Just over twelve months ago on this blog, I questioned Clarke's ability to mould the team in the way Border did in the eighties and nineties. Well twelve months on, I am willing to admit there is more substance to Clarke than I had given credit for. He has shown himself an astute captian.
The changes he made in the Sydney test last year seemed to me at the time the actions of a man who wanted to show he could stamp himself on the team, rather than actually doing so. It merely confirmed what I had thought just a week or so before. However, since officially taking the reigns, Clarke has shown a creativity that his predecessor did not. In particular, Clarke seems to know how to use a spinner, especially one trying to establish himself. As I noted last year, Ponting struggled with this, which made it difficult for him to rebuild the team, and contributed to the revolving door of spinners we had before Lyon. Clarke has also stepped up with the bat, with a century against each opponent he has faced as the full time captain. In particular, his score against South Africa in trying conditions was
excellent- better even than his 329* last week. To have two such excellent innings to his credit, and in such a short space of time, shows he is finally fulfilling his promise.
All that to basically say, I think I was wrong. Clarke may indeed be the man to lead Australia back towards the top of world cricket. His first year or just under certainly shows promise. Twelve months ago, there were huge question marks over the team, and most of the players. Now, many have been answered, though a few still remain.
The spinners spot seems to have been nailed down for a while by Lyon, in spite of a lean trot against India (the best players of spin in the game- and of course it is hard to take wickets when the quicks are hogging them all). He shows a good temperament, and the ability to take good wickets, even if he will rarely dominate.
The quicks have stepped up a gear or two. A year ago, they couldn't buy a wicket, and no one was quite certain where we should turn next. Now they look like they could pull apart most teams on most pitches. Hilfenhaus and Siddle have lifted a notch since last year - from innocuous to dangerous. Add in Pattinson, who looks the real deal, and that is a powerful attack. Harris strikes me as a kind of Bruce Reid like figure - you know he will struggle with injury on a regular basis, but when fit he is usually effective and worth a run. Cummins looked good on debut. Starc and Copeland looked handy cricketers, if not yet world beaters. The fact that I can mention so many likely candidates without having to resort to hot and cold Mitchell Johnson- the leading candidate last year- is a good sign. The only problem now is the length of the injury list. Johnson and Cummins have been ruled out of the whole summer. Harris has missed half of it with his second injury since September. Now Pattinson is injured, and will be out for the rest of the tests this summer. And these are just the ones who have played in the last few months.
Of more concern is the batting. Ponting and Hussey seem to have regained form (Husseys slump lasting all of four tests- how fickle we are). Clarke as noted before is doing well. With Watson injured, and struggling to regain fitness, that leaves three spots open. Marsh started well, but needs to pick up where he left off before injuring himself. Warner and Cowan have each had one good innings but need to produce a bit more consistently. Khawaja has looked the goods each time I have seen him bat, but doesn't seem to get the scores to back it up. Hughes has been shown wanting at this level yet again. Hopefully with an extended run, a few of the new guys will find their feet consistently and fill in the hole that Ponting and Hussey's eventual departures will leave.
That leaves the most concerning point - Haddin. Haddin annoys me. He should be so much better than he is. When we have collapsed, you can guarantee that Haddin has played an irresponsible shot. No need to look at the video tape. On the other hand, he has contributed solidly to some of our wins. The very fact that he can and does do the latter makes the former even more frustrating. I wonder if he would still have the gloves if Payne was not injured. Payne is the better keeper, and seems to bat well to boot. Once again injury seems to be a key word.
Well that is the state of the cricketing nation as I see it: a surpringly good captain; a bowling line up that is more than promising - it delivers- in spite of a worrying spate of injuries. ; a batting line up that is heavily reliant on the old guard, most of who have been out of form until the last three innings; and finally a wicket keeper that is symbolic of the results of the team over this year- inconsistent. Over all this, the number of injuries dominates- bowlers, batsmen and even the reserve wicket keeper have been falling like flies. It will be hard to keep a consistent team if this keeps up much longer.
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