Waugh has to put fire back into McGrath (30 May 1999)

30 May 1999

Waugh has to put fire back into McGrath

Ian Chappell

Australia's puzzling form in the World Cup is a case of good and bad news. The good news is that they have improved with every game. The bad news is that the first performance against Scotland was abysmal and what followed had to be an improvement.

To find a parallel with Australia's form slump, you would have to go back to the 1992 World Cup. On that occasion Australia entered the tournament as defending champions and favourites to repeat it, only to be beaten by New Zealand in the opening encounter. Before the qualifying matches were completed, Allan Border's team were out of the running.

Once again, this year, it was defeat at the hands of New Zealand that put them on the slippery pole to oblivion, but this time they have one last chance and that requires defeating the unpredictable West Indies at Old Trafford today.

If Australia repeat their form in the match against Pakistan they will beat the West Indies. They played good, fighting cricket at Headingley, only to be outfoxed and in the end outfought by a team who are emerging as a real power under Wasim Akram's guiding hand. Australia's decision to play an extra batsman against Pakistan has been blamed for the defeat as a combination of part-time bowlers were first unnerved by smart batting and then slaughtered by powerful hitting. However, against New Zealand it was the batting that collapsed after a good foundation had been established. When a team is struggling to find top form there is a tendency to compensate for one problem and another emerges. Right now, the Australian selectors must feel like the boy who stuck his finger in the leaking dyke in an attempt to stem the flow of water.

Australia must revert to choosing their favoured all-rounder in the No 7 spot and four specialist bowlers. Steve Waugh's main priority is to get Glenn McGrath back on track because, currently, he is putting the ball there rather than hitting the pitch hard. It is almost as though he is worried about the white ball taking off on a path of its own choice. He is one of the best spearheads in the business and he must be encouraged to act as the battering ram against the Windies' vulnerable top order. If McGrath confronts Brian Lara with a full head of steam and a wicket or two under his belt, he could effectively terminate the West Indies challenge inside the first 15 overs. The West Indies will rely heavily on a big score from Lara to amass a total that will defeat Australia and if McGrath is able to unsettle the maroon marauder, then Australia's chances of reaching the Super Six stage will increase dramatically.

If Australia lose to the West Indies they will miss out on the Super Six and, following disappointing Test and one-day results in the Caribbean, the finger would be pointed squarely at Steve Waugh. This is not surprising as rule No 1 decrees that, when a side are below par, the captain cops the kick in the backside and Steve, as an historically aware cricketer, will know all about this ritual.

He is lucky in that he controls his own destiny - if he inspires a victory over the West Indies, that will silence the critics. In some respects, Waugh was unlucky that, before he was appointed full-time captain, his greatest rival had an opportunity to display his credentials. Shane Warne captained the one-day side with great flair in Steve's absence through injury and it was inevitable that comparisons would be made if results were less than expected. This has happened and now Waugh, who has many times held back the waves as a player, has to emulate the role of Moses once again, this time in a one-act drama.How does a side that has been dominant in Tests struggle in the limited overs game? In addition to the Russian roulette nature of one-day cricket, Australia's aggressive style of play, that is so successful in Test cricket, is severely diluted when opponents are forced to attack or perish. The same Australian bowlers who impose their will on batsmen in Test cricket sometimes flounder when the willow wielders are forced to attack and, by so doing, suddenly unearth powers they did not know they possessed. At times like this, Australia's train of thought is derailed and as yet Waugh has not found a way to guide them back on track.

If Lara is able to inspire such an onslaught from his colleagues and Australia cannot find an answer, then Steve Waugh will have plenty of time to ponder a solution on the long journey home. On the contrary, if he can conjure up a good performance from Australia and they qualify for the Super Six, there will be a few other teams nervously looking over their shoulder.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)