***Official*** Australia in India 2012/13

[howardj]

Having had a few hours to digest this, it seems obvious to me that:

1. Much of this is about shoring up managements' position - certain players obviously dont respect them so they took a stand with the backing of Clarke

2. It is antiquated management theory gone mad

3. The management of the situation has been appalling as even the most intransigent of player would have written something if it had been communicated to them that they would be suspended if it wasnt received by a certain deadline

Absolutely

As a player, you know the consequences if you miss training without explanation, or show up to training or a game drunk…you’ll get dropped

But for not completing a writing task?

As you say, the communication and the management of the whole situation is appalling

 

[social]

If you could get out of India by just failing to submit a simple written exercise, wouldn't you?

 

[social]

I have been involved with teams that have done this exact task, and it can actually be very worthwhile. There is no excuses for the players actions and if they can't follow a simple instruction, they deserve to be banned. This is there job. If my boss tells me to do something, I do it, I don't give a **** what it is because he holds my fate in his hands.

Playing cricket for Australia is not a right. These ****s are treating it like it's nothing. Instead they should be bending over backwards to show they want to play for the team and be a part of it. By not doing it theyre saying they don't want to be a part of the team, it's much bigger than just not doing it, it's the apathetic attitude towards the whole thing. Take it serious or **** off.

BS

They are cricketers ffs!

I have no doubt that Ed Cowan scored full marks for his response whilst Pattinson scored zero

If you had a choice, who do you want in the team to play cricket?

Opposition must be pissing themselves with laughter

 

[Agent Nationaux]

They should have been given a verbal or written warning before sending them home. All employers do that.

And I agree with Social that the consequences should have been clearly communicated. If they were told in a casual way to send texts or slip notes under the door then what else would you expect from them? Should have been more professional.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

BS

They are cricketers ffs!

I have no doubt that Ed Cowan scored full marks for his response whilst Pattinson scored zero

If you had a choice, who do you want in the team to play cricket?

Opposition must be pissing themselves with laughter

No, whole world is.

 

[honestbharani]

There are plenty of other ways to set an example to a team. Ways that are less public and hurt the fans of the team less. Having been working for a South African owned company for the last two and a half years, this strikes me as a very South African solution to the problem. Find a scapegoat for the problems and make a public example of them. Except that such management techniques only make people fear the management, not respect them. It creates a culture of "ticking all the boxes" instead of performance.

Funnily enough.. something that was the opposite of Gary Kirsten's methodology, at least during his time with India.

 

[LFD]

The cricket calendar is a load of ****.

Players now can retire from Test Cricket and travel round the world playing Twenty20 cricket making far much more money. That I assume is the plan for Watson.

The England players miss out on the IPL, West Indies have had similar problems over the years with Gayle and the IPL.

All countries player should be able to play in the IPL, it is stupid that they can't,

The ICC need to also remember what Twenty20 was introduced for - to help counties financially and attract new fans to the game. It was merely a competition to last a few weeks, get in a new crowd and they could attend matches as they didn't last as long and could be played at night after work.

The problem is it was so successful, they then organised more of it to make more money. Now it seems to be the main priority for some nations, when for me Test Cricket should always be the number 1 form of the game and the format all players should want to play. But now it seems Twenty20 is the most desirable, mainly because of what players can earn playing it.

Sort the calender out and then greed won't be so much of an issue, players will want to play Test Cricket more and the game won't turn into the joke it is becoming.

 

[honestbharani]

Been trying to avoid logging in for a while to concentrate on my work but... hahahahaha

Same here

 

[Pothas]

Well this is all very amusing but seriously how hard is to send a ****ing email?

Also find is slightly tiresome that those like Ed Cowan get in some way disparaged for thinking about their game.

 

[ganeshran]

Yes to each his own, but surely you cannot be serious in describing Roebuck as "to the point"? His articles had plenty of hyperbole! That was what he was known for.

I am 100% positive you have gotten your cricket columnists mixed up here, because if you did not like that passage of writing from Cowan, you will have hated almost everything Roebuck ever wrote. The bloke was the opposite of to the point. Was more a cricket poet.

I see where you are coming from. Roebuck had the tendency to exaggerate at times too, but it was the Hitchenesque exaggeration combined with his hard hitting style of writing that was a great joy to read.

Cowan on the other hand, tends to sugarcoat everything in his quest to try to weave a magical web of words while meaning absolutely nothing at all.

 

[harsh.ag]

This cannot, in all bejeezus' craziness, be the only reason. How, tell me f***ing how, does a player not writing down his thoughts on improvement be the equivalent of him not having thought about how to improve, or not having a game-plan in his head?

Prof Arthur: So, James, since you have are the topper of the bowling section, why don't you give us your presentation first?

