Boof is in, Arthur is out - a good move?

Quite a number of people have stated the timing is poor and that the sacking of Mickey Arthur so close to the Ashes is a mistake. News report have been stating, "Ashes crisis!" I am one of the supporters who disagrees completely with this outlook as we need to be positive. The news that Arthur is out and that Darren "Boof" Lehmann has replaced him is good news. In fact I think it is bloody fantastic and will gladly eat my words. I rated Boof as an Australian Cricketer. I am now excited to rate him in the not too distant future as an Australian Coach.

The decision by Cricket Australia - surprising and mighty bold - was needed and the timing didn't have a day to spare. The other news that Michael Clarke has stepped down in his selection position has only highlighted this strategic change at the top of the food chain. This is outstanding news.

What about England? To be honest, I reckon this decision will not be great news for their camp. The new coach is a man who had a taste for their blood and will be far more driven and obsessed to coach his troops to knock them over and out. Fortunately for Australian supporters, England did not lift the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy after losing to India. 

Arthur never seemed to secure the support from the public and I am left wondering if internally things just haven't recovered since the Indian tour dramas. It would seem that it definitely wasn't working with Arthur and this change seems to have cleared the air, along with some good Ashes inclusions in our squad.

Oddly enough it felt as if tension left the Australian camp with this news. I don't intend to disrespect Arthur with that comment but supporting Australian Cricket is something you feel internally, it's a pride that you cannot pigeonhole and I trust my gut instinct on these matters.

Arthur is not to be blamed completely for the way things turned out, in fact that would be unfair and unprofessional. He is a disappointed man right now and shocked with the news, so no need to trash talk. Arthur however wasn't able to secure that respect and his regime-like decisions seemed like lessons from the school headmaster which just never settled well across the board. Australian Cricket has recently felt like a bit of a school yard - out of control. In his defence some our players need to earn the respect of the supporters as a few carry larger than life egos. Arthur tried and it t is a pity to see anyone get sacked professionally, but just the way it went and poor performances only added fuel to the fire.

A few unwanted incidents happened under the watch of Arthur.

In recent times we lost against India 4-0 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Always tough to play Tests in India but it was a sour result, especially with unwanted off-field dramas. Discipline has slipped amongst the players and although according to Cricket Australia this is part of the coaching deal, the players are adults and should have been far more professional. Having said that there was no respect being shown towards certain departments and Arthur's inability to establish a strong, sincere and genuine sense of respect would have contributed to this. The Champions Trophy early exit added to this, along with the English bar incident - lead by David Warner.

The Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland, reflected this in the press conference come the official announcement of Lehmann's selection.

“Discipline, consistency of behaviour and accountability for performance are all key ingredients that need to improve. And we see that the head coach is ultimately responsible for that.

“The Cricket Australia Board decided yesterday that Mickey Arthur should not continue as head coach of the Australian cricket team.  In taking this decision, the Board accepted the reco
mmendation to make an immediate change as being in the best interests of the team,” said Sutherland.

It may seem harsh but it had to be done, has been done and needed to be done. Australia never seemed set on a non-Australian leading the side. There is possibly still a sense of belief that bringing in a personality from the glory days can turn things around, not that of a coach having not been involved with that era.

Arthur was the scapegoat and he was not the right personality to take this team forward. Arthur is out, Lehmann is in!

With Clarke no longer in a selection position, all the heated debate that he has his "favourites" can now be dusted away and this will enable him to focus further on leadership of his team and mentor his batsmen. This is a healthy step from both a personal and public stance. It could help with selection consistencies, but John Inverarity will be watched closely with this management.

Two years ago my mate Matt declared Lehmann should be coach. I never laughed about it and took his opinion quite seriously. When Arthur got the gig to coach Australia I was reminded of his opinion - by Matt personally. It's great news that Lehmann now has his chance and he's had the chance to graft and show his leadership and tactical colours with the Queensland Bulls, who have shown solid improvement.

Two years ago Shane Warne also shared his opinion that Darren Lehmann was the ideal man for the job, post-Tim Nielsen. Finally Warnie has had just another tip pay off!

"I think Darren Lehmann is absolutely outstanding - as a coach or in some senior role involved in the team or as a selector.
"I think he's got a really good understanding of the young guys, he's got a great understanding of old school and what's required to perform.

"[There's] old-school '70s and '80s - sit down and don't say a word and let the experienced people talk - to the new way where you play one game you think you've played a hundred and you're part of the furniture. Somewhere in the middle is about the right way."

