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

[the big bambino]

I just don't understand why Usman wouldn't have completed that task. he was so close to being picked - surely he'd do everything in his power to prove he was the right man for the first eleven. I can totally understand the selectors/mgt being furious with him over that.

Mitchell Johnson is palpably stupid and an eternal disappointment so I'm not surprised on that front.

I do think Clarke needs to take a look at his man management. People bagged Ponting as captain but I think behind the scenes he was pretty good at backing players and instilling faith and belief, e.g. Symonds '03 WC.

Ha! True that. Probably to a fault. Ponting was too loyal (though he was captain when Hughes was 1st dropped - maybe he recollected his own experience and thought it'd make him stronger) but Clarke gives me the feeling he places ambition over friendship.

 

[the big bambino]

Cricinfo article where Arthur is saying the team misses Hussey and would welcome him back if he reconsidered his retirement. Says the team misses the aura of Ponting too. Just maybe someone influential is sounding out both in the hope of snaring atleast one for the ashes.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Ponting is over there when they're playing.

 

[the big bambino]

Plot thickens.

 

[theegyptian]

Meh, it looked like there may have been a chance that Ponting came out of retirement for the ashes and Damien Martyn was suggesting that it would happen (lol) but Ponting signed upto the caribbean T20 competition a few days which happens in July and August. Hardly the action of a guy who is thinking about coming out of retirement.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Since it looks a given Twatto is going to play and Clarke may be out of the last Test I think it would actually make a lot of sense to give the captaincy in the last Test to Pattinson.

 

[Spikey]

we all know Arthur/Clarke didn't want Ponting (and also Hussey) to go, and perhaps recent events have backed up that faith. i mean, at the time i thought they were lying and just being supportive when they said they hadn't considered ponting's place, but now...

 

[Days of Grace]

Nah, Watto to captain. Australia to lose by an innings and Watto to break down at the press conference. Would be a fitting end to the tour.

 

[GotSpin]

Bring back Warney guys. He still gotz it

 

[Spark]

From memory we were all pretty **** scared back when Clarke was in doubt for the MCG test.

Indeed.

Re: Clarke, it's well known that he's a bit my-way-or-the-highway. Unusually driven amongst remaining Oz players, and there's a fair bit of evidence that he doesn't think especially highly of anyone without that sort of mindset.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Time for a few more bullets:

• India's dominance in this series has been staggering. To win a test match in India, after the opposition won the toss and made a 400+ score, with a full day to spare is just unheard of.
  
• The only more staggering fact has been Australia's performance. There is not much of a difference, except for one (which I will deliberate on below) between this squad and the one which decimated India in Australia a year or so back.
  
• The difference for me has been Mike Hussey. Exemplifies what is wrong with micro management and sturdy thinking structures when it comes to planning a squad. Planning for the future is always good and fine, but it cannot be at the present's expense. Especially when you are not able to find a player who can fill in his boots. Let aspiring players compete among themselves and stake a claim for a test position. Currently the Australian policy reminds me about government offices in India, mediocrity is supported at the cost of "discipline" in theory of seniority in promotion and phasing out.
  
• The whole homeworkgate has been a complete farce and a classic example of diverting attention and scapegoating. If anyone deserves to be sacked for not doing his homework, it is the coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke. The saga exemplifies everything that is wrong about current cricket coaching culture. "You play to win". And every thing else derives from that primary objective. Its like Asimov's rule, no matter how far you micromanage, it is not worth it if it cannot address the cardinal rule.

I will ruminate upon India in a later post.

 

[Prince EWS]

The difference for me has been Mike Hussey. Exemplifies what is wrong with micro management and sturdy thinking structures when it comes to planning a squad. Planning for the future is always good and fine, but it cannot be at the present's expense. Especially when you are not able to find a player who can fill in his boots. Let aspiring players compete among themselves and stake a claim for a test position. Currently the Australian policy reminds me about government offices in India, mediocrity is supported at the cost of "discipline" in theory of seniority in promotion and phasing out.

I don't really understand how Mike Hussey has anything to do with the point you're making. The bloke retired, and the management certainly didn't want him to do so.

 

[Senile Sentry]

I don't really understand how Mike Hussey has anything to do with the point you're making. The bloke retired, and the management certainly didn't want him to do so.

