Posts
Loading ...The Aussie have won as expected, but they certainly took their time getting there. Little Bangladesh made them struggle a bit, didn’t they? Well, well, well.
Well played, Bangladesh!
Australia not impressing
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of June Leave a comment on this post
It’s been a terrific, exciting start to the summer - who could’ve predicted there would have been so much drama & controversy in these 10 ODI matches? Most people rightly thought Australia would trample over Bangladesh and, although England fans were hopeful of doing well in the shorter game, most would have expected them to quickly assert their authority. This hasn’t happened yet. The giant of world cricket is definately awake now, but appears almost sedated.
Against England, in that stormy encounter, I didn’t think they were red hot - at a time when Australians, such as Darren Lehmann, fully expected them to have hit their straps. Had the rain not intervened, England looked ready for another win - and don’t forget, Australia lost 5 for 37 in 6 overs, at a time when a score of 280 looked possible.
Today, more questions than answers remain. Following the admittedly absurd, yet unsettling allegations of Matthew Hayden swearing at some kids, they’ve been below par against Bangladesh. Gillespie again struggled, and Kasprowicz really looked very poor. “Lack of match practice” is an excuse which will soon lack credibility - this is their tenth match so far in their tour: played 10, won 4 lost 4. These are world class bowlers in the rare situation of looking bemused about their own form. If they’re bemused, so are we.
Darren Lehmann, who has slotted in brilliant at Sky, has patriotically defended his country and is at pains to point out (every game) that they are improving - are they?
Their batting today, thus far, looks ropey at best. 102-3 and their captain and run-machine Ricky Ponting is, in my eyes, definately having technical problems. His head is still falling away to the off side, and he survived countless appeals for leg-before. Having watched Ponting a fair amount, he’s often had trouble early-doors - but this is his 10th match, and he hasn’t yet fired. It must be a concern to him. Harmison trapped him leg-before in a recent game - and I predict he’ll pick him up again in the Tests a few times.
Gower, on sky, seems to think Australia’s sub-par performance is due to their opponents - the lack of spice in the game, the small crowd and so on. But this is Australia - the World Champions, the all-conquering machine of world cricket. “The only inspiration I/we need is representing our country” was a common tagline of Waugh and Taylor in the past. They don’t have bad days - and they certainly don’t have this many this often.
No doubt Australia will walk home with this game at some point, and no doubt Ponting will continue to dodge the media’s questions about his and his teams form. Saturday is but 2 days away, and is being thought of as “the first game of the summer” for The Ashes - will the monster be awoken?
Tags: australia, bangladesh, form, jason-gillespie, michael-kasprowicz, monster, ODI, ricky-ponting, the-ashes |
11 Responses to “Australia not impressing”
June 30th, 2005 at 6.07 pm
June 30th, 2005 at 9.06 pm
It might just be a case of lower you fall higher you bounce back…question is how low will aussies go before they bounce back….:-), aussie are hoping they have hit the bottom while the rest hope that they continue in a free fall…who will be right….the ashes will tell us.
June 30th, 2005 at 9.18 pm
It is okay. Australia didnt want to take risks after the early fall of 3 wickets. They need their death bowling sorted out though.
I really like your blog and would like to link you rblog on my newly formed blog sportolysis.
I would be glad if can do it and if you could do the same.
Do let me know via email. Cheers.
June 30th, 2005 at 9.28 pm
too true, too true - only Tests are special.
Now, it gets serious though - as if it wasn’t already! Both teams need to look at some deficits in all areas but England coming up tops on the ODI - despite Vaughen’s - er hem - contribution is a great surprise. Why does he bother to play ODIs, tell me, please?
Still, he is a Yorkshireman - and definition thereof: a Yorkie is like a Scot with all the generosity squeezed out.
Let’s see what Saturday brings. See you there.
June 30th, 2005 at 11.34 pm
“Had the rain not intervened, England looked ready for another win “…do you think?
It’s funny, I think both sides would walk away from that one claiming the points.
I would also invert (u)karthik’s comment of “It might just be a case of lower you fall higher you bounce back..” to the higher we build England up, the harder they will fall.
June 30th, 2005 at 11.48 pm
I think we had the momentum Stu, yeah - although I was pretty careful in my post not to build up England at all! We’ve fallen from some heights before - but not this high, and it could hurt…
July 1st, 2005 at 12.11 am
Australia look a little down at times, and then on occasion they’ll perform superbly … it seems odd, and not something that I’ve seen from this particular team before.
Eventually they will get it together - the issue is when. However, I must agree with Stu: England shouldn’t be building themselves up too high just yet. The crash - if it happens - will hurt.
July 1st, 2005 at 1.03 am
yes…Ricky Ponting is certainly having technical problems, but at least he seems to be improving. Quite odd really to be seeing some one of Pontings ability to be having such school yard technical problems. You would think that with a little hard work he’d conquer them, but then why hasn’t he already. He’s been having them on and off for a long time. You just feel if he can get rid of some of these problems in his technique (for good and just not for a while, like he seemed to do in 03 averaging over 100 for the year!) then he’d be close to the best batsman in the world (not that he isn’t already, but closer) At least Australia are losing not playing at their best, if they were playing as well as possible and still losing that is when I’d be really worrying!
July 1st, 2005 at 6.31 am
I think the monster is awake, but groggy as hell. And is showing little to indicate it has any caffeine at hand.
July 1st, 2005 at 12.01 pm
gillespie struggled at the end but was good at the beginning, starting to touch 85mph on a slow pitch.
July 12th, 2005 at 10.35 am
Australians training hard
Apparently the Australian team changed their preparation regime leading up to last Sunday’s big win over England at Lord’s, and it worked beautifully. They had their most intense training session so far last Saturday, and it showed in their vintage
Comments
« Marsh, Lawson and Hughes joining TMS | Main | Duckworth Lewis “rules” »
