Calls for heads after Australia crushed
Australian cricket must make ruthless decisions about its aging side
in the wake of the team’s shattering defeat to South Africa in three
days in Cape Town, Australian newspapers said Saturday.
South Africa staged one of the great Test comebacks to win by eight
wickets after trailing by 188 runs on the first innings, skittling
Australia for 47 in their second innings and then cruising to victory on
the third day.
While South Africa celebrated an astonishing victory, the Australian
press called for action.
“Australia’s humiliation is complete and the retribution starts now,”
The Australian said.
Devastating
“Heads will almost certainly roll after a devastating loss in the
first Test and it remains to be seen if Mitchell Johnson or Ricky
Ponting play the next Test in the wake of the Newlands loss.” The Daily
Telegraph’s Malcolm Conn singled out former Test skipper Ponting for
blame and called for the blooding of new players.
“It’s time. Ricky Ponting’s mortality has caught up with him,” Conn
wrote.
“Some former teammates of Australia’s best batsman after Bradman were
right to believe that when he retired from the captaincy earlier this
year Ponting should have walked away altogether.
Spiral
“His downward spiral has become a freefall but Ponting is not
tumbling alone among those involved in Australia’s second-innings
debacle of 47.
“It will be a tough assignment for captain and new selector Michael
Clarke to make some ruthless decisions for the sake of Australia’s
future. If there’s going to be continuing pain let’s have it with young
players on the way up, not fading players on the way down.” Conn said
the Australian summer was the perfect opportunity to continue blooding
new players, adding “there will be few more comfortable assignments than
meeting New Zealand in Brisbane and Hobart next month.” Erratic paceman
Johnson was another in the media’s sights.
Consolation
“Johnson got a consolation wicket in the 30th over, but there have to
be serious questions about his future,” The Australian said.
“The left-hander has failed to take a wicket in seven of his last 17
innings and is averaging more than 50 runs per wicket since the Perth
Test (against England last December).”
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Peter Roebuck said that even if the
Proteas deserved praise the Australians could not escape censure.
“It is one thing to lose a match, another to throw it away,” he said.
Selector
New chief selector John Inverarity and a fresh panel take over next
week, he pointed out. “Already they have plenty to think about, not
least their supposed strike bowler (Johnson), greatest batsman (Ponting),
batting order and gloveman (Brad Haddin),” he said.
“It’s hard to change a team on tour but as the ceremonies were
completed, the sound of sharpening knives echoed around the ground.”
SYDNEY, Sunday AFP |