AUSTRALIA’S batsmen are failing across all three formats, with Aaron Finch admitting the woeful performance in the T20 series against Pakistan was just the latest example of a frailty that has become entrenched in the national side.
DISMAL: Aussies whitewashed in T20 series
The tourists slumped to a grim whitewash defeat to the world’s No.1-ranked T20 side, losing the third and final game in Dubai by 33 runs.
Chris Lynn coudn’t stop the bleeding as the Aussies fell to Pakistan yet again.Source:AFP
It was a dismal ending to a tour of the UAE in which they also lost the two-match Test series 1-0.
The Australians fought valiantly in the drawn first Test but the manner in which each of the remaining games played out will have alarm bells ringing ahead of home summer fixtures involving South Africa, India and Sri Lanka.
Aussie run-out shockers0:00
Cricket: Australia’s Ben McDermott and Nathan Coulter-Nile have been dismissed in shocking fashion against Pakistan. The pair run-out in their sides loss.
Australia crumbled to a 373-run loss in the second Test against Pakistan, losing 7-75 in their first dig then 4-7 in their second innings.
In each of the T20s, Australia’s bowlers restricted Pakistan to gettable totals which the visiting batsmen were unable to chase down after losing wickets in clusters.
Finch said Australia’s batting was clearly the number one concern heading into the home summer which starts with three ODIs against South Africa – a format in which the national side were beaten 5-0 in England earlier this year.
New opener Alex Carey started well before falling.Source:AFP
“We’ve struggled with the bat for quite a while now and it’s up to us guys who get first go of it in Perth next Sunday against South Africa to start rewriting that last probably 18 months,” Finch said.
“I think that when you have a bit of change in the side, it’s about starting to build a really good dynamic and a really good chemistry within that side.
“We’ve been trying new things, we’ve been out in the nets for hours. You can’t question it from that point of view. It’s just about making sure that we start to build partnerships again.”
Coach Justin Langer has made clear that technique will be a major focus in addressing collapses in both international and domestic cricket.
But the fact new arrival Ben McDermott was run out in all three of the T20s illustrates that mental struggles can be just as much the problem.
Ben McDermott has now been run out three times in four innings.Source:AFP
“Especially some new guys in the side playing in subcontinent conditions … they come at you with a lot of spin and it starts to play with your mind a little bit,” T20 and ODI skipper Finch said.
“Once you start thinking negatively in T20, I think every time you doubt yourself, you question your tactics or you question your ability, that’s when you can come undone.”
Finch was the second-highest Australian run scorer in his maiden Test series but had an “absolute shocker” in the T20s that followed, scoring just five runs from four innings including the official warm-up match against the UAE.
Originally published as Aussies desperately search for remedy to batting blues
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