Batters far too nervous
BEN HORNE AUSTRALIA has been touted as a nation of fearless hitters, but in fact they’ve been exposed as too timid for their own good.
Damning statistics have spotlighted the crisis of confidence that has gripped Australia’s white ball batting ranks heading into tonight’s one-off Twenty20 international against South Africa on the Gold Coast.
Detailed analysis from CricVis reveals how the embattled top order is second-guessing themselves at the crease and are being dogged by the fact batsmen have no second or third gear.
Attacking weapons Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, D’Arcy Short and Glenn Maxwell will all transition from ODI cricket to the T20s tonight and must shake off chastening criticism from within their camp that they’re “one-dimensional.”
India is due to arrive in Brisbane this morning and Lynn and Co are under mounting pressure to cut loose and play their natural games in the looming T20 matches or risk expulsion from Australia’s World Cup plans.
In the first 20 overs of Australia’s last-start ODI series loss to South Africa in Hobart, 45 per cent of all shots from the batsmen were defensive, the most an Australian outfit has ever played in that period of an ODI since records began.
Lynn admits Australia must come out swinging on the Gold Coast if they’re to rediscover their lost self-belief.
“First and foremost we need to be out there throwing the first punch and putting them on the back foot,” said Lynn. “I guess (confidence might have been down) because we didn’t get off to the greatest starts (in the one-dayers) so hopefully we can do that tonight.”
Fox Cricket expert Kerry O’Keeffe has declared Australia’s batting is almost devoid of “rhythm”, a statement backed up by the fact the likes of Stoinis and Travis Head can get bogged down with dot balls and no Australian batsman plays more rotating shots than attacking shots, according to CricVis.
“I’m a dinosaur. I like the Mike Hussey type player. And that’s what we’re searching for,” said O’Keeffe. ROBERT CRADDOCK