Australia are facing the prospect of starting their Twenty20 World Championship campaign with a bare minimum of 11 players as pre-season niggles continue to plague the team in Ricky Ponting's absence.
Under the tournament rules each squad is allowed 15 players and Australia have been decimated with injuries and family responsibilities with Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson all under an injury cloud. Ricky Ponting has delayed his arrival to the morning of the first match against Zimbabwe due to ICC commitments and concerns over his wife Rianna’s health. Additionally, Stuart Clark also arrived late in Pretoria staying in Sydney to support his young family through a tough time managing his young lad’s illness.
Australia’s reduced squad played their first matches since the World Cup final over the weekend with mixed results. On Saturday a 10-ball win against the equally out-of-season Blackcaps and on Sunday an eight wicket humbling to the Pollock, de Villiers and Smith inspired hosts.
Michael Clarke although selected for both matches was effectively rested to mollify his chronic back complaint and neither batted or bowled in either fixture. With only 11 players to choose from Australia played both wicket-keepers and five specialist bowlers with Pup scheduled to bat at 11 and in the match against South Africa Hayden came to the crease after Brad Hogg because of stiffness in his aging body from his first-ball duck only 24 hours previous.
Cricket Australia and Adidas recently were crowing about the new performance-enhancing injury-reducing garments that Australia are wearing at this tournament. These high-tech uniforms are expected to alleviate soreness and assist recovery and one can only assume that Matt’s kit doesn’t fit or that the announcement of Australia’s new threads had more spin imparted than a Mushtaq Ahmed wrong’un.
It has been a rocky beginning for Tim Nielsen in his first tournament in control of the national squad with new problems arriving on a daily basis and one can only hope that when the tournament begins proper that some semblance of rhythm and normality can be found. Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies are all in good form and with England and India match fit and raring to go, Australia may find it tough to win enough matches to qualify for the semi-finals.
Most people are expecting this experimental inaugural tournament to be a batsman’s wonderland but if the dozen or so warm-up matches are any indication this may not be the case.
The early season spring conditions and fresh, rested pitches have assisted swing and seam bowling early on and many top order wickets have fallen cheaply. This increases the pressure and responsibility on the middle to lower order and this is where most matches have been decided in the past week of friendly contests.
It promises to be an excellent and entertaining tournament and all at The Shed are agreed that South Africa are the team to beat with a motivated Pakistan and carefree West Indies also looking dangerous.
In the best news you’d ever likely hear, I am thrilled to report that Australia’s favourite English rose, Jane McGrath, has defeated cancer for the third time and is now officially in remission again. A mother of two, Glenn’s wife is a heroine to tens of thousands of Australian women (and men) battling this insidious and all too often terminal disease. Her quiet compassionate determination, good humoured optimism and public courage in the stony face of death has given immeasurable strength and hope to fellow sufferers and their families throughout the continent.
The word hero and champion are bandied around the press with reckless abandon to describe our sports stars yet I feel more than confident in stating that in Jane McGrath England have a real home-grown fair dinkum champ and all of us down south are fortunate to have her close. May she live long and prosper.
No comments:
Post a Comment