Michael Clarke calls out 'un-Australian' flop in T20 World Cup fallout
Former Aussie captain Michael Clarke has hit out at the 'un-Australian' team performance from the host nation after Aaron Finch's men were knocked out of the T20 World Cup.
Australia were knocked out of the T20 World Cup with a whimper having not progressed to the knockout stages due to a series of poor performances.
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A loss to New Zealand, a rained out match against England and two insipid performances against Ireland and Afghanistan meant Australia were hoping to progress with a poor net run rate.
However, England's victory over Sri Lanka ended Australia's hopes in their home World Cup.
Australia carried the oldest squad, on average, into the tournament.
Veteran David Warner failed to live up to his high-standards, Steve Smith was dropped, while players such as Pat Cummins also came under fire for their performances.
Selections also prompted criticism.
Mitchell Starc was dropped for the final game against Afghanistan, which also raised eyebrows.
And since the fallout, former Australian captain Clarke has questioned whether the team still had the fire to continue.
“I think Australians in general, on the biggest stage under the most amount of pressure, always put in on the line and have a crack. We’re not scared to lose. Yet we picked an aggressive 11 in this World Cup squad yet played so defensively. Very un-Australian," Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.
"This is the part I hate from past players or journos - I know it’s your job but I hate kicking a team when they’re down. There’s a number of things that have gone down in this World Cup campaign, even leading into this World Cup campaign that I think I’ve been quite vocal about.
"I don’t want to kick them now and I don’t want headlines, ex-captain smashes Australian team.
“I just think they got a number of things wrong and I made it very clear in commentary that I think leaving Mitchell Starc out of the team against Afghanistan was one of those things."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan agreed with Clarke and claimed this Australia team was not as 'ruthless' as previous sides.
“Australian sides of old certainly would’ve got 140, 150 against New Zealand and then would have blown Ireland away for 80 or 90 (runs),” Vaughan told Cricbuzz Live.
“They would’ve been ruthless.
“That’s why I look at this group I don’t think they’re quite as ruthless as some of the old (Australian) teams."
Shane Watson blasts Australian selectors
Former Aussie allrounder Shane Watson was also critical of the selection drama.
Watson argued Australia's team lacked intensity throughout, saying they already appeared deflated by the end of the first over of their opening loss to New Zealand at the SCG.
He has also been critical of Australia's long lead-up to the tournament, in which selectors tinkered with the team and moved players into different roles.
And the Starc decision for the final game was his biggest gripe.
"I was gobsmacked that he missed out," Watson said.
"He bowled a couple of really nice balls against Ireland and started to get that late swing.
"So I was thinking if someone was going to get dropped, it might have been Pat Cummins.
"I really feel for (Starc) because he didn't deserve to be dropped for the game.
"Those things send shockwaves through a team, and unfortunately in a big game where the Aussies had to step up and dominate, they weren't able to do it.
"There are a lot of questions that need to be answered by the coaches and the selection staff to be able to right the wrongs."
with AAP
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