A smile breaks into the Australian camp © Getty Images

Lehmann comes from the die-hard Aussie cricket days. His leadership experience, passion for the Baggy Green legacy and his "bloke" attitude will be really good our guys - supporters included. "Boof" will also be able to give these players a good kick in the butt when needed and have the respect shown given they will know where he comes from and likely relate to him far easier than the unknown elements of Arthur.

Lehmann has an unquestionable passion for the great game, he has a "team comes first" attitude and enjoys a cold beer or two. His focus on the fundamentals is hard to go unnoticed and while we always hear about players waffling on about their fitness, hitting the gym, doing weights etc. Boof will be focusing on batting, bowling and fielding - the rest is simply detail. He also has been in the hot seat for telling it like it is and perhaps that brutal aspect of his personality will toughen these guys up and make them know "the line in the sand" (as Arthur put it) before he even shows up at the first training session.

Best of all was Lehman's attitude towards family values - highlighted in his press statement. In a side where individualism has seemed to take hold and accountability was never properly addressed, the collectivity may return to the side which will inevitably create a brighter team culture. Winning will help and Lehmann is aware of this, but Cricket Australia needs to become a family again - that is not just the player group.

As per his statement; "It's about life as well, it's a game of cricket. It's important we have success and play well but it's a small part of your life, so we've got to make sure we are helping them grow their lives on and off the ground, that is really important to me. Family is a big part of it, enjoying each other's company while we're away, and learning about ourselves and different cultures and different people we have in the team."

If you also need to know a thing or two about Lehmann as a cricketer, he could hold his own.
He averaged 57.59 runs with the bat at First-Class level, averaged 44.95 runs for the Baggy Greens with 5 centuries from 27 Tests. He averaged below thirty with the ball at Test and ODI level, and he played a huge role in our 1999 and 2003 World Cup victories, notably 2003 where he scored 224 runs at 44.80 and bagged 6 wickets.

Essentially the business needs to be done on the field. However, coaching and leadership is vital for this unstable time in Australian Cricket. I am confident this will bring a sense of natural respect given Lehmann's background and the fact Cricket Australia will stress the importance to the team given their timing for such a move. Most of all, the players have been far from disciplined as a unit so they will have to do their part to ensure Lehmann is boosted in his capacity.

I also believe this move will possibly be a start to rectifying the leadership issues we have. Michael Clarke is unlikely to play cricket for a great deal longer - stated by him for personal aspirations and his physical issues - and right now their is a leadership void. Coaching was directly related to his and this could seriously help fix this problem, or at least get things back on the rails!

The Ashes is just around the corner. England did not win the Champions Trophy, further good news. We have a bunch of players who have stepped up for Australia A in recent tour matches and a few others edging to have a crack against the English team - especially Chris Rogers and Ed Cowan.

Tough decisions need to be made. No one knows the future but Australian Cricket has sunk to an all time low in terms of connectivity rolling from the team to us, the supporters who keep this game alive. Lehmann cannot fix things on his own. This is not a miracle turn around. The hard work has to be readdressed.
However, from the Baggy Green Blog, I proudly welcome our new coach, Darren "Boof" Lehmann. Let's get back the urn! 

Sources: Cricket Australia, ESPN Cricinfo.com.

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Too harsh in the public eye given the evidence

Over the last 24 hours Australian Cricket has gone from a wobbly Indian tour on the field to a horrible atmosphere off the field. The axing of Shane Watson (vice-captain), Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja has shocked not only Australian Cricket supporters, but cricket fanatics in general.

Public outcry has been to sack Mickey Arthur based on this decision. This is definitely jumping the gun. I think this whole ordeal needs to be looked at with some perspective, much like our performances during the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series. We need the best team on the park and the timing for such a drastic decision is worrying.

The Australian sports landscape isn't in great shape with all the drug inquests which brought about some worrying results, notably regarding AFL (Australian Football League) and NRL (National Rugby League). The timing of this news adds to the burden of current negativity in a country with such a strong and proud sporting culture.

Let me begin my look into this matter.

The first problem was the way the statement was delivered to the media from Arthur. We were left with the impression that these players had simply been dropped for not completing a "homework" assignment to assess how they can improve as players with the series going forward. They had four days to finish the assigned task, which was to be handed into the coach by whatever means were easiest for the players.

