Paul Keating called the early-1990s economic downturn “the recession we had to have.”
asserted
we → call → downturn
Similarly, Australia’s 111 in the fourth innings at Newlands was the collapse we had to have.
asserted
we → have → Newlands
Whether anyone learns from it is another matter.
asserted
learns → learn → it
I disagree with Pat Cummins that this is a very good side.
asserted
this → disagree → Cummins
It has been an excellent bowling side for a long time, but even the bowlers failed to trouble South Africa at crucial times.
asserted
bowlers → fail → times
The Proteas batters had a plan in the second innings to let the short balls go and make the Australians bowl to them.
asserted
Australians → have → them
It was hard to discern any plan from our batters in their second innings in Cape Town.
asserted
It → discern → Town
The Australian batting hasn’t carried its weight for some time, and a team holding a substantial first-innings lead doesn’t fold for 111 in the second innings if the batting is sound.
asserted
batting → carry → innings
The scoreboard doesn’t lie.
asserted
scoreboard → lie → ?
I take no pleasure in saying so.
asserted
I → take → pleasure
I’ve been a batsman, captain, selector and coach, and I’d rather be building than knocking.
I sat in a few dressing rooms after humbling experiences, but with straight shooters like Ian Chappell, Keith Stackpole and Rod Marsh, we were never allowed to pretend that we were just unlucky.
asserted
we → build → Chappell
It was shape up, or ship out.
asserted
It → shape → ?
Pat sees talent and good intent in that room, and he’s right.
asserted
he → see → room
But to some extent a team operates in a bubble, and inside it every failure is bad luck.
asserted
failure → operate → it
From outside, it looks different.
asserted
it → look → ?
Plenty thought bowling first on a good Cape Town pitch was a mistake, and I suspect Kagiso Rabada running through our top order was the biggest factor.
asserted
running → think → order
Then we batted last on a surface that has historically helped spin late.
asserted
that → bat → surface
We beat South Africa without Rabada in Durban, and that flattered us.
asserted
that → beat → us
For years the selectors have patched the batting with experienced first-class players who look reliable on paper.
asserted
who → patch → paper
The names of Michael Hussey and Adam Gilchrist are often trotted out in defence of this approach.
asserted
names → trot → approach
Hussey made mountains of runs for Western Australia and would have played much earlier if he hadn’t been stuck behind one of the best line-ups ever.
asserted
he → make → ups
Gilchrist went across the Nullarbor because NSW wouldn’t give him a regular game.
asserted
NSW → go → game
Both were blocked, and both were once-in-a-generation players.
asserted
both → block → generation
You can’t build a selection policy on them.
asserted
You → build → them
Sheffield Shield sides pick safe experience over potential, so the national panel is choosing from a pool shaped by caution.
asserted
panel → pick → caution
Matt Renshaw’s 369 runs at 61.5 was the best news of the tour, and he muddies my argument.
asserted
he → muddy → argument
He first played for Australia at the age of 20, making 184 against Pakistan at the SCG, then got dropped three times.
asserted
He → play → SCG
It was nine years before he made his second hundred.
asserted
he → make → hundred
Patience works, say the defenders of the status quo.
asserted
defenders → work → quo
I don’t buy it.
asserted
I → buy → it
We threw away a talent and then had to look for it again.
asserted
We → throw → it
In Durban, we were 4-84 when he came in, and he made 190 off 397 balls.
asserted
he → come → balls
He faced 115 balls on the first day for three boundaries, reached 50 off the second ball of the second morning and put on 134 for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon.
asserted
He → face → Lyon
He left well and hit anything straight.
asserted
He → leave → anything
A bouncer found his grille, and he just carried on.
asserted
he → find → grille
His words afterwards told you what the chance meant to him.
asserted
chance → tell → him
I lost my place in the Test team early in my career and wondered if I really belonged.
asserted
I → lose → career
It was only for a few weeks, so I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be on the outside for most of a decade.
asserted
it → imagine → decade
Renshaw is 30 now, and he’s back because the selectors ran out of options, not because anyone had a plan.
asserted
anyone → ’ → plan
Imagine what we’d have if we’d kept faith with him in 2017 and let him grow inside the side.
asserted
him → imagine → side
…and 35 more, not listed.
The Aporia
