Impressive Aussies on the up and up

With their one-nil win over Sri Lanka in the LG Abans Test cricket series, the Australians led by the mercurial Michael Clarke have proved that their cricket is on the up and up.

When the young squad flew in here, they were not expected to be much of an opponent. But at the end of the tour they had proved their credentials. And if they continue in this form, there is no reason why they should not be bracketed with their great teams of the past.

To start with skipper Michael Clarke always led from the front.

When he arrived he said that they are here not win one Test but win all three. Now that was good, positive thinking. That thinking rubbed off on all the players, including the juniors and it was a happy, contended and successful side that flew back to kangarooland.

Always positive

Clarke was always positive. He was always the leader, like a leader should always be. His every move was well thought out. His field settings were always attacking, his bowling changes admirable and in batting he showed his team mates the way by always getting on top of the bowling and executing.

His century in the final Test when defeat was looming, was a work of art. Had he gone early the Aussies would certainly have lost. In the circumstances he did not go into his shell or adopt negative batting techniques. He took the fight to the opponents and when he reached the dream hundred, it was richly deserved and by then he had steered the batting ship that was wobbly early on into safe waters.

That a senior Sri Lanka player had to use unparliamentary language on him for not attempting to make a match of it was uncalled for and unbecoming. He had saved the game and there was no need for him to declare. The senior payer should have known by now that a declaration is made by a captain only if he knows he can win the match, not to offer victory on a platter to his opponents.

Clarke with a young side did well which would have pleased Cricket Australia. Their cricket has been in the dumps for long and the success against Sri Lanka should be the launching pad for more success and to all too familiar land of the champions where they were for long and envied by other teams.

Australia's other amazing success was 'Mr.Cricket' the ever reliable and another Michael - Hussey. This stylish left hander was thorn in the flesh of the Lankan bowlers and the way he started to build an innings and then give it strength as his innings blossomed was an example to all youngsters who would have been watching.

When at times the Aussie batting looked like falling apart, there was Michael to row the boat to safety and ashore. He would have created a record had he made centuries in all Three Tests. He was twice out in the nineties and made centuries in Two Tests, in Galle and Pallkelle. His catching too was brilliant as the catch he took to get rid of Mahela Jayawardena fielding at gulley at Pallekele proved.

A big disappointment was left arm pace bowler Mitchell Johnson as batsman. He has the ability to be one of the best bowling all rounders in the game. But sadly he did not bat the way he can and that is by displaying his big hitting abilities. The Aussie batting coach Justin Langer must tell him.

Geoff Marsh as coach

The Sri Lankans don't seem to be able to do without Australian coaches. There have been coaches from Australia down the line and only recently we had Trevor Bayliss who quit after the 2012 World Cup and then showed his cowardly heroics by condemning the workings of the Cricket Board here.

When the Australians were ruling the cricket world their coaches were in big demand by every cricket playing country. But when Aussie cricket began to drop the coaches were shunned.

But Sri Lanka Cricket has played a bold stroke by employing former Aussie opener Geoff Marsh and who took to coaching once his playing days were over by signing him on for two years.

With Sri Lanka cricket sliding down hill after defeats against England and Australia, Marsh will have to raise our game Phoenix like from the Ashes. His first test will be when he takes the team to Sharjah for Tests and one-dayers against Pakistan next month. If he fails there will be grumblings by the cricket fans here, to whom victory and nothing else will suffice.

His stint will be a big ask. At the end of two years it will tell.

ICC lackadaisical

Its time to aim some brickbats at the world's governing body for cricket - the International Cricket Council for the lackadaisical manner in which they conducted the launch of the 2012 Twenty20 to be conducted in Sri Lanka at the Ceylon Continental Hotel on Wednesday.

The ICC had some of their big wigs attending --including Haroon Logart, its Chief Executive. While they must be congratulated for the wonderful show they put up at the launch, they left a bad taste in the mouth and disappointed all by showing their ignorance for punctuality.

The invitation to attend the launch stated that the launch was scheduled for 5 p.m. Invitees, officials and media people were assembling from 4-30 p.m. Came the starting time and nothing was moving! After a frustrating wait of nearly 45 minutes the launch started. Even after getting it started there was no explanation or an apology for the delayed start which had many fretting.

Some journalists who had to meet deadlines were contemplating on leaving the venue.

The ICC big wigs who were here should have been more responsible.