Time up for Darren Lehmann? © Getty Images
London: Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has backed Aussie coach Darren Lehmann despite Australia’s humiliating 3-1 loss to England in The Ashes 2015, saying that the coach is not in danger of being sacked. According to the BBC, when Sutherland was asked if Lehmann’s job was safe, he responded with an emphatic “yes”. Sutherland further said the entire Cricket Australia (CA) team and staff would sit down and review every overseas series in order to get better. Lehmann’s performance as coach and selector has come under scrutiny as Australia have lost three of their five Ashes series under his leadership. READ: Darren Lehmann, Trevor Bayliss believe Steve Smith is right man to take over as captain of Australia
Meanwhile, Australian skipper Michael Clarke has also confirmed that he will retire from international cricket after the last Ashes Test to be played at Kennington Oval. England decimated Australia by an innings and 78 runs in the fourth Ashes 2015 Test at Trent Bridge. The have regained the urn having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead with one more match to go. England needed just three wickets to win going into Day Three, whereas Australia needed 90 runs to make England bat again. Australia however failed to do so and as a result have suffered a huge loss. Adam Voges was the lone fighter for Australia on Day Three with a half-century. David Warner and Chris Rogers too had scored fifties on Day Two and the duo put on 113 for the first wicket of the second innings, which was the only highlight of the match for the visitors. READ: Ashes 2015: Darren Lehmann faces flak on Twitter for asking people to accompany him football match
England can be happy with their performance but they too have some issues that they need to address. They will look to win the final Test at the Oval as well to pile on more misery on Australia. If James Anderson returns to the side for the final Test, it will be interesting to see who among Steven Finn and Mark Wood miss out. Australia on the other hand will have to make a lot of changes if they have to get a consolatory win in the series. They had just one good game at Lord’s, where the entire squad chipped in. The selectors need to make a few changes quickly for the betterment of Australia cricket. READ: Ashes 2015: Darren Lehmann says Rod Marsh and him must shoulder lot of blame for Australia’s loss