued to drift away from his grasp until the final instant he managed to wrap his hand around the ball. Tom Denyer chasing the ball from mid-wicket to deep long on against Shellharbour, turning and throwing down the stumps direct at the bowlers end to have the batsman short by two metres. Wacky Campion’s terrific stumping off Josh at Con O’Keefe after he said at drinks ‘I’m a good keeper! I’ll get a stumping off Josh!’ Jack Couley’s match-changing innings against Kiama in a game the team had to win to reach the finals. Lucas freaking Brown and his 4/1 from two overs against Kiama when he was on two hat-tricks and might have gotten all the wickets if he’d been allowed to bowl more than two overs. Every single Kasey Barton back foot punch along the ground through cover, just the best looking stroke from a 12 year old it has ever been my pleasure to see. Kynan Barton’s dual run outs in consecutive deliveries against Kiama Gold at Con O’Keefe, one from a great piece of fielding at slip and the other chasing the ball down at point. Owen Pickering’s match-winning batting in the semi-final when he showed the poise and responsibility of the senior player in the team to calmly see off the best bowlers before hitting the winning runs from the change bowlers. And Josh Peters… bowling Jarryd White for a golden duck in that same game… I may have dropped my guard and screamed in triumph at that…

These are but a handful of the great moments from the season. Each and every one of these boys can be proud of their seasons. And every single one of them has a great future in this game, and we need to encourage them to keep playing and improve. They are literally the future of the Albion Park Cricket Club, and we all need to make sure they continue to love the game as much as they do now, and keep playing on for years to come.

Bring on 2019/20.

Tactical Batting Turnaround Has Aussies Moving Forward

As good as this ODI series victory was for the Australian team in India, it is important to note that these conditions are unlikely to be similar to the ones that await them in England. Whether there is more ball movement in the air or off a friendlier surface, and whether spin is as potent as it was in this series, we can only wait to see. India also made enough changes in their team over the final three ODI’s to suggest that they hadn’t picked their absolute best team to challenge for wins. And yet the positives for Australia outweigh any perceived problems on a tour where few could have said they expected that the visitors would win both the T20I series and the ODI series. It has not necessarily answered pending questions in regards to the upcoming World Cup, but it has certainly changed the questions that are being asked.

Never give a sucker an even break. A saying as old as the hills. In the early part of the Indian tour, Shaun Marsh was allowed to stay at home for the birth of his first child. That’s an excellent outcome for he and his family. However, it gave Usman Khawaja the chance to slot in as opener in the ODI team, and it has proven to be the ideal scenario for both himself and skipper Aaron Finch. It was instructive that for the deciding game Marsh was overlooked for Western Australian teammate Ashton Turner, a decision that has over-reaching complications for Marsh and his participation in the World Cup. Marsh played three of the five games, scoring just 29 runs. All along it has looked like only one of Khawaja and Marsh can play in the same ODI team, given the similarity of their play in this form of the game. At home Marsh looked to be a lock for the World Cup squad. Now, with Khawaja on a run streak and Marsh having given him that leg up by coming into the tour late, that whole selection debate has become a lot more difficult and intense.

On the matter of Khawaja and Finch, they have formed a good partnership, and Finch has been able to break the stranglehold of low scores that has beset his Australian summer. More importantly, the opening partnerships of 0, 83, 193, 3 and 76 are more than acceptable over a five game period, with the three larger ones at five runs an over or better.

Having spent the better part of 12 months trying to replicate the England ODI batting format of going hard from the first ball and trusting that their line-up can do so all the way through, Australia has realised it is not their go. D’Arcy Short and Chris Lynn were seen as those guys at the top of the order who could demolish a bowling attack but in the end they were unsuccessful, and Australia instead often found themselves two or three for not many and then having to have the middle order recover the situation. In India they have fallen back to better cricket, utilising the gaps in the field to hit boundaries generally along the ground rather than the aerial route. The opening partnership has been well supported by the similar stroke play of Handscomb at three, while the more adventurous hard hitting has come from Maxwell, Stoinis and Turner in the middle. The ODI’s against Pakistan will give a better idea if these batting tactics can continue to build good totals. One suspects in England Australia will need more runs than the 250-280 they are making now, but the order as it stands right now looks capable of doing that on their own terms.

Alex Carey should now have answered any critics of his position in this team. His gloves have been good, and he has contributed well with the bat. He leads well from behind the stumps and doesn’t appear to get flustered. His keeping to the spinners especially has been good, and overall he has done everything asked of him. Hopefully this question is now laid to rest.

