Buchanan defends Australia

Just a day after Australia’s first ever one-day international ten wicket loss, coach John Buchanan has come out and defended his side saying criticism of Australia has been “hasty”.

“There’s been plenty of comments from a lot of people outside the team, and I’d say to them if it’s constructive help that’d be great, but at the moment I find it pretty unhelpful,” he said.

“For a one week period in a team that currently wins 75 per cent of its games, I think that’s a pretty hasty assessment.

“If we see tomorrow the performance we saw last night, then yeah, probably a question and we’ll have to look at that.

“Our important result out of tomorrow is an improved performance, whether we win it or not is another matter.

“As for ‘where’s your World Cup campaign’, I’m extremely happy with where we’re at at the moment, the planning, the preparation, the squad and the way we’re thinking about it, so in a future sense, irrespective of what happens here, I’m very happy.”

Buchanan’s New Zealand counterpart, John Bracewell, agreed with his colleague, saying the Australians would bounce back quickly from their humiliating defeat.

“You’d need a sledge hammer and a nuclear bomb to knock the Australian’s confidence,” Bracewell said.

“They have two (consecutive) World Cups and a Champions Trophy in the bag … it won’t take much for them to get it back on track.”

Buchanan was heavily criticised by the newly retired Shane Warne this week, when he said Buchanan’s training methods were to blame for Australia’s form slump and the recent high level of injuries.

“If you are playing international cricket, all you want to do is feel fresh and happy you don’t want to be training into the ground,” Warne said.

“They got tired for the finals and didn’t perform very well and John Buchanan has to take responsibility for that.”

Buchanan, however, said the former great was in no position to make such comments.

“I haven’t seen Shane’s comments, but all I can say is I’d prefer people, if they want to make comments, are actually in and around the team,” he said.

“This is the one day side and Shane hasn’t been a part of that for a little while.”

Australia take on New Zealand for the second ODI in their three match Chappell-Hadlee series tomorrow in Auckland.