Australia pay for their inability to adapt

Hobart, the capital of Australia's sometimes forgotten island state of Tasmania, has hosted 12 Tests previously, but none have been scheduled this early in the cricket summer. For the uninitiated, Hobart is cold terrain - for Australian standards - and is often an eyesore of grey clouds, precipitation and chilly winds off the beautiful Mount Wellington, which provides a stunning backdrop from the scenic Bellerive Oval. Accordingly, greeting the second Test were menacing clouds above as the likelihood of rain threatened ominously. Headlights were needed and spectators wisely were garbed in jackets. It didn't feel like a stereotypical day of cricket in Australia. The surrounds were the type you would expect in the UK. After humiliatingly being dismissed for 85 within 33 overs, Australia's befuddled batsmen were mired in quicksand as if they were indeed playing on those seaming UK pitches, which has proved their kryptonite for many years. Those ghoulish apparitions materialised in a nightmarish performance on the opening day of the second Test. They may have surpassed the ignominy of Trent Bridge, where they were infamously rolled for 60, but this was arguably a more abject failure considering it was on home soil. It was Australia's lowest total at home since 1984 and the worst first innings total in Australia since 1951. Astoundingly, Australia have been routed under 90 four times already this decade, the type of calamity that never happened during their halcyon periods of the 1990s and 2000s. Australia were somewhat bailed from total embarrassment through a late fightback with the ball from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood. Late heroics, particularly from Starc, ensured Australia aren't without a faint chance of conjuring a miraculous comeback victory. However, an astonishing victory would be fool's gold. Whatever eventuates, there should be no sugarcoating this inept Australian batting performance, surely the nadir for a flimsy unit which has been tentative and rudderless for seemingly an eternity. You have to feel for their toiling bowlers, particularly Starc and Hazelwood, who are having to continually rescue their side from the sewers. Only captain Steve Smith (unbeaten 48 from 80 balls) could muster more than 10 runs and face in excess of 25 deliveries. He had the tenacity and technique that was lacking from his beleaguered teammates. At the core of Australia's problem has been their inability to adapt to challenging conditions. Simply, they only have one gear; a natural attacking game in a bid to assert dominance over their opponents. Innate aggression and bravado has always been part of Australia's psyche, but right now, it feels manufactured. They appear unwilling, or perhaps unable, to change their approach depending on circumstance. Indicative of this, David Warner, Australia's vice-captain and fearless opener, played an abominable shot in the first over to trigger the downfall. Warner's success is based around counterattacking but surely he needed to curb his natural instincts for the benefit of the team. Considering the swirling pressure hovering around them coupled with the tough conditions for batting, Warner needed to knuckle down and ensure he didn't recklessly throw away his wicket. It was startling that a senior player couldn't grasp the situation and telling of Australia's scatterbrain approach. It is a mishmash of a batting order with no one sans Smith looking capable of digging in under duress. Adam Voges used to be dependable and the type of player who could be a fulcrum for the team. But those days appear over, as the 37-year-old is seemingly unable now to reach into the well and play one of his grinding innings. If Australia loses or Voges fails in the second dig, his Test career will most likely be over. Australia's batting frailties is magnified in this series with a stark difference between the teams being the crux No.7 position. Peter Nevill, a battler at the best of times, is scratching around for runs, while his opposite number Quinton de Kock has deservedly warranted comparison with legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist. The batsmen deserve a lion share of the blame but their schizophrenic batting could be symbolic of the mishmash of direction from Australian selectors, who have contradicted their stances numerously in recent times. Worryingly, it feels like Australia's top brass are making decisions on the fly and have little clue of what they're attempting to implement within the group. After their poor showing, Darren Lehmann, Australia's head coach, lamented the side's inability to cope with the challenging conditions. "Disappointing....it was a reminder of Trent Bridge to honest," he said on Saturday (November 12). "We need to refine our games. 85 is not good enough for an Australian cricket team. We have to be better...when the ball swings we have not been good at all. "We believe this is our best squad we have, we have got to find a way to get through those tough periods. Players need to adapt to the conditions presented," he added. Lehmann said he was disappointed with Warner's dismissal but backed the flamboyant opener to showcase better judgment in the future. "We know David plays that (aggressive) way but (he should) probably not in the opening over a Test match," he said. "It's about summing up (the situation)...he knows that." Pressure has been swirling around the Australian team after a sub-par period and knives will be sharpened if they suffer a fifth straight Test defeat. "It probably is (a crisis)...for us it is about being better," he said. "We know they can play, they just need the belief. There are times you have to believe in your ability. "We have to get better in a lot of areas and...there is a lot of criticism out there, which is warranted. It is a great challenge ahead for our players and coaching group," he added. Source: CricBuzz