The selection of Ashton Turner in the squad is one of the best the national selectors have made in some time. Off the back of an excellent career at Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers and a terrific BBL08, he has been given his opportunity and has taken it with both hands. His scintillating unbeaten burst of 84 off 43 deliveries to finish off the winning chase in the fourth ODI along with his two other innings and wonderful fielding has set him up to be the ‘finisher’ Australia has been looking for since Mike Hussey’s retirement. And he hasn’t even bowled his handy part-time offies yet. He is perhaps the most exciting member of this team going forward.

Not that anyone doubted he would, but Pat Cummins has become the white ball leader much in the same way as he has become the red ball leader. His series was just what Australia needed, and in leading the attack he was able to give his other charges – Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff – a release of pressure and allow them to bowl without the weight bearing on their shoulders. Richardson continued on his great summer and looks to be one of the required fast bowlers for the World Cup, while Coulter-Nile would be handy in the lower order with the bat as well if he can stay fit. The clouds hovering over the fitness of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood look to be the only thing giving anyone else a look in at this stage in regards to fast bowling slots.

The selectors will be ecstatic with the showing of both Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon on this tour. Both needed to prove they should be in the team, and in their own way they have done just that. Zampa showed all of his variety and wicket-taking potential with 11 wickets in the five matches, while also going for less than six runs an over. He is hitting form at the right time, and no doubt being given consistent and continuous matches is helping that enormously. Lyon took only three wickets in three matches, but his economy rate of 4.43 was the best of any bowler on either side in the series. It appears unlikely that two spinners will be required in England, but if they do then Australia’s two best look ready for the challenge.

The big question of what to do with Steve Smith and Dave Warner is probably no closer to being answered. But what is perhaps the best outcome of all of this is – who says either has to be immediately chosen in our best ODI XI? Australia’s first engagement at the World Cup is against Afghanistan, and their second against the West Indies. Without denigrating either team’s chance of defeating Australia in those matches, the point is that the selectors aren’t beholden to choose their two returning superstars from the first match. Both should certainly still be in the 15 man World Cup squad, but if the team continues on its winning way in Pakistan then there is no immediate need to change a winning formula. Surely it would be a handy thing to have Smith and Warner in reserve should the team lose a couple of matches, and be able to inject them into the line-up – rather than putting them in from the start and leave out two guys who have been performing, just on their name and reputation alone. It is something well worth considering. 

India now head into the IPL, while Australia has five further ODI encounters to play against the unpredictable Pakistan team, all of which will then culminate in the final 15 man squad having to be announced. If nothing else, Australians have been buoyed by the performances in India, and a similar effort against Pakistan will at least have fans in a positive frame of mind when we get into the real thing come end the of May.

Albion Park Under 13's: Semi-Final vs Lake Illawarra at Morley Park

In the 1983/84 Under 14A competition, the fourth placed Albion Park team took on the undefeated minor premiers Shellharbour in the semi-final. Against all odds and with nothing to lose, Albion Park won that game convincingly, and went on to play in the final the following weekend, again with nothing to lose. I bring this up only to illustrate that such a scenario can happen, so that when you read the following you will know it is not an impossible tale, and much like the tagline for the original 1978 movie version of Superman that read “You will believe a man can fly”, here you will believe that the underdog can defeat the overwhelming favourites – which is what faced the fourth placed Albion Park Eagles Under 13’s in their semi final against the undefeated minor premiers Lake Illawarra at Morley Park on Saturday morning.

