What does a team without any plan and intent look like? Look no further; it’s Australia in the Cricket World Cup 2023 so far. They have lost back-to-back matches by a significant margin. In the decisive innings of the game, Australia has looked fragile and simply incompetent, as they were bowled out for 199 in the match against South Africa, then succumbed to 178 against South Africa at Lucknow.
Back-to-back un-Australian batting performances have shattered the confidence of the entire team. South Africa has defeated Australia in four consecutive ODI matches. An unlikely Australian team that has a few all-rounders and some players who regularly play Test cricket is failing to keep up with the competitiveness that a Cricket World Cup demands.
A team that has won the Cricket World Cup five times is struggling to bat out 50 overs. They had never lost four consecutive matches at the World Cup, but that record has been broken too. Being defeated is one thing, but being crushed, thrashed, and obliterated like Australia has been in two World Cup matches so far makes it tough to be an Australian cricket team fan at the moment.
Mate! The Pitch is Doing Too Much
That’s what Australian players have been saying. They have blamed difficult conditions for their batting struggles. They have played enough cricket in India in the last 6 months to get acquainted with the conditions, yet what they have to blame is difficult conditions, particularly the pitch. Against India, they couldn’t handle spin. Against South Africa, they struggled, showing absolute submission.
Yet the interesting thing about Australia is to see the reaction of their players when they lose their wickets. Look at Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, etc. They act shocked, but essentially, it was a mistake they could have avoided. Getting out while playing defensive shots speaks about the mindset of the players.
They are not fully engaged in the game. The “a bit unlucky” tag can’t be taken for granted. In big tournaments, every team has to overcome obstacles, but Australia goes the other way; they criticize the obstacles for being there, which is common to teams of all shapes and sizes. In reality, it’s not the pitch but the mindset that is holding the team back.
In a World Cup where teams are consistently pushing for 320+ scores, Australia wants to win matches at 250-260, which would be a miracle if it happens, but it’s not going to happen every day.
Players That Don’t Fit in the Team
There are a few players who don’t fit in the team, yet the coach and captain keep persisting with them because of the reputation they bring. What is Mitchell Marsh doing there? He can’t genuinely bowl and lacks a game-changing innings. He just tries to hit it hard, which may work at some point to regain a spot in the team, but realistically, if he is not going to bowl much, then Australia should have gone with a proper opener instead of a slogger.
Captain Cummins himself can’t lead the team effectively. It’s hard to define his role. Sending Adam Zampa to bowl in front of two established players of spin was a questionable decision. He is playing neither as a bowler nor as a batter, only as a captain, a role he is not excelling in. Only Andrew McDonald knows why Cummins is leading the side instead of Smith or Warner.
So that’s it for today. Australia has disappointed its fans. Big guys flexing muscles and walking like a truck isn’t enough to stay alive in the tournament, let alone win a game.
