Darren Lehmann, the Australian coach wasn’t too optimistic about the team after watching their performance in the warm up game against the West Indies President’s XI. Lehmann hoped that in the test matches to come, the players would pull their socks’ and perform better.
In the three day clash, the hosts batted first and banking on the middle order, did very well to get to 382. It must be noted that the hosts at one stage were down and out when they were reduced to 38-3. There were as many as five half centurions for the President’s XI. For the Australians, it was a team effort as five bowlers shared two wickets apiece. Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers as he gave away just 36 runs in his 19 overs. Nathan Lyon was economical as well for his couple of wickets.
Fawad Ahmad, marking a return to international cricket chipped in with a couple, but was expensive as well. The Australian batting though, was a tale of disappointment. Only Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges got in and notched up a century and half century respectively. The Australians could only manage a below par total of 250 as the batting failed to come to the party. Shaun Marsh was exceptional for his 118. Chris Rogers and Michael Clarke both struggled and were dismissed for 2 and 15 respectively. Voges supported Marsh well and played a crucial and of 52.
Batting for the second time, the President’s XI were once again rocked early by Hazlewood. In just the four overs which he bowled, Hazlewood struck thrice. The middle order once again consolidated as the hosts got to 161-4 when the game ended. Australia’s only positive performances were from Hazlewood, Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges.
Lehmann was a bit skeptical and said, “Batting, we’d have liked to get a few more runs for a few of the guys but that was a really good three day hit-out for us. You would like more runs but it’s a first hit-out for some of the guys. Obviously a lot of the guys have been playing IPL, they didn’t play, but the guys that did that’s there first hit since the summer. There’s some cobwebs there but they’ve trained really well.”
“We get on the plane tomorrow and it’s all about prep for the Test now. We’ve had a good mini-training camp, if you like, for the week here and then a three day game and they played really well the President’s XI so it was a good quality opposition,” said Lehmann.
Lehmann also praised the performers and was quoted saying, “We know how good a bowler [Hazlewood] is but it’s always nice for him to get wickets in that scenario and keep pushing his case forward – he’s a great young man,” Lehmann said. “From our point of view, it gives us great headaches leading into the Test match I suppose with selection because until we see the pitch we don’t know the best make-up to get 20 wickets.”
“Our strength’s been our patience over the last 18 months or so. It’s going to be doing the basics really well and being patient. The game seems to speed up quite quickly in the Caribbean over the back end of a game.”