Lake Illawarra batted first and walked out to face a pumped-up Albion Park team, who were much less nervous than many of those watching from the sidelines. Lucas Brown took the new ball, something he wants and has generally thrived on in the past two seasons. He has become the (young) man who has created the initial breakthrough in the batting order, and often more than one. He is coming close to mastering the art of the full straight ball with just enough swing away from the right hander that makes him a tough proposition. He was coming off a four-wicket haul in a school game on Thursday, and on his shoulders rod the hopes of an early breakthrough. In the end he disappointed all those watching, because he was unable to get a wicket until the second delivery of the match, when the perfect delivery found the leading edge for the ball to pop safely into the hands of Kynan Barton at mid-wicket, and the score was 1/0 – and the roar and rush to come together by the Albion Park team must have been frightening for the incoming Lake batsmen such was the ferocity of excitement. The new batsman was one of the best in the district, and his imposing first boundary looked to restore the order lost by that early wicket. Liam Cergovski bowled a solid first over that kept the pressure on, and then Lucas started his second over. The batsman had by now recognised his threat and had decided on a defensive posture, but this is what brought about the next downfall, as the nervous prod forward only resulted in a simple return catch back to Lucas, and he had his second wicket and that of the biggest batting threat in the Lake team. Once again the boys rushed together and celebrated, but there was still a long way to go. Both Lucas and Liam finished their initial spells. Liam (0/8) again shows how much he is improving each week and gave the batsmen nothing to hit, keeping the pressure on for the superstar at the other end. Lucas (2/8) again was the golden arm. He’s not as fast as some others (yet; and believe me that will come) but he bowls the perfect line and length and scares batsmen by his accuracy, all the while with the biggest grin on his face no matter what happens. His two overs opened this game up for the Eagles from the outset and he should be immensely proud of his efforts.

Josh Peters and Jack Couley replaced this pair, and along with stunting the already halting run rate the pressure they created continued on with these benefits. Jack had the ball swinging from the hand and caused some problems, while Josh forced the issue as the batsmen were drawn into playing shots they didn’t want to play. He was taken down the ground in the air by the attacking left hander, a ball that fell agonisingly short of a desperate chase by Lucas Thompson, but it proved turning point. His leg spinner that drifted, dropped and bounced completely fooled the batsman, drawing the edge that was brilliantly snared by wicket-keeper Owen Pickering, and the third wicket was down. The following ball Josh tossed up another perfectly pitched delivery, drawing the slog across the line from the right handed batsman who was completely beaten by the flight, and he only managed to drag it onto his stumps to be bowled. The next ball was to another left-hander (why do leg-spinners always seem to have to bowl hat-trick balls at left handers?) and Josh produced the same delivery as had drawn his first wicket, only to miss the edge by a gnats wing. Despite this, he had taken out the middle order and further decimated the Lake batting. The pair finished their two over spell. Jack (0/4) was good as he always is, unable to break through as he had the previous week but again kept the pressure on the batsmen with a couple of deliveries passing perilously close to the stumps. I am biased in regards to Josh’s cricket prowess, but if there is a better spinner under the age of 14 on the South Coast I have yet to see them. And Josh (2/4) is only 11 years old.
Tom Denyer and Kynan Barton came on, and now found the batsmen in stonewalling mode. With 22 overs to go in the innings and their top order smashed to pieces they needed to spend time in recovery. Tom (0/9) at the moment is only being held back by his own doubts, but it seems that once he gets one good delivery away he finds his groove. He was probably a bit pumped up from the way the team was going and channelled this in to trying to bowl too fast. His second over though was terrific, zeroing in on the stumps and giving the batsmen plenty to think about. Kynan(1/5) again bowled a beautifully tight spell, changing his pace and length accordingly and not letting the batsmen settle or be able to predict what was coming next. And, as he always does, he found his way through again in beating the batsman with flight and pace and taking out of the off stump, creating the fifth wicket of the innings. It was lovely deception, and the perfect way to end his short spell.
‘Wacky’ Campion (0/1) is the perfect foil for these situations, always bowling straight and on a good length, forcing the batsmen to play every ball, sometimes their peril. It the classic “you miss, I hit” strategy and he does it superbly. Though he didn’t get a wicket today, he certainly enabled his bowling partner to do his job. Kasey Barton bowled his best spell of the season today, and what a day to do it. He was a major part of each of the final three wickets to fall. With his first ball he created a chance, a leading edge out to cover that lobbed just out of reach of brother Kynan. The groans were quickly turned to calls for the ball to go to the keeper, as the batsman had just taken off for a run without a response from his partner. Kynan’s throw to Owen found the batsman metres short, and the sixth wicket was back on the sideline. Kasey deserved a wicket and picked one up not long after when a thunderbolt cannoned off the batsman’s pads into his stumps. With the drinks break suspended because only one wicket remained to be taken, Kasey (2/2) bowled the perfect outswinger at pace that clipped the edge of the bat, and Owen at keeper had to go down to the ground and to his right to take a spectacular and brilliant keeper’s catch to end the innings. It is hard to explain just how good that catch was and topped off a terrific performance by the leader behind the stumps. In just 16 overs, Lake Illawarra had been dismissed for 42 runs, and the Albion Park kids were ecstatic and with good reason.

