Powerhouse Australia’s Title Hopes On The Line At Cricket World Cup

Australia stuttering with two early losses at a cricket World Cup. Sound familiar? If you’re of a certain vintage, Australia’s unforgettable 1999 triumph immediately springs to mind.

Back then a strong Australia started their campaign disastrously with defeats against New Zealand and Pakistan. While they entered as a leading contender, Australia were in disarray off the field with legendary spinner Shane Warne brooding after being dumped from the Test team against the West Indies ahead of the World Cup.

It contributed to Australia’s slow start, but that team was too talented and determined to flame out as they conjured a run for the ages to claim the title. Amid a truce between Warne and skipper Steve Waugh, who had contentiously dumped his vice-captain in the Caribbean, Australia won arguably their most memorable World Cup.

Their first win in 1987 was more surprising – lifting them from the doldrums and laying the foundation for a golden era – but the 1999 triumph captivated the nation even though it was right in the middle of winter where the football codes dominate in Australia.

Right now, Australia faces a similar dilemma after big losses to India and South Africa. But do they have a force of nature like Warne or someone with the type of gravitas like Waugh to rouse belief?

Probably not. There are some all-timers in this Australia team but none appear able to summon the team back into contention. Steve Smith and David Warner still show glimpses of the old magic, but can’t quite be relied upon to hit big scores these days. Half-centuries aren’t cutting it, Australia need century makers.

Skipper Pat Cummins has never been quite able to translate his formidable Test bowling to 50-over cricket, while Australia’s big glaring hole is the absence of a second spinner.

Glenn Maxwell has tried his best as the back-up spinner, but he’s unlikely to be able to hold up for the duration of such a prolonged tournament. Australia badly miss spinning all-rounder Ashton Agar, who was a late scratch before the tournament due to a calf injury.

Frontline spinner Adam Zampa has struggled so far, showing the effects of a shoulder niggle. He’ll need to get back to his best quickly if Australia are to salvage this dire campaign.

Australia look like an aging, wheezy team. They’ve persisted with their core of all-format players, who seem gassed after a gruelling year that has included arduous tours of India and England.

After such a shoddy fielding effort against South Africa, Australia’s woes were laid bare and perhaps signals that this group of players don’t have much more to give. Can they summon one last rousing effort?

It needs to start on Monday against Sri Lanka, who are a shadow of their heyday and it’s a match-up Australia will fancy even in the challenging South Asian conditions.

Perhaps they are just dusting off the cobwebs from the maligned 50-over format, which Australia has played sparingly in recent times. They have played less than other teams after South Africa cancelled a three-match series last summer and Australia decided not to play a series in March against Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s ban on women’s cricket.

It’s led to an Australia team looking out of sync at the World Cup. Luckily for them, due to the tournament’s bloated structure, Australia are still in with a chance if they can get on a roll.

But it’s a tightrope that feels much more delicate for Australia than it did 24 years ago.