Australia Continue to Self Implode

With just 16 days to the start of the first Ashes test, you would have thought that one of the teams competing, would have in place a management team capable of guiding their respective side through a busy six months of cricket...

It seems not however, as Australia this morning set about sacking South African coach Mickey Arthur, citing "Struggles on and off the field". whilst most of us agree with that sentiment, the timing is just all wrong on the verge of the back to back Ashes series with England.

Granted, Australia didn't perform well on the field in the recent Champions Trophy, but it was all of three games, and if the Australian Cricket Board did have reservations about Arthur being coach, why not make the change before arriving in the UK?

Perhaps the 'punch' by David Warner to Joe Root in that Birmingham bar, did eventually have far reaching implications. It certainly looks like Arthur had given the impression that disipline in the Austrlian dressing room, had completely fallen away, given the incident came on the back of Warner's twitter fine for comments made against a journalist, and the 'homework' saga from the tour of India.

It was the latter, that really made the cricketing world take note of problems in Australian cricket, when four players were left out of the final test match, for not doing their 'homework', and it was Arthur's reaction to it all when he said basically the guilty players should all do as they are told when playing for their country.

But as mentioned, why wait until now though to wield the axe?

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said: "This has been a difficult decision to make but one that we feel is necessary."

"The timing is far from ideal but we didn't feel we could sit back and hope matters would change without addressing issues critical to a high-performing team culture."

Trying to deflect attention onto results, he said "Recent on-field results have been too inconsistent."

"Discipline, consistency of behaviour and accountability for performance are all key ingredients that need to improve. We see that the head coach is ultimately responsible for that."Sutherland concluded.

Darren Lehmann is now trusted with getting the squad gelling ahead of the Ashes series, and faces a huge test, despite his success as a coach in the IPL and down under.

The former left hander was in charge of the Australian 'A' tour that was also touring England, so at least they don't have to wait a week for someone to come and fly in and take over.

As for England, we have just reached a one day final, and all seems calm in the camp, easy game isn't it?