Australia v New Zealand: Michael Clarke laments ‘horrendous’ batting in Cricket World Cup game

MICHAEL Clarke has described Australia’s batting at Eden Park as “horrendous” and said practising too much power hitting may have been a factor.

Australian captain Michael Clarke departs caught in the covers off the bowling Trent Boult during ICC Cricket World Cup match between Australia and New Zealand in Auckland. pic. Phil Hillyard

MICHAEL Clarke has described Australia’s batting performance against New Zealand at Eden Park as “horrendous” and said practising too much power hitting at training may have been a factor in the collapse.

That Mitchell Starc got Australia within one wicket of an incredible victory made no difference to Clarke’s mood, with the captain lamenting the side’s preparation rather than the two weeks they waited between games.

Clarke was one of several Australian batsmen guilty of poor shot selection, as 152 became a par score on a tiny ground where many thought the victor might surpass 400.

Disappointed with his first showing in an international since December, Clarke says Australia must address its training approach if it is to bounce back and win the big games at the World Cup.

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“I think sometimes in T20 cricket and one-day cricket you can get caught up working on the power side of your game,” said Clarke.

“I don’t think we have had too many training sessions where we have worked on the start of our game and actually defending the brand new ball or the swinging ball and that’s an area we can focus on because I think you face conditions like that all around the world, not just here in New Zealand.

“I think you will see the ball swing at the WACA in our next game and we have experienced it plenty of times in Brisbane, even the MCG and the SCG these days. The ball is going to swing and we have some work to do with the bat, that’s for sure.

Clarke admitted he was also guilty of poor shot selection. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

“We were extremely poor, there’s no doubt about that … our shot selection was very poor and I think our defence more than anything else.”

With accomplished ODI run-scorer George Bailey waiting on the sidelines, the pressure is on Australia’s top order to make runs and justify their place in the team.

Clarke says he’s no different.

“I’d like some more runs. I’m no different, especially to the other top six batters,” he said.

“We were disappointing today. And again my shot selection was poor, especially at that time - we’d just lost three for two.”

New Zealand's Luke Ronchi takes catch to dismiss Australia's Steve Smith. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Australian selector Mark Waugh suggested in commentary that Clarke had erred in taking off Starc (6-28) when he was in the middle of tearing through the New Zealand line-up.

The Black Caps were 4-92 after 14 overs and still needed 60 to win.

The skipper brought on Mitchell Johnson, who had an uncharacteristically bad day as he was thumped for 68 runs off just six overs.

In his first over back, Johnson was punished for 16 runs.

Starc almost pulled the win out of the fire for Australia anyway, and Clarke said if he had his time again he would have made the same decision to rest his chief wicket-taker.

“It’s pretty tough to bowl a 10-over spell,” said Clarke, although Starc did have a breather during the tea break.

“It was more to give two overs off - he was bowling beautifully and I knew that if we could find a way to get another break through I thought Mitch would have a huge opportunity to go through the tail as he just about did.”

Clarke leads his side off the field after the loss to New Zealand. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Clarke said he always believed his bowling attack could do the job and took solace from the fact they were almost able to defend 151.

“I made it very clear to the boys that I thought we had enough runs and I think you have to do that,” he said.

“As captain of the team you have to back your bowlers. I think we have got a fantastic attack, all the guys have individual skill and talent and I think you have seen a good glimpse of that with the way Starc bowled today.

“Mitchell Starc was the standout today – that individual performance is as good as you’ll see in any form of the game.”