Sri Lanka
in upset of the century?
The Australian
mens' side toured Sri Lanka in January 2002. Ultimately the Australians
took a squad of only 9 players (out of an originally selected
12) . . . and paid the price.
- Full
descriptions of the tour games and goings-on, provided
by Steve Hart (who maintains the Canberra
Rockets website) are reproduced below. Many
thanks to Steve (yet again). Through some strategically placed
contacts, Steve always manages to provide extremely interesting
insights into touring Australian sides, many of which he publishes
on his Canberra Rockets' website (see above). The Australian
Indoor Cricket Federation site has scores of all the games,
but no reports or other details.
- An opinion-piece
has been submitted, describing the tour as a debacle, and can
be found on our Soapbox page HERE
The Sri Lankan tour,
upsets and all . . .
Steve Hart
kept all those on his extensive mailing-list updated on the Sri
Lankan tour. With his permission, here are those email updates
as received: they paint a very interesting picture -
Subject: Aussie
Men lose overnight
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 08:59:11 +1100
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 22 Jan 2002 21:59:12.0648 (UTC) FILETIME=[06B8D880:01C1A390]
Overnight
the Australian Extreme men lost the first test to Sri Lanka 88
- 91.
Batting first
the Aussies started quite strong. Brent Raverty and Scott Johnson
scoring 26, followed by Bill Floros and Adam Hall (go Rockets!)
who scored 35. 61 after two pairs looking good. The third pair
of Nathan Rennie and Daniel Maclauchlan scored 16 or 17 with the
final pair of Aaron Mills and Troy Gurski scoring the rest.
The Sri Lankan
pairs scored consistently and it came down to the last ball. Aaron
Mills bowling, Sri Lanka on 84 needing 5 to win and ZACK, Sri
Lanka creates history winning by 3.
The players
are all suffering in the heat and humidity. Bobby Gray and Rod
Chilcott also picking up some bug. Hopefully the Aussies will
bounce back and can win the remaining two tests to salvage the
series.
Steve Hart
ACTICF President
Visit the home page of the Canberra Rockets http://go.to/act_rockets
PS These details were gained at 1:30AM this morning so if I am
slightly out in the details I apologise - check the AICF site
to get further info?
Subject: Ross
Gregory to make playing debut for Australia!!
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2002 08:38:04 +1100
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 23 Jan 2002 21:38:09.0334 (UTC) FILETIME=[40242D60:01C1A456]
Apologies to those getting this a second time:-)
No details of whether Australia beat Sri Lanka A overnight, but
the job of winning the second test and the series has become more
difficult. In a batting accident in the game against Sri Lanka
A, Nathan Rennie and Daniel Maclauchlan had a sickening head clash
resulting in bad concussion for Daniel and a possible fractured
skull for Nathan.
If the injuries are as serious as suspected neither player will
be playing in todays 2nd test leaving the Aussies to choose fom
Ross Gregory, Rod Chilcott or Ross Collins. My money is on Ross
Gregory, unless of course they try and call up ex Victorian player
Craig Slocombe who is coaching the Sri Lankans!!
Details were supplied by SMS from Bill Floros overnight, I have
not yet been able to contact the team for further word and confirmation.
I will endeavour to let people know of more developments as I
know them.
Steve Hart
ACTICF President
Visit the home page of the Canberra Rockets http://go.to/act_rockets
Subject: More
dramas in SL
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 01:23:23 +1100
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X-OriginalArrivalTime: 24 Jan 2002 14:23:29.0547 (UTC) FILETIME=[B1CA3DB0:01C1A4E2]
The game against
Sri Lanka A in which Daniel and Nathan got injured was called
off at the time of the injury - 10th over or so in the second
innings the Aussies already leading.
Nathan Rennie
received a hairline fracture in his skull and Daniel was knocked
out clean when the boys had a horrible mix up trying to steal
a second run and collided. Both guys are apparently now feeling
OK, but will need specialist OK's before playing again and maybe
before flying home. They were forced to stay at the hotel and
didn't travel with the team to the centre for the second test
in a precautionary move.
In the 2nd
Test which started at 9:30 Thursday Evening AEDST Sri Lanka batted
first, finishing with approx 43 - only made respectable by some
last pair heroics, the same pair that won the first test for the
Sri Lankans again scoring 30+.
