Cricket Australia has a huge task ahead of them before the all important Ashes.
Is that Ashes that important? Yes it is(for that two teams).
But more than a world championship? Certainly no.
Then Why are they doing that?Thats the million dollar question to be answered.
Srilanka gave the knock out punch to India in the 2007 World Cup Group Stage. So its an encore for them. But the team on the receiving end wasn't something anyone expected. Its the "Aussies".
One team that was tipped to be one of the main contenders for the title. What went wrong for them. Losing the first match is not new for them. They lost to Zimbabwe in the previous ICC world 20-20. But in the next game they destroyed England to reach the Super Eights. Their main performers were their openers Haydos and Gilly. But yesterday against Srilanka, the team just didn't look like Australia. They may argue that they lost to a Chris Gayle onslaught and to Ajantha Mendis' Mystery. So atleast now they should accept that their players are not the world class players they project. They are ordinary players just like players in every other team like India,South Africa, Newzealand and Srilanka. On that day if eveything gets going they'll fire otherwise will be drubbed by the opposition. They're not the type of players who fight the odds to perform well. Not that these players are not talented but there is always a axe on their neck to perform in the form of Cricket Australia.
Till a year back the Australian Selection System was adulated as the best in the world. Even India tried to adopt it during the Chapppell era. But that won't work always. India paid the price and now Aussies have paid it. I'm not trying to tell that the Indian System is any better. I don't think there is any such thing called "system" here in India. Thats altogether a different story.
Coming back to the Aussies, I don't think any player can confidently play if there is a one match score constraint on them. This applies to the bowlers also. When Shane Warne retired, they tried Stuart Macgill, Brad Hogg, Beau Casson, Jason krejza, Nathan Hauritz. If this list continues,then CA's job is no less simplified.
They have the talent but they're not properly nurtured into world class. That will happen only when they are given the proper chance. Shane neither picked all those five wicket hauls in first few matches nor produced the Ball of the century on debut. He was an exceptional talent. If they want their players to emulate him in the first few matches itself, then they're in for a lot of trouble.
This is what I meant in the first paragraph. Instead of talking about the so called Ashes, CA can concentrate on building their team. England is known for what the Australians are doing right now. If they don't correct themselves, then Australian Cricket ironically will emulate the English Cricket.
