Australia will consider giving players operating in both the Test andone-day teams more in-season rest so they can be fresh for the mostimportant contests

Peter English in Brisbane05-Mar-2008
Most of Australia’s one-day players also took part in the Tests © Getty Images
Australia will consider giving players operating in both the Test andone-day teams more in-season rest so they can be fresh for the mostimportant contests. For the second time in two years the home side lost theCB Series finals after dominating the preliminary rounds and Ricky Pontingsaid the not-so-changing face of the squad had contributed to the fatiguecreated by a hectic campaign.Ponting spoke with Tim Nielsen, the coach, and Andrew Hilditch, the chairmanof selectors, over the past week about the issue and subsequent resulttrend. “We’ve only got a changeover of one or two players between the Testand one-day teams,” Ponting said after the second final in Brisbane. “That’sreally unusual for us.”In the past couple of years we’ve had probably up to five or six changingover. When you have that it gives a bit more life to the group.”Resting players during the series was a delicate exercise as many of themhad signed for the lucrative Indian Premier League, eliminating the power oftheir complaints of overload. Ponting missed the Twenty20 internationals andMatthew Hayden had a couple of games off, but a core batting group wasemployed throughout the series. Adam Gilchrist, who usually has a breakduring the tournament, did not take one as he completed his farewell tour,but the bowlers were rotated and the area was Australia’s main strength.”Not having much changeover now, the guys have been playing internationalcricket for a long time and had no opportunity to be able to get away fromthe rigours of the game,” Ponting said. “Maybe there’s some sort of trendwith us. We dominated last year and lost both finals, maybe we have to lookat giving some of our guys who have played both forms a bit more of a restso they’re fresh when the finals come around.”One problem with this theory is the World Cup and Champions Trophy are theonly one-day tournaments that will culminate in deciders as the life of theAustralian tri-series has expired. However, the team will play twofive-match series against New Zealand and South Africa next summer and thepolicy could be moulded to suit the format.India’s influx of young talent provided a considerable boost to their Testcontingent and while they improved with more one-day games, Australia’sperformances tailed off. “What they’ve done gives us something to look atdown the track,” Ponting said.Australia have two holes to fill with the retirements of Gilchrist and BradHogg and there will be a couple of new faces if the team goes to Pakistan atthe end of the month. Brad Haddin, the wicketkeeper-batsman, was part of thesquad for the CB Series and the selectors have a choice to make over whowill fill the vacant spin position.”With those guys going out, we bring in some newer, fresher guys,” Pontingsaid. “That’s the way we evolve. I’m not sure if age ever brings you back to the pack. Skills are what bring you back to the pack. A lot of our more senior players have still got allthe skills required to be one-day players for Australia.”