In modern day professionalism with high salary packages and rewards beyond your trade on the cricket field, this was not a big ask and should have been done. The team is currently needing a morale boost and this was clearly something Arthur and Clarke felt was a necessity as the team eyes an improvement for the 3rd Test. Maybe players have too much being spoon-fed to them nowadays, but it's still not a big ask.

Some have said that these blokes aren't admin boys. Their job is play cricket and improve via practice. Yes, I agree, but if a task is asked of you to require some application off the field to assess your own game, that falls under the job description in my opinion. The four players should have done it. I am interested to know what were their reasons for not submitting it in time. Forgetfulness or more pressing matters?

The reasons for the players not following through with orders should give better perspective on the standings on relationships with top management.

Yes, at first this is all we were informed about. Four players were dropped for not handing in a self-assessment form for improvement heading into the 3rd Test.
Therefore, to drop four quality cricketers on this basis in indeed bloody harsh if you ask me!

This is what we were told by Mickey Arthur and the bomb was dropped amongst the public. The media then took off with former players expressing their disgust and shock with the decision. Understandably we were seeing mixed opinions but the majority of us were obviously concerned that such drastic measures were taken.

The story went a step further, leaps further when Shane Watson announced he was leaving India to head back home. Immediately those who don't follow the players lives away from the game too closely were left to believe it was the decision that resulted in Watson calling it quits and that something bigger was going on.

However, Watson and his wife are awaiting the birth of their first child. His wife, Lee Furlong Watson, is in the final stages of pregnancy and it would seem some perspective was clear that the time was best spent with her rather than watching cricket from the sidelines. It's a special time is ones life and priority kicked in.

The fact Watson will be reassessing his future as a cricketer is a big cause for concern as to what this decision from management has done.

Pat Howard, Team Performance Manager, has stated Watson's commitment was questionable. Another indication that there is more to the story, but as a two time Allan Border Medalist, Watson has a vital position in the side, even though his Test performances remain inconsistent and tougher for him on a personal note given he can't bowl anymore. Howard also indicated that there's a lot of patching to do between Watson and Clarke with their relationship. 

"There's an individual aspect. That's a hard one to measure. I know Shane reasonably well. I think he acts in the best interests of the team sometimes. That's probably a better one for the players and the team to judge," Howard said.

"You don't get to pick and choose. The standard of the team is set, not playing under your own conditions. The first criteria to playing for Australia is wanting to play for Australia."

So, this picture immediately makes you either believe it was a fair move to drop the players due to slack discipline and disrespect to the Coach and Captain, or you will have felt the punishment was way too harsh for the information presented to us, which is how I felt. I am all for respect and good sportsmanship but was  still over the top.

Michael Clarke then came out to clarify it was a series of incidents that resulted in such drastic measures being taken. The players showed a lack of respect according to Clarke and in a time when the team needs to exercise strong discipline and off-field ethics, as well as on the field, this was unacceptable and a line was crossed.

I was convinced there had to be more to the story to drop your vice-captain, second in command to Clarke, and drop three other players who were surely all under consideration for the 3rd Test. Based on this, I eased up in my opinion but not being internally involved in the time, from the outside it still seemed harsh.

The important statement of Clarke's to read into is below (*Source: ESPN Cricinfo)

"I want the public and the media to understand, don't get me wrong, it's not just about one incident. Firstly on this tour our performances have been unacceptable and there has been some stuff off the field [that has been unacceptable] for the standards an Australian cricket team needs to present itself to achieve what we are trying to achieve ... I know it is a tough day, a really tough day and it's a tough decision, but at the end of the day if people are not hitting those standards there are going to be consequences.

"Our head coach gave us two days off after the second Test, it was about freshening yourself up, get your rehab [done], your recovery, do what you have to do, get everything right for the next two Test matches, because the next two Test matches are as big as you might have in your career and you have an opportunity to turn this series around.

"We were asked to do one thing from the head coach. It was giving information back to the head coach about not only improving your game - what you've learnt from the first two Test matches - but also how can you help this team turn things around and have success.

"It was a very simple task. Yes, it took a lot of thinking because you had to look at your game and where you thought you could improve, what you had learnt and what you could do to help this team level this series. In my opinion, for the four players to not do it, not only does it let the team down, it also shows a lack of respect for the head coach and in the Australian cricket team that is unacceptable."

