AUSSIES CAST IN DIM LIGHT
Besieged home side set to dig in for redemption HAIL THE KING OF THE ROAD
SCORNED for showing a lack of desperation, an under-siege Australian cricket team has vowed to fight to the death at the SCG today.
Peter Handscomb, one of a group of players who lives with his Test place permanently under scrutiny, has declared that Australia can lay an important foundation stone for their Ashes assault in England if they can get in the trenches and dig out a draw.
However, Test great Ricky Ponting yesterday called the side’s current mindset into question on a rainswept day when Nathan Lyon declined to use KOOYONG Classic officials have confirmed Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic will clash for the first time as they square off before next week’s Australian Open.
The Kooyong showdown, likely to take place on Wednesday, will serve as the duo’s final competitive tune-up before the Open.
“For both guys it’s their last competitive match before next week’s Australian Open, so their focus will be on making sure their games are ready,” Kooyong tournament director Peter Johnston said.
“At the same time it will be fun for the fans to watch it play out given they have never gone head-to-head before.”
They have never played each other at either ATP or grand slam level.
They landed in the same one of two remaining reviews for a suspect lbw decision when Australia was clinging to its ninth wicket.
Ponting said the poor game awareness highlighted a lack of “desperation” in the Australian camp, an alarming trend the struggling band of batsmen must turn on its head on the final day if they’re to take some semblance of confidence into the bumper year ahead.
“That dismissal actually says a lot to me about the mindset of this Australian team at the moment. There’s no desperation there whatsoever,” said Ponting on 7.
“Why wouldn’t they have had a look at that? They’ve still got the two reviews up their sleeve.
“There had to be some sort of doubt in that. Given out straight away and Mitchell Starc just puts his hand out and says “oh well, it’s not me, it’s up to you to make (a call)”.
“Well unfortunately when you’re out there together it’s a partnership. You’ve got to do whatever you can to try and save your mate. And there was absolutely none of that there. And as it’s shown already that would have been given not out. Slack and not desperate enough.”
Australia will be under insurmountable pressure when play resumes today against an Indian side playing with the freedom of knowing the series is in the bag and they’re simply chasing the cream.
For the first time in 30 years, an Australian side has followed-on at home — a chastening reflection for the current state of batting in this country.
Only 25.2 overs were possible on a dismally gloomy day at the SCG, leaving Australia 0-6 in their second innings and still needing 316 more to even make India bat again. It could get even darker for Australia today unless they can summon the spirit of coach Justin Langer and fight to the death.
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