Why Haydos and Roy must be dropped

Heads roll when Australia loses a Test. In this case, not just a Test but a series. Not just a series but a home series. The last time we lost a home Test series was over a decade and a half ago. So a single scapegoat seems hardly sufficient...

But you have to start somewhere - let's kick off with Matthew Hayden. Not because he's the main reason for our loss but because I can't see him being part of the solution. His batting is reminiscent of Daryl Cullinan in Shane Warne's crosshairs. There was a desperation to Cullinan's batting - a sense of inevitability as it was only a matter of time before he was dismissed. So he went the tonk and if lucky, smashed a few boundaries before being dismissed.

Similarly, Hayden only has one answer - go hard at the bowling and hope for the best. In the 2nd innings, Smith noticed Hayden persisted in driving on the up so speculated with a short cover. Two balls later, Hayden obliged by bunting the ball straight to the fielder. Smith's strategy was as smart as Hayden's was stupid. Such a cavalier approach might work for a number 7 or 8 but not for an opener.

Normally, the selectors wouldn't drop Hayden mid-series - they've always displayed reluctance to drop players from the Test team (unless you're a spinner in which case you're lucky to get consecutive Tests). But as Sydney is a dead-rubber, this would be an ideal opportunity to blood a new player in preparation for the South African tour. Chris Rogers must be the front-runner replacement although the 20 year old Phillip Hughes would be an interesting long-term option. Considering the calamity of a home series loss, this is no time for conservative selection.

Now I've always been skeptical about Andrew Symonds as a Test player. There's no denying he's immensely talented and hits the ball harder than just about anyone else in the game. He's ideal if your team is 4 for 400 and requires a quick 50 to demoralise the opposition before declaring. However, these days Australia are more likely to be 4 for 40 (particularly with Haydos opening) and in desperate need of a grafting middle-order fightback. Andrew Symonds is not that type of batsman. Horses for courses, as they say.

Australia need to realise the golden age is well and truly over now - the blips are coming too hard and fast to be considered anything but a trend. We can no longer play in the manner we've grown accustomed to. What we need is tough, grafting players in the mold of Allan Border - who prize their wicket with a zealous passion. Having Gilchrist come in and hit a run a ball century (or sometimes a two run a ball century) was great while it lasted. Now we need to rebuild similar to the recovery process in the 80's following the retirements of Lillee, Marsh and Chappell. Let's hope the selectors can make some hard decisions before Sydney.

P.S. - while it's ludicrous selection swapping spinners back and forth like they've done over the last 4 Tests, I confess I would love to see Bryce McGain play in Sydney (but that'd be a legspinner bias).

Posted by JC on Tue 30 Dec

64 comments

Ponting has to take a lion's share of the blame but the bottom line in cricket is the rule: Bowlers win matches, batsmen save matches Australia's stocks have risen or fallen depending on the strength of our bowling attack. When you have two bowlers in the one attack with over 1000 combined Test wickets, any mug can captain that side. It was exactly the same with the West Indies in the 80's - they consistently had 4 or 5 hellishly quick and scary bowlers. And its no coincidence that South Africa is bristling with talented bowlers at the moment. So yes, Ponting is not perfect. But would Mark Taylor or Steve Waugh had been as successful if they hadn't had Shane Warne to throw the ball to before things could go pear shaped. That said, much of Australia's problem seems to be they're not adjusting to this new paradigm of having a crap bowling attack. They need to adopt their whole approach, particularly application while batting. Much of this leadership will need to come from Ponting.

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