"Partly why I didn't want to say anything to anyone was that I cherished every Test match I got to play and I really wanted to finish the Australian summer," Hussey said. "If I made it known earlier then perhaps they would start looking ahead earlier and not play me in my last couple of Tests. That was a small selfish part of it that I really wanted to finish when I wanted to finish. I didn't want them to say 'you're going to retire, we'll blood someone else'..........

Hussey's suspicions proved well-founded, for his announcement was followed by his omission from the limited overs squads to see out the summer, though he remained available for selection throughout.

Sauce

 

[honestbharani]

Nah even without the ban, the fact Twatto openly admitted he doesn't even know if he wants to continue playing test cricket means he is palpably not leadership material.

but wasn't it because of the ban that he said all that?

 

[Prince EWS]

Sauce

Yeah but that's just based on what he thought would happen.

He wouldn't be playing in this Test series regardless. He delayed the announcement of his retirement until he was actually ready to retire to avoid being dumped early - but he wasn't dumped early.

 

[social]

Time for a few more bullets:

• India's dominance in this series has been staggering. To win a test match in India, after the opposition won the toss and made a 400+ score, with a full day to spare is just unheard of.
  
• The only more staggering fact has been Australia's performance. There is not much of a difference, except for one (which I will deliberate on below) between this squad and the one which decimated India in Australia a year or so back.
  
• The difference for me has been Mike Hussey. Exemplifies what is wrong with micro management and sturdy thinking structures when it comes to planning a squad. Planning for the future is always good and fine, but it cannot be at the present's expense. Especially when you are not able to find a player who can fill in his boots. Let aspiring players compete among themselves and stake a claim for a test position. Currently the Australian policy reminds me about government offices in India, mediocrity is supported at the cost of "discipline" in theory of seniority in promotion and phasing out.
  
• The whole homeworkgate has been a complete farce and a classic example of diverting attention and scapegoating. If anyone deserves to be sacked for not doing his homework, it is the coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke. The saga exemplifies everything that is wrong about current cricket coaching culture. "You play to win". And every thing else derives from that primary objective. Its like Asimov's rule, no matter how far you micromanage, it is not worth it if it cannot address the cardinal rule.

I will ruminate upon India in a later post.

The difference is that it is being played in India

Indian pitches favour spin bowling

Oz have no decent spinners, India have plenty

Oz has one player that can play spin, India has plenty

Oz has ignored their strengths and selected spinners

Doesnt take Nostradamus to predict the result

 

[Spikey]

Sauce

that's got nothing to do with India. Hussey didn't want to say he was quitting, go through a form slump and get dropped for the Sri Lankan series.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Yeah but that's just based on what he thought would happen.

He wouldn't be playing in this Test series regardless. He delayed the announcement of his retirement until he was actually ready to retire to avoid being dumped early - but he wasn't dumped early.

Dear sir, he should know better than us about the internal happenings within Aussie cricket, don't you think?

It is clear he was insecure about his position in the squad. And it is a fact he was not considered for ODIs post his test retirement. Why?

Putting one and one together you can easily see his place was under threat. Before things could get ugly, being the nice person he is, Hussey wanted to make a quick exit.

 

[Tangles]

Indeed.

Re: Clarke, it's well known that he's a bit my-way-or-the-highway. Unusually driven amongst remaining Oz players, and there's a fair bit of evidence that he doesn't think especially highly of anyone without that sort of mindset.

Which is why Uzi is ****ed since Arthur doesn't like his attitude either. Overall at a time when our talent stocks are low we can't afford to ignore players who don't work the same way Clarke does. Thats an overly rigid approach.

Somewhat sad that Watson could go from Homework'gate dropped to Captain. I hope Clarke is fit so they have to decide what to do about Watson. Probably just drop Smith or Moz though.

 

[Senile Sentry]

The difference is that it is being played in India

Indian pitches favour spin bowling

Oz have no decent spinners, India have plenty

Oz has one player that can play spin, India has plenty

Oz has ignored their strengths and selected spinners

Doesnt take Nostradamus to predict the result

Exactly. Hussey's presence would've have solidified the middle order and would've given Clarke the much needed support he lacked. Hussey, iirc always has scored runs in India. It is hard to assume that the same bowlers who were rendered as effective as Hughes' technique against spin, vs England, suddenly became unplayable.