Tough road ahead of Australia to reclaim top Test spot
By IANSWednesday, December 9, 2009
MELBOURNE - If Australia have to wrest the top position from India in the cricket Test rankings they will have to wallop their opponents in the next four series.
It’s going to be a long and difficult road back to the top of world cricket for the Australians whose long reign as the top Test team ended this year after they lost the Ashes to England in August.
Though Australia cannot lose the ongoing three-Test series to the West Indies, after hanging on grimly for a draw in the second Test at Adelaide Oval Tuesday, they are in a bit of a mess ahead of the final Test at Perth, beginning next Wednesday.
With injured fast bowlers and uncertain batsmen, this is a world away for the Australians from the three-day thrashing of the lowly, eighth-ranked West Indies in Brisbane little more than a week ago.
Captain Ricky Ponting admitted his side lacked the momentum to win the game.
“It was a real hard slog for us right throughout the game,” Ponting said.
“The West Indies have certainly played very well,” Ponting was quoted as saying in The Australian Wednesday.
That the West Indies could drag themselves off the mat with such conviction is of great kudos to Chris Gayle and his men as they went into the final day Tuesday as the only side with a realistic chance of winning.
Ben Hilfenhaus is already down with knee tendonitis and Peter Siddle has a hamstring problem that kept him off the field again at Adelaide on the last day and could rule him out of Perth.
It gives 12th man Clint McKay, 26, the Victoria fast bowler who made his one-day debut in India last month, the chance to play his first Test.
This would reinforce the view of West Indies coach David Williams that his team can exploit the inexperience of Australia’s bowlers, given Doug Bollinger has played only two Tests.
With Brett Lee out of action following elbow surgery the selectors will have to decide between youth and experience if they need another paceman as cover for Perth.
Queenslander Scott Walter, 20, and South Australian Peter George, 23, are the leading wicket-takers in the Sheffield Shield competition with 17 wickets apiece but if an old hand is required Stuart Clark, now stand-in captain of NSW, is a chance for a recall.
“Hopefully Peter comes up,” said Ponting, who was unsure which way the selectors may lean if he was ruled out.
“I am sure that Stuey’s (Clark) name will come into consideration for the squad for Perth. Clint McKay has obviously played one day games for us and impressed everybody.
“He had a good start to the season in Victoria, so I am sure his name will come up as well.”
Fit fast bowlers is not Australia’s only problem. Spin still raises concerns.
After a good first Test in Brisbane Nathan Hauritz claimed just two wickets from 68 overs in this match, and none in the second innings despite left-arm pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger digging up foot marks for him to the right-handers.
The West Indies’ tall, left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed five wickets in the first innings.
The Australian batsmen escape scrutiny after another stilted performance. Like too many times in England they wasted a good start from Shane Watson and Simon Katich, who themselves wasted the opportunity of going on to score centuries.
