Clinging onto the rankings

Jim Maxwell in Edgbaston

Updated July 04, 2012 17:28:19

The steady rain that threatens the playing of the third one-dayer at Edgbaston might save Australia from the ignominy of being deposed as the number one team in the 50-over game.

So far Michael Clarke's supposed top-ranked side has been mediocre at best. Michael Hussey's absence has hurt the tourists, but the batting lacks authority and quality and England's accurate attack has been stiflingly economical.

Some of the problems surround selection, and ability. Australia's batting has been in decline, in all moods of the game, since the retirements of Hayden and Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting's diminished performance.

Combine the struggle to make runs consistently - and Clarke has done plenty to hold a fading team together - with the inability to get 10 or 20 wickets and you realise that Australia has fallen off the perch.

If this series was supposed to be about preparing a squad of the best white-ballers for the next World Cup then it has already failed.

Why is Brett Lee playing? So he can break McGrath's one-day wicket record? To prepare him for a finale at the Twenty20 World Cup? And then there's Mitchell Johnson, who may well have looked good in the nets but he hasn't played for Australia since November 2011.

Mitch needs a good spell in domestic cricket to sharpen his game, because he's an ineffective, can't-bowl-to-one-side-of-the-wicket, scramble-seam destroyer of the cricket ball.

If Pattinson is seen as the great white and red hope, play him. It's nonsense to keep him the sheds, unless he's about to break down again.

Smith shouldn't be here because his batting is immature and ineffective against quality bowling, and both Bailey and Forrest are unlikely strikers at this level at the moment.

Shaun Marsh and Cameron White can still make their mark in the lead up to the Champions Trophy next year, and the World Cup beyond. White has recovered from an horrendous loss of form, and Marsh needs some runs for revival.

It's names like Maddinson, Burns, Cooper, Paterson, Quiney that might hit the headlines.

Australian cricket faces a massive challenge to regenerate. It's a task the most prescient selectors will grapple with for a long time.

Tags: onedayseries, cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom, australia

First posted July 04, 2012 17:28:19

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Aussies fall from number one in ODI rankings

Updated August 09, 2012 15:48:39

For the first time in almost three years Australia is no longer officially cricket's number one-ranked one-day nation.

After the International Cricket Council's annual update of its limited overs rankings, Australia has dropped to fourth on the ladder - its lowest ranking since the ODI table was launched in 2002.

Making the news worse for Aussie fans, rivals England are the new top-ranked team, just ahead of second-placed South Africa with world champions India in third spot.

Australia's decline comes after their outstanding record of 30 wins from 40 ODIs in 2009-10 dropped out of consideration for rankings points.

The ICC updates the rankings each year and the new tables only include results from matches played from August 2010 onwards.

It is the first time England has topped the ODI championship table with Australia nine points adrift of their rivals.

On the Twenty20 rankings, South Africa has taken over from England at number one with Australia plummeting from sixth to ninth - below New Zealand and even minnows Bangladesh.

England could regain the number one Twenty20 spot when they take on the Proteas in a three-match series starting on September 8.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia

First posted August 09, 2012 13:37:09

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Australia aims to climb Twenty-20 rankings

Updated August 16, 2012 15:23:13

Cricket Australia (CA) says there's a burning desire to improve the nation's lowly Twenty-20 ranking at next month's World Cup.

CA has confirmed the 15-man Twenty-20 squad selected to face Pakistan in the UAE next month will go on to play in the World Cup in Sri Lanka.

The uncapped Glenn Maxwell, who was the bolter when the squad for Pakistan was announced last month, retains his place as does fellow spinner, 41-year-old Brad Hogg.

Clint McKay was a late withdrawal after injuring his hamstring during a practice match in Darwin. His place has been taken by Queensland's Alister McDermott, the son of Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott.

Australia reached the final of the last World Cup losing to England in 2010 but since then its international Twenty-20 ranking has slipped to ninth, below New Zealand and Bangladesh.

National selector John Inverarity feels this squad is capable of climbing the rankings.

"I don't know whether players speak among themselves but they'll certainly be looking to lift the ranking above what it is now," Inverarity said.

"It's a well-balanced side that will provide the captain, George Bailey, with plenty of options in both the batting line-up and bowling possibilities.

"The seam bowling has depth with Clint McKay, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitch Starc along with all-rounders Shane Watson and Dan Christian, and to a lesser extent Michael Hussey, who could be useful for an occasional over or two.

"Similarly there is depth in the spin bowling department with Brad Hogg, Xavier Doherty and also all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and David Hussey. You can then add to that the possibility of the wrist spin of Cameron White and David Warner.

"There is a great deal of explosive strike power in the batting line-up that could see Matthew Wade at six, Cameron White at seven and either Dan Christian or Glenn Maxwell at eight. There is also a good blend of left and right handers with David Warner, Michael Hussey and Wade likely to be in the top seven.

"The ICC World Twenty20 promises to be a very exciting event as T20 cricket is so unpredictable. Our squad will be well prepared and we look forward to them playing some outstanding cricket and acquitting themselves especially well."

Squad: George Bailey (captain), Shane Watson (vice-captain), Dan Christian, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Cameron White.

Tags: sport, cricket, australia

First posted August 16, 2012 12:36:12

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