Australia still lacks T20 depth and power

Adam Zampa could be Australia’s spin weapon, along with Ashton Agar (Picture: IDI/Getty Images)

After two games at the 2016 World Twenty20 in India, Australia still does not look assured in the format – even after a blistering innings against South Africa in a three-match warm-up series.

Usman Khawaja’s purple patch continued with 58 in the win against Bangladesh, but Australia’s next highest score was 26 (15 balls) from Glenn Maxwell.

Adam Zampa’s 3/23 was also noteworthy, but there is still an overarching problem: the Aussies haven’t played to the conditions, and need to sort out a few more batting woes.

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Cricket: More Than The Pitch: George Bailey

George Bailey in action against England, September 2013 (photo: ESPNCricinfo)

He has been an integral part of the Tasmanian Tigers domestic cricket side since being recruited in 2002. Captaincy duties came during the 2009-2010 season, and now George Bailey is beginning to show Australia why he has been touted for so long as a regular for the national side.

Cricket: Five things we learnt from the Ashes

Ian Bell hits one away at The Oval (photo: ESPN Cricinfo)

What we saw across the months of July and August was highly thrilling cricket, yet laced with controversy.

The Ashes provided the ground, TV and radio audiences with some super displays of batting and bowling, along with some very dubious decisions and skill errors.

Cricket: The Ashes: Fourth Test Breakdown

Michael Clarke walks off bowled by Stuart Broad (sourced from ESPN cricinfo)

What was there for the taking ended up in utter disaster at Durham on Monday, the fourth day of the fourth Ashes test.

Set a victory target of 299, Australia tumbled from 2-147, after the fall of Usman Khawaja, to 224 all out, losing to England by 74 runs.  A grim picture after giving themselves every chance to win their first test of the series.

Cricket: More Than The Pitch: Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers (sourced from ESPN cricinfo)

Hard worker?  Check.  Accumulator of runs?  Check.  Australian?  Check.

Chris Rogers has toiled hard for his scores on both Australian and English surfaces.  He has peeled off more than 20,000 runs at First Class level, and has an impressive 60 centuries to his name.

Cricket: The Ashes: when will the calamity end?

Shane Watson – where to now (photo mine)

Carnage. Probably a very apt word to describe what went on during the second Ashes test at Lord’s.

The runs are not coming, the wickets are few and far between – and then along come England, the squad merrily making its way towards its third straight Ashes series victory.

It is, however, not over until the fat lady sings.  That fat lady could be singing as early as Manchester, the venue for the third test.

Cricket: Champions Trophy campaign over, fragile Australia looking to Ashes

David Warner, 2012, currently out of favour with the Aussie side (photo mine)

What is currently going right with the Australian team?

The answer is, not much.  And with the Ashes less than three weeks away, questions are burning hot as to whether the squad will be up to the challenge against England.

Granted, those who come in to the test side means that the line-up becomes different to the recently completed Champions Trophy; but it does not change the fact that, on current form, Australia is falling behind the stronger teams in world cricket.

Cricket: 10 great Australian cricket moments of the 21st century

QLD Bull Ryan Harris, Feb 2013 (photo mine)

Cricket is in the blood of all Australians.  It’s our summer sport; we play it in the backyard, at a BBQ, on the street, on a field, anywhere we can find space.

For that matter, we become so engrossed in it, we can’t turn away.

Welcome to a list of 10 moments I have compiled (with the help of some Twitter discussion) of Australian cricket moments of the 21st century.  They are not listed in any particular order.

Cricket: India v Australia: Test Series Analysis and Review

Michael Clarke & MS Dhoni pose w/ the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
(from examiner.com)

Australia was thrown a curveball from the moment they stepped on to the sub-continent in February.  In the end that curveball proved to be the side’s ultimate downfall.

Batting and bowling failures alike culminated in a shocking (and at times horrifying) 4-0 series loss to India.

There are plenty of words to describe each test, each player, and each moment, but none more so than disappointing.  Even travelling with a team that had largely not played in Indians conditions before, Australia was rolled, crushed and decimated over the past month in a way no-one expected.

Cricket: Has Australian cricket finally cracked?

Shane Watson has been left in the lurch in this crisis (Dec 2010, photo mine)

Has Australian cricket finally cracked?

All summer long (and right now, as the Aussies take on India) it has been the burning question on the forefront of the fans minds.

We have the Ashes in England fast approaching, and right now the state of the Australian side is close to a shambles.  Only Michael Clarke is putting up a consistent fight.  The rest – David Warner, Phil Hughes, Shane Watson and Matthew Wade alike – are all struggling to string together a good run of scores.