A winning machine. A power house. A disciplined outfit. A bathering ramp. Few synonyms for team Australia in past. But hold on! Past is over, future is here, and Australia, is struggling. On Friday, they registered their fifth consecutive defeat at home.
Skipper M Clarke
At Melbourne Cricket Ground in the second ODI of the five match series against New Zealand, Australian batting was below par. After putting to bat first they managed 5-225 in their allotted 50 overs which Kiwis romped, reaching 4-226 with seven balls to spare.
Brendon McCullum (43 from 75) gave visitors a solid start, which Ross Taylor(47 from 74) and Grant Elliott (61 not out from 75 balls) made the best use of.
Kiwis chase to the target was comfortable won, but it was 37 th over of David Hussey which marked yet another shameful performance by the home side in a summer which is going horribly wrong.
The Kiwis started the over at 3-143, needing 83 off the remaining 14 overs at virtually a run a ball. But a drop catch by Michael Hussey and wild delivery by David Hussey, which neither Taylor nor Haddin could get hands on raced to the boundary – Hussey leaking 10 important runs in the part-time over. Rest as they say is history. Though Mitchell Johnson tried his best to end the misery for the home side, it seems Austrlia still are away from their best.
Earlier stand in Captain Michael Clarke’s brilliant 98(133) and Michael Hussey’s well played 75 (94), in the crucial 133-run partnership for the forth wicket gave Australia some respectability after put to bat first.
With pressure coming from different quarters it was an impressive performance by Clarke in many ways. He entered Melbourne on a four match loosing streak to replace Ponting, who was rested for the game.
He also had to open in absence of injured Shaun Marsh. Adding to these burdens, Clarke had to face music over his reported last month spat with Test team mate Simon Katich.
Clarke took the challenge courageously and opened the innings with David Warner who added another low score to his highly unimpressive sheet.
When wicket keeper batter Brad Haddin came to crease after getting promoted to No.3, he was welcomed with a huge boo for his controversial role in Sunday’s game, where he was accused by Kiwi skipper of fowl play. His stay was brief. Next man to get out was David Hussey who had nobody but himself to blame. Attempting an unlikely single after hitting straight to Daniel Vettori, a direct hit from captain sealed his fate.
This brought another Hussey and Clarke together, and pair carefully started a rebuild. With boundaries hard to come on vast pasture of MCG, first 50 runs of partnership came at a tick under four per over.
The run-rate was still limping but opting for batting powerplay after 34 overs proved impressive.
For change in Australian fortunes the home side made first time the good use of batting powerplay during the summer, taking 33 runs from five overs giving much needed impetus to declining run rate.
Most importantly Australia did not lost any wicket during the fielding restrictions which allowed some momentum to their innings. Hussey fell in the 46th over when he tried to clear mid-wicket with a swipe off paceman Iain O’Brien.
Clarke’s disappointment was on his face when he failed to reach three figure mark as O’ Brien again became reason for Australian pain.
With three matches remaining in the series it will surely take a great Australian resurgence to end the summer on a good note.
NoBall 