Melbourne, Nov. 3: Stand-in captain Michael Clarke said on Wednesday that Australia’s inability to kill off opposing teams was becoming a serious issue.
Clarke was left nonplussed after Sri Lanka, on the back of a record ninth-wicket stand between Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga, staged one of the great comebacks, setting up a one-wicket win with 34 balls left in their opening one-day international in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The tourists were seemingly out for the count at 107 for eight in reply to Australia’s 239 for eight from 50 overs only to come storming back to victory. Their 132-run partnership set a world record for the ninth wicket in one-day internationals, beating the mark that had stood for 27 years.
Clarke, who was deputising for Ricky Ponting who was away at a family funeral in Tasmania, was concerned about the team’s growing habit of letting the opposition off the hook. It was also their sixth-straight loss in all forms of the game, going back to July. Australia have two more one-dayers against Sri Lanka before the first Ashes Test against England in Brisbane on November 25. “What I’m so disappointed in is we got close again and we couldn’t finish it off, which is an issue we’ve had for a while now in all three forms of the game,” Clarke said.
“We’ve got to look at that and ask ourselves questions, find out what we can do to improve that. Execution cost us today with both bat and ball — having them 8-107 we got hit around the park,” Clarke said.
“Mathews is a good player but Malinga is a No.10, a good No.10. If we’re good enough to get the top order out, I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it to the tailenders,” he said.
“But it’s not the first time it’s happened and it’s something we need to look at.” Clarke stressed Australia couldn’t look ahead to the Ashes, saying it was vital they improved their ODI form with the World Cup approaching next year in the sub-continent.