Cricket's day of reckoning is here

TEST cricket is in crisis in Australia. The team has not coped well with the loss of a generation of gifted champions led by Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist. Since their retirement, Australia has crashed from first to fifth in the world Test rankings. The record-breaking era of dominance from 1995 to 2007, when Australia won 35 Test series and lost only five, is a receding memory. Australia has won only five of its past 11 series, and the insipid performance during last summer's ...

By InvestSMART · 22 Aug 2011

By InvestSMART ·
22 Aug 2011

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The game's governing body, Cricket Australia, is to be congratulated for commissioning a review to seek to find out what has gone wrong and what should be done about it. That review, headed by business leader Don Argus and informed by successful former captains Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, has laid bare structural and cultural problems that must be confronted if the Australian Test team is to retain the affection of future generations of fans and potential players.

The Argus report, released last Friday, finds Australia's basic cricket skills are lacking. Our batsman, it says, have lost the ability to occupy the crease for long periods, and technique against the swinging and spinning ball is inadequate. Our bowlers are unable to build pressure on opposing teams by adhering to an agreed plan for any extended period. Fielding, especially catching and "general athleticism", is also in marked decline, a commentary on the attitude and professionalism of the elite squad.

Perhaps more damning is the finding that modern Australian cricket is infected by a culture of indulged mediocrity. "Players can make a very comfortable living without necessarily achieving excellence," the report says. "Today's players are being paid substantially more in real terms than their counterparts in the dominant teams of recent times, despite far inferior results."

The Argus prescription is welcome. He calls for increased professionalism and accountability at the top of the sport. For the first time, the chairman of selectors will be a full-time job. Player payments will be more closely aligned to individual and team performances. And, in this age of lucrative Twenty20 franchise cricket, the pre-eminence of five-day Test cricket will be reaffirmed.

Any search for "the next Shane Warne" is doomed to disappoint he was unique. But the Argus report is a solid foundation for Australian cricket's quest for a Test team that can once again be the pride of this sports-loving nation.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What is the Argus report and why does it matter for Cricket Australia?

The Argus report is a Don Argus–led review, informed by former captains Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, that diagnoses structural and cultural problems in Australian cricket. It matters because it sets out reforms to improve professionalism, accountability and on-field performance — changes that aim to protect the appeal of the Test team to future fans and players.

Why is Australian Test cricket described as being in crisis?

The article says Australia has slipped from first to fifth in the world Test rankings since the retirements of champions like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist, winning only five of its past 11 series and struggling in last summer’s Ashes. The report calls this a crisis of declining skills, results and elite-level professionalism.

What basic cricket skills did the Argus report find were declining?

The report finds batsmen have lost the ability to occupy the crease for long periods and lack technique against swing and spin; bowlers struggle to build pressure or stick to long-term plans; and fielding, especially catching and general athleticism, is in marked decline.

What cultural problems did the review identify in modern Australian cricket?

The Argus report highlights a culture of indulged mediocrity, noting players can earn comfortable livings without achieving excellence and are being paid substantially more in real terms despite inferior results. It calls for higher standards of accountability and professionalism.

What specific governance and policy changes does the Argus report recommend?

Key recommendations include making the chairman of selectors a full‑time role, aligning player payments more closely to individual and team performance, increasing professionalism and accountability at the top of the sport, and reaffirming the pre‑eminence of five‑day Test cricket.

How could a full‑time chairman of selectors affect team performance and accountability?

Making the chairman of selectors a full‑time role is meant to provide consistent strategic leadership, clearer accountability for selection decisions and better execution of long‑term plans — all intended to improve on‑field results and professional standards.

What does ‘reaffirming the pre‑eminence of five‑day Test cricket’ mean for the sport’s future?

The report urges that five‑day Test cricket remain the sport’s top format, even as lucrative Twenty20 franchise cricket grows. Reaffirming Test pre‑eminence aims to preserve the skills, traditions and long‑form development pathway that underpin elite performance.

Can the Argus report restore Australia’s dominance or produce another star like Shane Warne?

The article says the Argus report provides a solid foundation for rebuilding the Test team and its standing, but it also cautions that searching for ‘the next Shane Warne’ is unrealistic — reforms can improve standards and pride, but unique talents like Warne cannot simply be replicated on command.