Scrutiny takes toll on team: Stoinis

AUSTRALIA’S circuit-breaking victory in Adelaide has come at a cost, with matchwinning allrounder Marcus Stoinis conceding the intense scrutiny of the past 12 months has left players “cooked.”

There was nothing glamorous about Australia’s sevenrun win in the second ODI against South Africa, but the effort taken to break the worstever losing streak in one-day history in the midst of the offfield turmoil has removed an enormous weight from the shoulders of a desperate team that has thrown everything at their cause.

Another batting failure made it hard to get too excited about a turnaround, but defending such a sub-par total of 231 only added to the tenacity of the fight and self-belief shown by Australia’s bowling attack.

Heading into today’s series decider in Hobart, getting a first ODI win since Australia Day provides inspiration that the momentum can change.

But three-wicket hero Stoinis outlined the challenges ahead by laying bare the extreme toll this unprecedented period in Australian cricket history has taken on the players.

The summer is only two games old, and Australia’s players admit they’re fighting against a “mental drain.”

“We’re cooked right now and we just won. Maybe that’s part of it (with batting woes), the mental drain,” Stoinis said.

“… Maybe it’s the amount of noise that’s going on, people are drained.

“That’s what we’ve got to work on. That’s what we’ve got to get past. This was a good step forward.

“The talk (hasn’t just) started now a few games into the season. The season goes all year. Every year. It backs up to last year. It hasn’t stopped.”