Cricket – ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Australia vs South Africa – Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, India – October 12, 2023 Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne loses his wicket Later reaction Reuters/Adnan Abidi acquires licensing rights
Oct 13 (Reuters) – Australia’s tactics and team selection were all wrong in Thursday’s World Cup loss to South Africa, and five-time champions need to avoid being eliminated in the group stage. needs to take immediate action, said former captain Michael. Clerk.
The 134-run defeat in Lucknow marked their second successive defeat in the 50-over showpiece competition, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan next up for grabs after Australia, who have failed to reach 200 runs in both matches so far. Clark said things couldn’t get any easier.
Clark told Sky Sports Radio: “I’m not saying the World Cup is over. There’s still a chance of qualifying even with two losses, but in that situation it would be tough for Sri Lanka. We haven’t played against each other,” he said.
“We have some very tough cricket ahead of us, but if we continue to play like this we won’t qualify. I’m more worried about the teams from the subcontinent.”
“If we can look like that against South Africa with a spin in the sub-continent team… we will be laughed at.
“If we don’t take note of what we’ve been talking about for the last three weeks about the Wallabies, in two weeks time we’ll be talking about Australian cricket,” said Clarke, who won two World Cups with Australia. In 2007 and 2015.
The 42-year-old also said captain Pat Cummins was tactically “wrong”.
“He won the toss and bowled. I think he was chasing the ball, but I don’t think he was aggressive enough. I don’t think he was going to take any wickets,” he added.
“The easiest way to slow down the score is to take wickets, but we continue to play Twenty20 cricket and one-day cricket and try to prevent runs. Why doesn’t Cummins bowl in the first 10 overs? Is not it?”
“I love him and I’m very happy for him to be captain, but he’s got to work a little bit for it.”
Clarke also criticized the decision to drop wicketkeeper Alex Carey after the opening match loss to India.
“I don’t think they made the right selection. I don’t see how they can bring Alex Carey to India in the World Cup squad, give him one game and then take him off,” he said.
Australia will play Sri Lanka in Lucknow on Monday.
Report by Aadi Nair in Bangalore.Editing: Peter Rutherford
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