Australian brains trust in big Melbourne showdown

MELBOURNE: Matthew Mott is one win away from coaching a T20 World Cup-winning team in both men and women if England clinch the final on Sun- day. If Pakistan win, two all- time great opening partners and best friends—Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden—would have achieved victory, as coach and mentor respectively, for two dif- ferent teams in successive edi- tions.

Mike Hussey and David Saker are working behind the scenes with England while former Aus- tralia fast bowler Shaun Tait has been one of the reasons Paki- stan have the best economy rate since the Super 12s. Take a look at the T20 World Cup finalists and you will see Australians holding key positions in both teams.

The logic is simple: To win in Australia, take help from Aus- tralian experts. Unlike India, many teams have long resorted to event-specific consultancy. Pakistan got Tait as bowling coach in February and Hayden as mentor in September. England think differently. They have already separated white- ball and red-ball duties, making Mott and Brendon McCullum the respective head coaches.

It’s an approach England skipper Jos Buttler feels could become popular going forward.

Coaches for formats

“It’s certainly something I think other teams may look at,” Buttler said at the MCG on Saturday.

“Even when sort of one person was in charge, you were sort of seeing them having to miss certain series or one of the assistants taking over for a little

bit. Certainly, in terms of the stability of the groups, it’s a real plus that we know exactly who our coaching staff is, who our head coach is, and they have full ownership over that team.”

It is with this clarity that Mott, a former opener for New South Wales and Victoria, was given the job after he guided the Australia women’s team to the ODI World Cup against England in New Zealand this year.

It was just the win needed to round off Mott’s growing whiteball credentials, following the Women’s T20 World Cup final win against India at the MCG in 2020.

Over seven years in charge, Mott slowly changed the face of Australian women’s cricket, transforming them into a sharper, more athletic unit. After that high, England was just the right challenge for him.*