GOAT PEOPLE

We don't do wild over-reaction here at the AGB, but we dearly love to scape a goat:

Should Australia fail to regain the Ashes it is a stone certainty that this year's preparation will be recorded in perpetuity as the very acme of how not to prepare for an important Test series. "2010? What a fiasco." CricAussie can farewell any remaining vestige of public goodwill. There will be a backlash. Heads will be called for.

And I'm calling for them.

Ricky Ponting has been a fantastic servant to Aussie cricket - hats off - and if Australia fails to regain the Ashes then Ponting should not be sacked, but he must offer up his resignation. In fact, I would be staggered if he failed to "do the right thing":

Has Ponting undermined his own team’s confidence?

Many well-connected cricket people and former topline players are quietly saying that Ponting has been an undermining force in his time at the helm.

Troy Cooley, fast becoming famous for turning Mitchell Johnson into Ian Baker-Johnson, should also consider his position:

Coach Cooley starting to feel the Ashes heat

HE WAS regarded as the guru of reverse swing when he was with England in 2005, but Australian fast-bowling coach Troy Cooley faces his defining moment in the pivotal third Ashes Test in Perth this week.

While the spotlight is on an Australian attack that has mustered just 6-1137 in England's past two innings, sources say Cooley must also be feeling some heat.

Andrew Hilditch, who has already been on the selection panel for 14 years and has recently overseen a selection policy that has veered wildly from conservative to chaotic, is past his use-by date and should just resign:

Andrew Hilditch must quit: ex-panellist

John Benaud says Hilditch, who replaced Trevor Hohns as chairman of selectors in April 2006 after joining the panel 10 years earlier, has run his race.

Feel free to add your selections. Fielding, catching, injury management, scheduling, planning, CEO/broadcaster tracks, selectors, nanny state, video games, the Mexican wave, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, yawny, yawny, yawn.

Comments

[Tony]

If Australia lose in Perth, will Ponting get sacked before Boxing day? Can't see it, but you never know:

Ricky Ponting's captaincy on the line in Perth

RICKY Ponting fears his captaincy will end immediately after the third Ashes Test, if Australia loses.

He enters the match at the WACA Ground carrying the advice of biomechanics expert Daryl Foster that he should seek the sanctuary of the lower order because his reflexes are shot to bits.

[Lou]

But that means Mr Anodyne himself, Lemming the Dog takes over.

I might take up keeping a close eye on wallpaper instead of cricket.

Does wallpaper do regional competitions and a World Cup every 4 years?

[Tony]

I don't think the Australian captaincy should ever got to a bloke with tatts.

[TKYC]

Can we add Jamie Cox? Also part of the NSG, and also head at SA?
I heard him interviewed on SEN about the recent 'parting' between SACA and Mark Sorell.
Thought (repeat thought, so maybe I misheard) him say that they told Sorell that contract would not be renewed, therefore 'sacked' is not appropriate. Later he said he 'advised Sorell to go as soon as possible ("step away from the system"...?)'.

If what I think I heard was right, then 'sacked' is about the right term, and it is disingenuous to dress it up any other way.

[TKYC]

Cox interview here (vis SEN).

Listening again... "contract not renewed" + "not happy to continue to see out remainder of current contract" = SACKED in my books.If this is part of the CA culture, we need help!

PS... rest of interview also great too. Jamie Cox is good with the spin, may be worth a go in the current team!

[shep]

Does anyone think this series would have gone any differently at all with anyone else as captain?

I just can't see any point in Clarke as captain. With his back problems chances are he won't last much longer than Ponting anyway.

[Tony]

The good ship CricAussie and all who sail in her have been swamped by spin. It has become impossible for anyone there to give even the most basic explanation. They have tied themselves up in a language they are singularly incapable of using, the result being they look like goats every time the open their gobs.

[The Don has Risen]

thinking about new people.

Fielding coach Jim Higgs,

bowling coach John Watkins

batting coach Colin Croft

disciplinarian Andrew Symonds

Chairman of selectors Ray Bright

[Matt]

How Tim Nielsen ever got a contract extension is beyond me. In fact, the results of the Australian team, post Ned Flanders Buchanan, puts the lie a little bit to those like Warne who would say that the only coach Australia needs is the one that takes them to the ground!

As for Ponting resigning, I hope he doesn't. The only reason he should resign is if he feels there is someone more capable. Sadly, there does not appear to be - at least no one who is currently in the team. Certainly not pretty boy Clarke. Perhaps Tim Paine could replace Brad Haddin and Ricky Ponting a la Lee Germon in NZ a decade or so ago.

Perhaps Australia need to move to a more English method of selecting a captain and then a team around them - rather than selecting a team and then picking a captain. Mark Taylor in his latter years appeared to be a "skipper first, batsman second" selection and that seemed to work OK.

[Big Ramifications]

What's with all the "having fun" bullsh1t? I saw another story on it last night. Punter banging on about it at a farking press conference, no less. Surely someone is coaching him to say that, when it gets to press conference status?

Sack that guy.

[Tony]

I don't mind them having fun; I just don't want them droning on about it. Makes them sound like happy, clappy Christians. (Up against the Three lions. Ho. Ho.)

[Big Ramifications]

"I don't mind them having fun; I just don't want them droning on about it."

My point exactly.

Fluff piece about the new guy. Choose a slant. Choose fun. OK, I can swallow that. It doesn't belong in the sport section IMO, but I'm not going to be a grinch about it.

But a follow up "is he having fun, yet?" story? And then I was completely floored when they cut to Ricky Ponting at a press conference talking about it. I cringed.

[Tony]

Ben Dorries:

David Saker delivers ... fast as ever

Now there is speculation Saker will succeed Troy Cooley as Australia's bowling coach after February's World Cup, but he has made it known he wants to stick with England after its gamble to put him on the international stage.