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Nowhere to hide: Australia exposed by Smith retirement
By Daniel Brettig
It’s no coincidence that Australia’s hiding by South Africa in Cairns was their first ODI since the retirement of Steve Smith.
In conditions that were momentarily tricky against the wily left-arm spin of Keshav Maharaj, Australia showed absolutely no ability to adapt to a newish ball spinning off a tacky surface, when they needed only to get through four or so overs for the drop and bite to diminish.
Marnus Labuschagne perished for one.Credit: Getty Images
That adaptability and thought were hallmarks of Smith’s ODI career, finding ways to work with the ebb and flow of a 50-over game to make the runs required.
Last time Australia played games up in Cairns, a 3-0 thumping of New Zealand in 2022, Smith was a star on a series of similarly testy surfaces, scoring his runs at a relatively sedate pace but playing the situation with mastery.
But without him this time, after Smith elected to hang up his one-day kit and go play in the Hundred in England instead, the batting line-up looked dispiritingly gullible when pitted against Maharaj. He spun a web as thick as that conjured up by Shane Warne against South Africa in a famous World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston in 1999.
Marnus Labuschagne, ostensibly there to take Smith’s role, misread the length and was beaten by turn to be lbw, the 14th occasion on which a left-arm spinner had got him in an ODI. Cameron Green was similarly outfoxed to lose his off stump, and Josh Inglis – a noted player of spin – was nowhere to a quicker delivery that skidded through.
Alex Carey’s first-ball sweep was misjudged, and Aaron Hardie contrived for a near action replay of Green’s dismissal. Maharaj’s spell of destruction reduced the Australians to 6-89, having been 0-60 just nine overs before.
That captain Mitchell Marsh and number eight Ben Dwarshuis were then able to play Maharaj with few dramas, in a game-prolonging stand of 71, only enhanced the sense of worry about what had just transpired.
“With the drop in the newer ball, it does happen quite significantly and it happens quite quick,” Maharaj said. “We saw as the spell went on that that drop was probably negated towards the latter part of my spell.”
The episode gave a troubling glimpse of what life will be like for Australia after Smith and also Glenn Maxwell, who has likewise retired from the 50-over game. Maxwell’s reverse sweeps and switch-hits have always been a useful riposte for spin bowlers – just ask Afghanistan after the 2023 World Cup game in Mumbai.
Moreover, Travis Head, Labuschagne, Green, Inglis and Carey are all firmly part of Australia’s Test batting plans for the next few years. They each need to show much greater craft than this if they are to cope with the days when Smith is no longer around to problem-solve.
Upon winning the toss, Marsh elected to chase, as Australia customarily does. But the chase folded so quickly that there was no chance for the game to be influenced by the arrival of evening dew that so often influences that decision.
Keshav Maharaj of South Africa celebrates a wicket.Credit: Getty Images
At the same time, the Australians had omitted their own left-arm spinner, Matt Kuhnemann, reasoning that a pace-heavy attack would get the job done. As it was, Head’s off-spin proved more dangerous than most, netting four wickets.
Summing up what had taken place, Marsh preferred to lavish praise upon Maharaj, who made his Test debut for the Proteas in Australia back in 2016, and counted Smith among his early victims in a series that the tourists won handsomely.
“Certainly with the newer ball, it spun probably more than we planned for, and on his day he’s a world-class bowler,” Marsh said. “Days like today you take your hat off. It’ll be a great learning for our batters and we move forward.
“It’s a real skill of his, his length was super consistent and nights like tonight where some spin and some don’t, it can be hard to judge.”
Not so hard to judge is the fact that the rush of wickets in Cairns sent a firm signal around the world: Australia will be vulnerable in a post-Smith universe. For white-ball games now, and Test matches in the not too distant future.
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