James: Well, Prof, I didn't prepare a presentation, but I do think that the 3rd test would be slightly tougher because there is no Sehwag to gift his wicket to me. So, I have thought of a new ball plan which involves a forward short leg....

Prof Arthur: Hang on, James, what do you mean you haven't made a presentation? Doherty here has, and so has Siddle. Look at their shiny bullet points! Don't you care, James? Don't you? Don't you care???!!!!


#FiftyShadesOfWrong

 

[ganeshran]

Like Clarke said, this is not an isolated incident. Whatever the underlying reason was, it must have been major enough for CA and Clarke to take a sweeping decision despite being fully aware of the media ***storm that would arise. Because dropping players on their failure to send a three line SMS is just plain absurd, even for a hard taskmaster like Arthur

So in a way, it was good on the part of CA to avoid letting out the other incidents which would have only led to more washing of dirty linen in public

 

[honestbharani]

I don't think there is any side which is completely not at fault here.. As far as the management goes, no, making 3 point presentations does not mean ****. It is just forcing players to be SEEN to be doing stuff, which is the last thing you want to see in your players. You have to get them to WANT to play well and if you think that attitude is missing, get them off the team by all means, but don't use such stupid exercises to gauge their attitudes. If someone knew this was the eventuality if they didn't get it done, they would have gotten it done. And as others said, it was convenient that only 4 did not turn it in. What if it had been 11? And what if the series was 1-1? Or 1-0 for Australia? What if this was the Ashes and the series was close? Just smacks of a situation dictating the punishment than any real principles here..


Having said all that, it reflects even more poorly on the players that if they are asked to do something by the leadership group, they should either do it or tell them before the deadline date on why they were not able to do it. Procrastinating on tasks is common for anyone, esp. elite level sportsmen when the task is as rudimentary as this one. Heck, it is not a problem if they thought there was no value from doing such a task. But professionalism dictates they should have at least conveyed such thoughts back to the leadership. To not have done anything despite being given ample time to do a task does reek of carelessness and cbf'ed attitude.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

India even money to win next test. Looks a good bet to me.

 

[harsh.ag]

Like Clarke said, this is not an isolated incident. Whatever the underlying reason was, it must have been major enough for CA and Clarke to take a sweeping decision despite being fully aware of the media ***storm that would arise. Because dropping players on their failure to send a three line SMS is just plain absurd, even for a hard taskmaster like Arthur

So in a way, it was good on the part of CA to avoid letting out the other incidents which would have only led to more washing of dirty linen in public

But then why is Watto going around saying stuff like "It was harsh". But I guess that's Watto. To be honest, this just sounds like a management guy frustrated that he hasn't got the right kind of personnel, and suspending people instead of actually using his f***ing MBA degree to some good effect. Wish Mike Brearley would respond to this

 

[ganeshran]

India even money to win next test. Looks a good bet to me.

wouldnt be surprised if we still lose itbt

 

[ganeshran]

But then why is Watto going around saying stuff like "It was harsh". But I guess that's Watto. To be honest, this just sounds like a management guy frustrated that he hasn't got the right kind of personnel, and suspending people instead of actually using his f***ing MBA degree to some good effect. Wish Mike Brearley would respond to this

My money is on a rift/ego clash between two groups of players, which might have something to do with Watson's desire to open the innnings and also bowl.

Of course in the absence of evidence, it is all purely conjecture.

 

[honestbharani]

wouldnt be surprised if we still lose itbt

yeah, very probable now. Guess the remaining Aussies would get even more united and resolute in winning the next game..

 

[ganeshran]

yeah, very probable now. Guess the remaining Aussies would get even more united and resolute in winning the next game..

Saying it is very probable is borderline gambhiring IMO. But yea, wouldnt be surprised it that happens.

Despite the thumping wins, India has shown glaring weaknesses that the Aussies weren't able to capitalize on. The main reason was their batsmen's utter inability to bat against spin, now with a different core you might see different results.

If the batsmen put up a defendable total, the bowlers will have something to put us under pressure, something which didnt happen except for a brief period of play during the early first innings of the first test till Sachin and Pujara put up that partnership

 

[honestbharani]

Saying it is very probable is borderline gambhiring IMO. But yea, wouldnt be surprised it that happens.

Despite the thumping wins, India has shown glaring weaknesses that the Aussies weren't able to capitalize on. The main reason was their batsmen's utter inability to bat against spin, now with a different core you might see different results.

If the batsmen put up a defendable total, the bowlers will have something to put us under pressure, something which didnt happen except for a brief period of play during the early first innings of the first test till Sachin and Pujara put up that partnership

India are just a **** test team.. We are showing signs (very small signs, btw) of improvement and I guess a core young team is taking shape but really, we can't be anything in cricket if we don't have decent fast bowlers. And our spinners, whilst good, are not world-beaters.. These are blokes who will do well as part of a decent 4 or 5 man attack but that is about it.