Unfortunately, the additional reasons and poor standards leading to the dramatic decision to drop them was not made clear to the public. This lack of transparency is going to hurt Australian Cricket and the public will still be confused and angry with the decision, given you had to read into Clarke's statement to realise there is indeed more to the story.

The reason alone given by Arthur to drop the players is harsh and I am sure many feel there were other ways to hand down punishment for the incident. With a series on the line and Australian Cricket not in the best shape I am not sure this was not a decision wisely taken to ensure the morale and unity within the side be maintained or uplifted. Instead we have the public now up in arms and shaken even more ahead of the next match.

The Coach may have taken a bold step, but it will be a long road for Arthur to win back the public support. Honestly, I think this move has cast a dark cloud over his future as Australian Coach. The public relations handling of this matter is questionable and while there is probably a policy that somethings don't leave the change room, this is a move that has resulted in cricketers being dropped for reasons unheard of. We are now in a state of deep concern and worry over the state of our team.

Andrew Symonds comes to mind in all of this.

Roy was a personal favourite of mine and his whole character was just so classic. He seemed like a good guy to have around the team. The sad side of Roy's story is he had problems that affected his commitment to the team and resulted in his career with Cricket Australia coming to an end. It got to the point where his love for the game was lost as well.

He drove himself to it though as he had warnings issued for his behavioural problems and even when punishment was handed down, it was within good reason and guidelines were followed. In the general public we knew of Roy's personal battles and it was a bit easier to accept the punishment handed down. His offences were relatively serious in the sporting world. 

In this case with the four players it seems as though things weren't that bad on their character checks. It also seems we didn't have any obvious indication that these guys were stepping out of line. So to all of a sudden hear they were dropped was indeed a massive shock and it's fair enough that we feel gutted at the decision.

There's still more to come out of the story but as far as I am concerned the decision was too much. It may have seemed the right thing to do in Arthur and Clarke's mind to cement what their vision is for the team and the value and discipline required to be in the Australian team. The catch though is I feel this will have implications for the team and disharmony will be ever-present in Arthur's reign unless the team can pull out some ridiculously impressive performances.

Arthur and Clarke are judged on their performances and results. As a result, good performances from here will ease the tension. This recent move is a sign that they mean business and are under a heck of a lot of stress and pressure. My concern is they, more so Arthur, have a steep hill to climb now and the fall from the other side may be a long one. The public will not be easily convinced.

As a cricketer, Michael Clarke has high standards as he spent a fair amount of time around the great team of the past and succeeded as a youngster, having also dealt with being dropped. Therefore, I would have to have some belief that this decision is to ensure a tougher nature is present in the team and that he will succeed.

One of the culprits, fast bowler James Pattinson, took accountability for his misdemeanor and said that he feels this will be good for Australia in the long run. Can only hope his optimism will be validated and that his attitude was in a bad place to accept this.

"The easy thing for me was to make excuses and say it's a harsh punishment.

"But the reality is it's not - it's part of playing cricket for Australia. You've got to do everything right. It wasn't hard for the other 12 blokes to get it in on time and they took the time out to really reflect and do what's best for the team whereas we four didn't. Right now I'm still hurting about it but in the long run I think it's going to make us a better team."

Accountability is so important as these are professional cricketers. Hard decisions must be made and justified punishment must be handed out. If Arthur and Clarke feel it is justified with more behind the scenes incidents, so be it. If accountability could be taken to learn from their (the four players) mistakes but not at the expense of being dropped, then I'd have been able to easier accept that. This is not protection for these players, but rather Australian Cricket's landscape. By the same token it may send a warning sign out to "up your standards".

Ian Chappell said this will damage team morale. Having looked over things on paper, heard and read enough opinions, I am inclined to agree with Chappelli. It's not so much about this short-term decision, the frustration we have four players axed who could have contributed to a vital match, but rather the negative impact this will have on the culture of Australian Cricket going forward. This includes; players, supporters, shareholders, former players and the management/coaching staff.

Only sublime performances will rectify this in the short-term. Such a major pity as things were supposed to get better, not worse, not as messy as this. It's a very disappointing situation and numbing. I hope it really does go a lot further than an assignment not being submitted.

In conclusion having looked at everything, it is clear there is more to the story. Seeing as I, as a supporter, have to go on my get feeling, where my loyalties lie and what information I have been fed, I back the players. I think this punishment was harsh and Australian Cricket did not need this right now.

