As the ODI World Cup gets underway next month, Australia, the five-time world champions, are not having the best of runs. When India won the second ODI in Indore by a comfortable margin of 99 runs (DLS method), they suffered their fifth straight loss in the 50-over format, clinching the three-match series with one match remaining. Before being dismissed for 217 in 28.2 overs, Australia allowed 399 runs. All-round seam bowler Sean Abbott acknowledged that the bowlers didn’t carry out their strategies, but he also gave the opposition batters credit for capitalising on the loose deliveries.
Every ball that missed the stumps was thrown to the fence as we bowled today, and this was somewhat similar to what happened in South Africa. After the second ODI, Sean Abbott told Cricket Australia, “It’s not unexpected… if you don’t execute like we did today and previous game, they’re simply going to dine out and we’re not putting them under much pressure.
In four of their last five games, Australia has allowed more than 300 runs to be scored against them. In South Africa, where wickets were quite flat and lots of runs were scored, ean Abbott was one of Australia’s most effective bowlers. In the opening ODI against India, he also bowled sensibly. In contrast, he allowed 91 runs in his 10 overs during the second ODI. The 31-year-old expressed his regret for not playing to his full potential on the Powerplay and detailed what he thought went wrong.
“Especially from my perspective, it’s frustrating. I had a bad Powerplay the game after a decent Powerplay the previous game. But I take great satisfaction in the areas in which I bowl and the pressure I provide to the batsman in that fashion, and I’ve just realised that this tour’s batters are simply too brilliant; whether you’re pitching outside leg or off the stumps, they won’t miss out. I’ve noticed this so far in these first two games and then in South Africa.
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