A decision to stick with their plans during a key meeting after an 0-2 start to the ODI World Cup amid a belief they would pay off has been revealed as a key moment in Australia’s stunning success in India.
Following a mammoth 134 run loss to the Proteas, having opened their campaign with a loss to hosts India, the Australians came together to plot their way back into the tournament.
Coach Andrew McDonald revealed at that meeting the coaches and players resolved to stick true to the plans they had before the tournament, having picked just a single frontline spinner in Adam Zampa and determined to go as hard as possible in the first 10 overs when batting.
It paid off with immediate effect and captain Pat Cummins’ team went on a nine-game win streak which saw them eventually win the World Cup for a sixth time by demolishing raging favourites India in the final on the back of a stunning Travis head century.
“There was a get-together post-game (after the South Africa loss),” McDonald said on Tuesday.
“But once again, that was really just to reinforce that we were on the right path.
“It was about, ‘Let’s stick to it and believe in what we’ve set out to achieve’, and that it will come to fruition eventually, albeit it didn’t in the first couple of games.
“It was really doubling down. I think we’ve had moments like that when we were 0-2 in India in the Test series as well and you bring the group together and it’s really just reiterating what you set out in the first place.
“If you start to pivot at that point in time, I think that can create panic within a group.
“It also means that potentially your planning has been well off and at 0-2 in a nine-match World Cup … it’s not the time to start throwing the baby out with the bath water.
“It was just a time to say, ‘Ok, let’s get moving’.”
McDonald conceded there was a moment in the next match against Sri Lanka when things look grim again as their opening batters cruised to 0-125 off 21 overs.
But then Cummins, as he did throughout the tournament with ball, bat, and through his leadership, stood up, taking the opening wicket as the Sri Lankans crumbled, all out for 209 in a statement making game.
“We came up against Sri Lanka and I thought the bravery was in the moment where Pat Cummins bowed back-to-back bouncers,” McDonald told SEN.
“The second bouncer saw the downfall of Nissanka with a great running catch from Davey Warner.
“I think they were 0/125 at that point in time. No doubt people sitting back here probably thought that was the end of our World Cup.
“We were able to turn it. Patty’s bravery, some fielding execution, an easy run chase and away we went from there. We didn’t really look back.
“There were times when we got stressed as well after that. But it was an incredible run, an incredible streak.
“We got going at the right time.”
After chasing the total down with 14.4 overs remaining, the Australians went on and defeated Pakistan, Netherlands, New Zealand, England, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the remaining group games before accounting for South Africa and hosts India in the finals to lift the trophy.
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