Ashes 2013: A SWOT analysis

Team Australia

Ashes, the pinnacle of cricket for the Australian (Aussies)  and the English (Pommies) cricket teams is though a small urn but it’s importance can be seen & understood by the range of emotions shown by Aussies who claimed it back from the lacklustre Poms recently.

The rivalry has been of gigantic proportions and every Ashes has produced its set of myths which have become a part of cricketing folklore. Aussies decimated the Poms this time and by the end of the third test itself won it 3-0 and in turn became only the 3^rd Aussie team to have won the Ashes by the end of the 3^rd test match. The underdogs of Clarke who were refuted by the cricketing pundits at the beginning of the series made them eat their own humble pie.

How this amazing turnaround happened? This question intrigued me to look at the buildup of this sporting carnival. Before the Ashes in Australia, Aussies hadn’t won a single test since January. They lost in India 4-0 and they lost the Ashes that happened in England 3-0. The confidence could have taken a beating. Naturally such a sensational comeback wouldn’t have been possible without a significant change in approach and personnel and a high amount of self-belief.

In the Indian tour, the Aussies had become a laughing stock courtesy homework gate. Their coach, Mickey Arthur, a South African got sacked and in his place came Darren Lehmann, a veteran Australian cricketer himself, who understood the Australian culture better and was pragmatic enough to see that his team isn’t as gifted as the stalwarts of Steve Waugh.

A better man manager, Lehmann affectionately called as ‘Boof’ yet knew he needed to hone the mental aspects of his team, to regain the Aussie grit & determination for what this great sporting nation has been revered for & has been at times mistaken as undue aggression by our country’s cricket aficionados. There are some learnings and takeaways for us  even from this sporting event.

1. Always do a SWOT analysis of yourself and your opponent. Aussies understood their and their opponents’ game better after the first round of Ashes held in England which they lost.
2. Don’t hesitate to create reforms after coming up with analysis & back them. Aussies removed many lefthanders from their middle order and retained right handed batsmen in form so as to nullify the effect of Graeme Swann’s offspin.
3. Make the most when the conditions are favorable to you. Aussies win big at home and it’s no secret. India with the quartet of Tendulkar, Dravid, Sehwag and Laxman got beaten 4-0 in Australia not so long time back. Bigger grounds, Bouncy and pacy pitches, crowd support & Kookaburra ball all test the opposition to maximum.
4. Never ever give up even in the weakest phases of your life or business. Continual pursuit of success & hard work is the secret ingredient of success. Rise and rise until the lambs become lions. Ashes and Lehmann have taught us that.
5. A potent surprise which is only disclosed at the right time is what differentiates you from your competitor. Australians had the refreshening, evil looking moustachioed Mitchell Johnson who intimidated and sucked the life out of Poms with his barrage of bouncers. But his selection wasn’t disclosed till the dawn of first Brisbane Test.
6. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Patience & willpower are the step stones to success.
7. Failure makes us wise. But backing one’s instincts in difficult times is important. The backing that David Warner had from Aussie team management inspite of behavioral issues brought fruitful results.
8. Fight till the last breath. Even an Australian teenager, Ashton Agar, who made debut at English soil in the Ashes played positive and aggressive cricket and made 98 runs at no. 11. Despite the fact that Aussies lost the earlier Ashes, the above fact shows how competitive Australians are. The urge to win is their secret magic potion. Michael Clarke, their captain truly symbolizes this urge.