Darren Lehmann backs inexperienced team after series defeat
Dec 23, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Australia were destined for an uphill tour of South Africa, the moment they rested ace pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood together. Against a quality opposition like South Africa in their own backyard, having someone with great skills and experience was the need of the hour for the Kangaroos. Rather, the Australian selectors were in the mood to try out some fresh faces for the series.
The results are there for one and all after the third ODI. With two ODI’s still left in the series, the series is gone from Australia’s hands as the Proteas have been just too dominant at home. The third ODI was a fascinating one as the hosts chased down a mammoth 372 to seal the series. Rookie pacers Chris Tremain and Daniel Worrall have had a forgettable debut series as they were plundered for plenty.
Coach Darren Lehmann however, has backed the young pacers and cited inexperience as a cause of their poor performance. “I think we worked out we’re taking pretty much seven of our first-choice one-day team out of the bowling attack, and when you go through that it’s some high-quality bowling,” Lehmann said. “But it’s an opportunity for the young guys to learn, to learn quickly and learn what they need to do to step up in international cricket.”At the moment we’re failing in that and they’ve got to get better. It’s something we have to rectify in the next two games.”
“We’ve got a couple of days in Port Elizabeth, but at the end of the day the blokes have trained really well and prepared well. “And bowled really well in the nets, but international cricket is quite pressurised. They’ve just got to get used to that. They have got some quality players,” the Australian coach said about his side’s poor performance.
Lehmann concluded by mentioning the need to pick up early wickets at the top, in order to put the hosts under pressure. “We’ve got to find a way to get some early wickets and put some pressure back on South Africa and at the moment we’re not doing that. And we’re not doing the good things that we do in the nets and taking them out into the middle in front of a packed house,” said Lehmann.