Simmo blasts Buchanan

[pies4ever]

Simpson blasts Buchanan
By Jon Pierik in New Delhi
October 31, 2003

FORMER Australian cricket coach Bob Simpson has accused incumbent John Buchanan of believing in his own publicity and says he is deluding himself with visions of grandeur.

In a stinging attack, Simpson has lashed out at Buchanan for suggesting the International Cricket Council would soon introduce measures to curb Australia's dominance.

And he says the world champions, with their ageing Test side, should spend more time preparing to cover the loss of senior players rather than worrying about planning too far ahead.

"One of the most compelling signs you can see when estimating a decline in a great sporting team is to believe your own publicity or anticipate visions of grandeur," Simpson said.

"In statements recently John Buchanan has displayed both.

"His suggestion that the ICC may impose changes to the laws of cricket to inhibit Australia's domination of world cricket is beyond belief."

Writing for India's SportsStar magazine, Simpson said Buchanan was wrong to use the bodyline series and the dominant West Indies' teams of the 1970s and '80s to illustrate his claim.

"In suggesting the controlling bodies of cricket deliberately changed the laws to stop England winning through bodyline and the West Indies through short-pitched bowling and intimidation is in my view missing the point," he said.

"On both occasions, rule changes were implemented because the tactics used were not in the interest of the game nor in the spirit of cricket - not to stop the winning ways of England and the West Indies."

As coach from 1985-96, Simpson hauled Australia back from the depths of despair to claim the world's No.1 tag. He was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996 before Buchanan took over in 1999.

"Buchanan has always had a tendency to come from left field and right now he should be looking in a realistic way at his team and learning from the past," Simpson said.

"Age is always a major contributor to the decline of teams. Right now the average age of the Australian team is around 32. While there is much talk about the depth of Australian cricket, the reality is that there are very few youngsters good enough to take over at present.

"Somehow Australia is missing the big picture at present and is trying to be too funky and innovative. A concentration on the fundamentals is being neglected in favour of unproved and mostly incorrect theories."

Simpson was shocked to learn Australia had started planning for the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.

"With Australia's international team

approaching the crossroads, I feel it should be more concerned with now and the near future, rather than pie-in-the-sky projections," he said.

Buchanan last night refused to bite back.

"I think that every coach and every person has a view on the way they go about doing their job," he said.

"I have a view we need to look ahead to deal with the future. I am not suggesting everybody should have the same view. I think it's healthy we have a range of different views."

[Donny]

I have always admired Bob Simpson. As a player, coach and commentator on the game. A very astute man.

I also admire John Buchanan and thought his reply, or lack of one, was good.

[HAL]

Do you think I could ever be a player coach and commentator on the game?

[Donny]

Yes, HAL, perhaps you could coach England.
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Aussies review spate of injuries
By Jon Pierik
October 31, 2003

AUSTRALIA's review into its horror run of injuries has begun, with team officials to produce a wide-ranging report on the growing problem.

Coach John Buchanan has already approached Cricket Australia's chief medical officer Dr Trefor James about analysing why these injuries, particularly to the squad's fast bowlers, have occurred and the need to look at preventive measures.

Glenn McGrath (ankle), Jason Gillespie (side strain), Brett Lee (abdominal muscle), Stuart MacGill (calf), Ashley Noffke (back stress fractures) and Darren Lehmann (achilles) were all unavailable for the Indian one-day series.

In better news for the touring team, Queensland paceman Michael Kasprowicz will be allowed to remain with the party for the rest of the series.

Kasprowicz faced the possibility of returning home after straining a gluteal muscle in his left hip in a freak batting accident before Sunday's match against India.

He had been unable to bowl or run at training on Tuesday afternoon but went for a light run that night.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouri is optimistic Kasprowicz will be available to play next week.

Buchanan said training, playing workloads and general lifestyle issues needed to be addressed.

In particular, the increasingly compact nature of Test series and the frequency of back-to-back matches, and the added stress this put on bowlers, should be looked at.

Lee's injury in the second Test against Zimbabwe this month was the result of having to carry an extra load only days before in the Perth Test when Gillespie was injured and the lack of rest he had between matches.

"It does bear some need to review it, because we will be placed in that situation in the future where we play little cricket, then we are into games without any pre-match preparation," Buchanan said.

"You start with back-to-back Test matches, players break down, then two bowlers carry an extra load of which one of those then went down in the next game ultimately because of extra load and less rest."

Buchanan said how bowlers prepared for series and what they did in their time off needed to be discussed.

"I think everybody went into the game physically fit but I think there is a question of match fitness," he said.

"That's something we need to address - getting bowlers overs under their belt.

"If we don't have games, how are we going to deal with that?

"In days gone by, as you came into a season, basically bowlers used to bowl a lot of overs in the nets or do road running. Probably neither happens to the same degree now."

[Donny]

There seems to be something of a conundrum here.

Most of the players are wanting less games, not more. The Aussies only had 6 weeks off between the Bangladesh series and the Zimbabwe Test in Perth.

During that time, Symonds, Martyn, Love, MacGill, Maher, and other Aussies headed off to County cricket. Ponting has just signed a deal to play County, next year.

Come on, Bucks, just how match fit do you want them ?? Do you want them playing all year round with the occasional weekend at home with the wife and kids ?

[Donny]

To lump the injuries of McGrath, MacGill and Kasper into the 'they weren't match fit' basket is simply wrong.

Pigeon had a heel operation which hadn't healed quickly enough and Kasper and MacGill had been bowling hundreds of overs in England.

As for Boof Lehmann, why not try getting him off the fags, Bucko ?!!

[piedys]

As for Boof Lehmann, why not try getting him off the fags, Bucko ?!!

Yes, and make him stop smoking too.

[HAL]

There are are the Pies and then there is the rest. Thats it.

[commonwombat]

Seems that Mr Simpson must be suffering from from attention deprivation syndrome. God forbid that he becomes the next Neil Harvey, our current grumpy old man renta-quote.

It's rather curious that this comment is released thru an offshore (Indian) outlet rather than thru a local outlet. Or is this man who was so obssessive about his image a little gun-shy???

[piedys]

There are the Pies and then there is the rest. Thats it

Oh, we hear you brother.

[labrooy]

Some of what Bobby Simpson says makes a lot of sense. The fact he was writing for an Indian magazine probably means that is who is he contracted to.