WARNE OFFERS ADVICE

LIKE most Australians, I am feeling frustrated and slightly angry with the state of Australian cricket.

I believe everyone involved has lost the true sense of what’s important and what has made Australian cricket great over the years.

Cricket Australia is in disarray. They have lost control and sight of what they wanted to achieve — to make cricket Australia’s favourite sport.

Thankfully, heads are starting to roll. The way the TV rights were handled and the disrespect to networks Nine and Ten was embarrassing.

The past 18 months is like we’ve been living in a nightmare and can’t wake up.

This has led to possibly the worst performances in the history of Australian cricket.

Our rankings in all formats do not make good reading.

There is so much pressure on the players. They are wearing the heat for everything that is wrong with Australian cricket, which isn’t fair.

There’s a lot of talent in Australia, but we are not seeing that in performances.

It’s easy to tell everyone what’s wrong, but we need solutions — and quickly.

The wrong people have been in charge at board level. Their mentality had to change with the players. All parties need to unite. On the field, international players need to play Sheffield Shield cricket. No capping games, just play. Shield players need to play grade cricket.

Get players back at schools inspiring young boys and girls to play the great game. They have the time.

It’s not true that players play more cricket now. They travel more and have to adapt to different forms of the game more than before. But days played and the number of balls bowled are nowhere near what they once were. Stop wrapping the players in cotton wool.

Let the players play and practise as long as they want to on the basics. Use the 10,000 hours theory. It works.

Get the scheduling right. You can’t play Test matches in Dubai then a few days later walk out to play a one-day game in Perth.

Players need preparation. Stop the Twenty20 greed.

Pay specialist coaches properly. Get the best; Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath for the Australian team. Pay Shield coaches properly so they are on a 12-month contract and can coach and develop all year round.

The Australian Cricketers’ Association and CA must work as a partnership and lose the “us versus them” mentality.

Offer Mark Taylor the chairman’s role and put Tony Dodemaide in charge of the players and the right things will take shape.

Stop the silly and costly CA reviews. The players are continually told how bad they are. and are playing scared instead of playing with freedom.

We want our sportspeople show their personality and that they care, so let them.

The players have been told “no more sledging”, “don’t stuff up” and have been forced into ridiculous statements such as the “Players’ Pact”.

What is “elite honesty”? Does it mean you walk if you nick it? It’s nothing short of verbal diarrhoea and opens them up to be a laughing stock.

How about just playing better cricket — a brand that people enjoy.

Enough of the nonsense and trying to be something you’re not. Be Australian and just play cricket.