Following Philip Hughes’ bad trot with the bat he had a meeting withAustralia’s batting coach, Justin Langer.
“So Langers, why do I keep getting out?”
“Not sure Hughsey” said the coach scratching his head. “Maybe you could try keeping your bat straight?”
Phil Hughes walked away looking puzzled. No one had ever told him that before.
Not long after Craig McDermott was appointedAustralia’s bowling coach he had a meeting with the bowling attack.
“Hilfy, last summer you bowled crap” he said.
“Yeah” said Hilfy. “I was banging it in and nothing was happening.”
McDermott moved his gaze to the younger bowlers.
“You blokes have a lot to learn” he said.
“Where do we start?” asked Siddle.
“Well, here’s an idea” said Mc Dermott, “try PITCHING THE BALL UP OCCASSIONALLY!”
They all looked at the coach perplexed.
“Now get to the nets and try it” said McDermott “The Boxing Day test is just around the corner.”
After the Boxing Day test victory,Australia’s jubilant players had their review meeting. The bowlers were happy.
“Did you see that one that I pitched up to Sachin?” asked Siddle
“And what about mine to VVS?” exclaimed Pattinson.
Just keep doing that” said McDermott to his bowlers. “Now get to the nets and practice.”
But a few of the batsmen had concerns.
We keep playing the ball back onto our stumps” said Langer offering a start to the conversation.
“Yeah” said Warner.
“Yeah” said Marsh.
“Yeah” said Clarke.
“I don’t” said Punter.
The coach looked down at his boots as if the answer was on the floor.
“Well” said Langer, “why don’t we try playing with a straight bat rather than having it pointing out towards gully?”
The batsmen all exchanged knowing glances.
“Now get into the nets and try it” said Langer.
So the bowlers toiled away at pitching the ball up and the batsmen experimented with keeping their bats straight.
Australia’s cricketing revolution had begun.
About Damian O'Donnell
I'm passionate about breathing. And you should always chase your passions. If I read one more thing about what defines leadership I think I'll go crazy. Go Cats.
Have you thought of applying for job at CA Dips?
Ha ha, Dips !
Interesting comment by M Clarke, when he was commenting on
Australia’s recent propensity to suffer batting collapses.
Amazingly, he said “it happens” and attributed it all to the fact
that there are now more bowlers’ wickets around!
He did not say why Warner, Marsh and Cowan all played shots
which had everything to do with poor shot selection.
Which you rightfully point out in your piece, Dips.
Spot on, Dips. We didn’t need the Argus review and benchmarks and lord knows what else. Just back to basics coaching you’d get at, say, the nets at the Fearon Reserve with the under 12s.
By the way, almanackers, the Fearon Reserve has been immortalised in a John Spooner painting currently showing in the Age foyer, part of the Cricket Art prize exhibition. Runs until 13 January. Without giving too much away, the painting includes a bit of park cricket and I reckon the boy facing his dad is playing a straight bat. Imagine that.
Dips, you’d never fit into the ‘new paradigm’ with that sort of thinking.
Too simple and to the point. Not self important enough.
No prizes in making the simple seem simple nowadays.
Tasmanians Dips.
Almost half the runs and half the wickets.
Pattinson & Siddle – nearly all the wickets and some handy runs down the bottom end.. And they’re Victorians Phanto.
BTW, anyone thought that the DRS might make it harder for umpires to be corrupted by Waenie’s mate, John The Bookmaker? And that it mightn’t be a co-incidence that the Cricket Council of India is alone in being against using the technology?
And can we win from here?
Its a simple game cricket
No Mitchell Johnson helps for a manifold reasons.
Partnerships
Ball management
Accuracy
Swing etc
PJF
All you need to know about Mitchell Johnson is in today’s papers, telling us of his relief at being injured, while in town to shoot an underwear ad – what a nutsack!
Litza – I saw that too. I thought to myself “what a nutsack!”
Loved Francis Leach’s comment that “it’s the first time he’s had two balls in the same place in years”.
Mitch who?
How’s Hiffy going by the way?