Monday, 24 June 2013

Cricket Australia sack coach Mickey Arthur

Australia coach Mickey Arthur has been sacked just 16 days before the start of the Ashes series against England.

The South African faced criticism following poor performances and disciplinary issues within the camp.
Cricket Australia say they will "discuss the coaching structure of the team" at a news conference in Bristol, scheduled for midday.

Arthur, who was Australia's first overseas coach, succeeding Tim Nielsen in 2011, told BBC Sport he was shocked.

Are we seeing the complete capitulation of the Australian cricket team?

Their talisman, Michael Clarke, is injured and could miss most of the Ashes, discipline in the team has nose-dived now they are without a coach.

I know England blew the chance to win the Champions Trophy yesterday, but surely with the state the Australians are in they can’t blow the Ashes, can they?

I was brought up on a staple diet of watching the Australian bowling attack of Warne, McGrath and Lee skittle England out for a meagre total of about 250, then I’d watch Hayden, Langer, Ponting, the Waugh brothers and Gilchrist smack the ball all over the place as Australia would declare on about 600-5, and then watch England struggle all over again and lose the test by inning and a hundred odd runs.

Well not only are those days over it looks like the roles have now been well and truly reversed, and hopefully all those Australian who have enjoyed years of watching their team dominate, will now feel just what every England fan felt during those times between 1989 and 2005 when we had to put up with eight consecutive defeats in the Ashes.    

As this series is quickly followed by another, I still don’t understand how it’s worked out that way but...., England could win four in a row for the first time since the Victorian age!  


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