Special mention must be made here of the contribution in the field by Kane Rex, Rob Denny and Lucas Thompson in particular. All three boys were the unlucky ones who were unable to be a batsman or a bowler, given that the team has 14 players this season and in Under 13’s you can only bat nine players and bowler 11 players. They are still a big part of getting the team to this position, and their efforts in the field were terrific. Rob was enthusiastic and encouraging from point and square leg, Kane was all over everything at mid-on being quick to the ball and keeping the talk up, while Lucas made some great chases to cut down runs at mid-off, and almost got himself into a position to make a grab at a catch from Josh’s bowling. They all beamed all morning, and their contributions were as much a part of this team performance as those already mentioned.

With the Lake looking to push hard for an advantage, the Eagles were led by opening batsmen Will Schofield and Blake Ison. Their opening partnership against Oak Flats had been a leading reason for that victory, and here again they were charged with this task. Will has been technically the best bat in the team, but today perhaps nerves had hit him along with a desire to cut down the runs needed as soon as possible. It’s also possible that, having played in rep teams with many of his opponents, he just wanted to dominate. All this led to a slightly looser innings tan we are used to seeing from him, but it was effective. His partner was just fired up. When Blake is switched on he is unstoppable, plays strokes with abandon, but most importantly his calling and running between the wickets can change a game. And it did here. Blake backed up superbly, called loud and ran hard, and on at least three occasions stealing extra runs from his calling and running alone. It was fearless and exhilarating stuff in the early overs, as Lake threw their best at them to try and dislodge them quickly. Blake’s downfall came from the ball of the day from the Lake left armer who swung the ball from well outside off stump to take Blake’s middle and off pegs. Though he only had three runs to his name, and the score as ‘only’ 14, those extra runs he had engineered were like gold, and his contribution enormous.
Kasey Barton has had a good week with the bat in school cricket and was ready to do the same here. A solid start had him looking good, and when a cut down past point got him off the mark it looked even better. There was no one on the sidelines that thought there was two in it… unfortunately this is what was attempted, and despite his frantic dive at the end the terrific throw found Kasey short of his ground and he was run out for 1. Five runs later Will died by the sword he had been brandishing, being caught for 10 which had been an excellent innings under the difficult circumstances. At 3/20 Lake believed they were back in the match, and a nervous balanced remained.
Enter Owen Pickering, who played one of the best leader’s innings you could wish to see, and his sergeant-at-arms Wacky Campion. With so much time left to bat, they sensibly went about seeing off the spells of Lake’s best three bowlers who could only bowl two overs each initially. This they did with great skill. Owen was solid, looking for singles where possible but ensuring the danger bowlers were seen off. From here he played superbly, keeping out the good balls but cracking hard at every short wide delivery. Granted he didn’t time many of them, but he got enough bat on them to get the singles and twos that came. At the other end Wacky did his job, running hard when needed but also contributing his own runs to the tally. As the bowling lost its direction, each no ball and wide was ticked off the score by the big crowd in attendance and finally, at the end of the 11th over, the Park had reached 3/43 and were declared winners. The sight of coach Anthony Pickering charging onto the field, far outrunning his young chargers, is one of the best things I’ve seen in cricket. The unrestrained joy from them all over the next few minutes makes all of the hard work this season from everyone involved more than worth it.

What’s the secret? Once again in cricket, it is not about individuals, it is about the team. Every single person put their hand up today and they made their own contribution to the cause. They field as a team, charging in together, encouraging their teammates and picking them up when they are down. They bowl in partnerships, not always taking wickets but bottling up the batting so that someone will eventually cash in. Every week two or three put their hands up to score runs, and it is never the same kids. It is a true team performance that has got these kids to a final, and if they happen to get up next Saturday it will be as a team that they will do it.

I made mention at the start of the 1983/84 Under 14A’s team that beat the undefeated minor premiers. It should be noted that in the final (after a game that stretched three weekends because of a washout on what should have been the second day), the Albion Park team managed to win the competition from fourth place, defeating the second placed Kiama team in the process. That may seem wonderful, though as I was the captain of the Kiama team I have much different memories and emotions of the result. It again does show that such a scenario is more than possible if a team plays to the best of its abilities and their opponents take their eye off the ball for even a moment.

Next weekend, our Eagles boys will have their chance at their own moment of premiership glory. If they play like they did yesterday, they will be a massive chance.