The biggest question though in terms of cricket itself. Will we have the best XI on the park? That should remain decision number one over and above everything.

*Sources for quotes have been credited and links have been presented where applicable for The Baggy Green Blog's content and external content.

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Is Waqar Younis a candidate for the Australian bowling coach vacancy?

This latest news is rather exciting and I really hope it ends up being a reality for Australian cricket.

The void left by Craig McDermott resigning as bowling coach is massive.
He did a truly spectacular job during a short time with the Australian team and his impact has left a big footprint for all to see. Our bowling unit has started to build a reputation as one that should not be handled with disrespect and the Test performances from the bowlers has certainly seen a dramatic turnaround after the dismal 2010/11 Ashes series, which was a major reason for a number of changes in the Australian landscape (Argus Review).

The news that we've been provided with is that one of the men interviewed for the position of Australian bowling coach is none other than Waqar Younis - former Pakistan Test/ODI bowler.

Growing up in the 90s watching cricket, every kid knew about the lethal bowling duo from Pakistan known as Wasim and Waqar. As a youngster Waqar was one of my favourites to emulate when playing garden cricket.
Wasim Akram is still regarded as one of the best left arm fast bowlers of the modern era and Waqar - who is without a finger on his left hand - was a spectacle to watch in limited overs cricket and it was hard to not be drawn into the thrill of his lightning pace.

Had I seen him play live, it would have been a real treat to have seen him hurling down deliveries in real time during the days when batsmen weren't as well shielded as they are now. Bowlers were even scarier then!
When he bowled out batsmen, they just seemed to instantly walk off the pitch with utter disbelief, the acceptance that their downfall was as a result of ferocious, tactical bowling.

I think the day I realised Waqar was well past his best and that his playing days were as good as over was during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup when he bowled hideous beamer at Andrew "Roy" Symonds. Roy destroyed Pakistan that match in one of his most entertaining innings when it mattered most for his career, but I remember that innings as one where Waqar's career was at the end. The signs were there.

Come the end of his career, as a player he was accomplished and he is not just a great Pakistani cricketer but a legend to the cricket world. He remains one of the most talked about bowlers when we discuss reverse-swing and his general control with swing bowling during his prime is something our fast bowlers would be eager to lap up with the mentorship of Waqar.

His suitability for the Australian team?

Waqar has been based in Sydney, Australia since 2005.
He has the advantage as a "foreign" cricket professional who has been exposed to local and cultural knowledge which should help him mix with the team culture and the fanatics. More so he has spent time with the New South Wales Blues so he will understand the demands, attitude and team spirit with which he will be working with in Australian sport.

He has been fresh out of International cricket for a while now since resigning as the Pakistan coach in 2011 due to personal reasons. The politics within Pakistani cricket is a major distraction upon the love of the game which so many of their supporters have. No doubt when in a position of responsibility such as a coach it can't be easy with all these distractions.

Although I don't intend to come across as disrespectful to any Pakistan cricket supporters who follow my writing, the work environment within the Australian cricket team carries professional pressure as it does with any team but it is mostly factors of pressure to generate performance based results. There is still the never ending conquest to win the vote of confidence with the players and supporters as well, but the external pressures are far less than that of the Pakistan cricket camp.

The shift may be a good one for Waqar having had a bit of a break from that environment. He may have the opportunity to settle into an environment which may allow him to really show his true colours as a bowling coach with a bunch of guys who will want to make an impression based on all the positives they have taken from the brilliant job done by Craig McDermott.

Understandably we'd prefer to see a bowling coach come in the form of a former Australian cricketer, which is the natural way to think in terms of comfort and history.
It's exciting to know that Cricket Australia has gone out of their comfort zone with the appointment of staff in coaching or managerial positions e.g. Mickey Arthur and Pat Howard.

We've seen a gradual turnaround in performances from the Test and ODI teams and both Arthur and Howard have played a vital role. One comes from another cultural background having had real international success, while the other has been involved within and played a different sport. The appointment of Waqar Younis shouldn't be seen as a negative based on this.

All in all if I look at these aspects along with my personal admiration for Waqar as a cricketer, I think it would be a boost to our side from the outset. The major factor would be the performance delivery and I have confidence that the appointment wouldn't be a light decision given the massive task to replace McDermott with an intense cricket schedule coming up. If Waqar gets the job, it will be for the right reasons.

What are your thoughts?

A video treat: An example of what these blokes could do!
Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram in action.

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