The Australian
chase started well with Scott Johnson and Brent Raverty scoring
approx 26. This bought Bill Floros and Ross Gregory to the crease,
Ross succumbing to an injury (I don't think it was too serious
in the end;-> )after just a ball or two. The Sri Lankans picked
Scott Johnson to bat again, probably taking advantage of the fact
he had just finished and in the heat and humidity it would have
been like running a marathon. He and Bill failed to find a good
combination and only put on approx 10. Adam and Bobby Gray went
in third and had a couple of interesting third umpire decisions,
but recovered back to be approx 10 behind with about 6 overs left.
Then came the dramas.
A huge storm
hit, causing blackouts and chaos in the centre. All lights went
out and the game was suspended. A decision was made at approx
7:30 SL time (approx 12:30 AEDST) to finish play for the evening
and resume at 11:00AM local time friday morning with about 6 overs
to go and the Aussies batting needing approx 10 runs to win. With
Adam and Bobby in who by all accounts have been batting quite
well and Aaron and Troy finishing after a nights break and feeling
refreshed the guys are confident of winning the game setting the
scene for a tense third and deciding test - hopefully with either
Nathan or Daniel cleared to play.
Let you all
know more as I get any news.
Steve
Subject: Ross
Gregory Player of Match
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 17:41:28 +1100
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X-OriginalArrivalTime: 25 Jan 2002 06:41:33.0214 (UTC) FILETIME=[53FB33E0:01C1A56B]
Well not quite (Ross Gregory being the Player of the Match), but
he did do alright, from what I have been told. Match bowling figures
of 4 for negative 8 - Victoria have called him up for Nationals,
and it will be hard to keep him out of the side for the third
test!!!
In the second stanza of last nights rain delayed match the Aussies
confortably won finishing with a sore of 73.
Everything is now set up for the final test which will decide
the series starting at 3:30 Sri Lanka Time tomorrow (8:30 AEDST).
Still no word on whether Daniel or Nathan have been cleared to
play, they go back to the specialist later today. Let you all
know more as I get any news.
Steve Hart
ACTICF President
Visit the home page of the Canberra Rockets http://go.to/act_rockets
Australia
in a must win game to ensure the first series loss since approx
1992/3 v NZ was buoyed by the clearance of Nathan Rennie and Daniel
Maclauchlan to play. Both these players were rushed into the side
at the expense of Ross Gregory and Bill Floros - Ross in particular
unlucky after his sterling efforts in the second test.
The Aussies
arrived at the centre nice and early to ensure no disruptions
to their preparation - in the end they were far too early. As
the published game time approached the Sri Lankans were nowhere
to be seen. Tournament Match Referee Ross Collins attempting to
find out what was going on was told that "oh no, the game isn't
due to start until 4PM (over an hour later than was expected),
everybody was told!" This left the Aussies sitting in a hot humid
environment much longer than anticipated. Could this have been
some form of one-up-manship following Ross Gregory's "injury"
in the second test? (although I am not suggesting that Ross had
anything less than a life threatening injury - it just seemed
to happen at a rather fortunate time)
Once the game
started it became clear from very early on that the Sri Lankans
would not be creating any headlines in the game and would have
to settle for a single win in the series - this in itself a huge
accomplishment and something that none of the sports other 3 members
of the "big 4" had been able to do in nearly ten years.
Batting first
the Australians scored 116 and then restricted the Sri Lankans
to 63. Player of the series honors went to test debutant Adam
Hall from the Canberra Rockets, an excellent recovery after not
hitting the courts for any of the tests on the NZ tour.
Personally,
I also think some mention should be made of the efforts of Ross
Gregory. Taking a side with limited/no preparation into an unknown,
hostile environment without three of the best performed players
on the last tour (including the undisputed worlds best player
Dion Muir) and salvaging a series win is commendable.
One thing
that this tour (and the NZ tour and the 2000 World Cup before
that) has highlighted is that Australia can longer expect to just
turn up and win - even if that was truly the case in the past.
We have had some scares in the past 12 to 24 months, will we learn
from the or write them off as aberrations, remaining complacent
until we lose a series - or a knock out game at World Cup? For
Australia to remain the number 1 nation we must ensure our preparations
are better and work harder at making our players and coaches more
innovative and forward thinking.
Steve Hart
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