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| March 25, 2003 | Tuesday | Muharram 21, 1424 |
We can still get better: Buchanan
JOHANNESBURG, March 24: Australia coach John Buchanan issued an ominous warning to the rest of the cricketing world after his side’s comprehensive World Cup final win over India on Sunday.
Despite his side’s 125-run win, extending their unbeaten run in One-day Internationals to 17, Buchanan said Australia could still get better.
“There is a good foundation there but I don’t subscribe to the fact we have taken the game to a totally new level as there are lots of things we can do,” he told reporters.
“At the moment we do most things everyone else does but we do them a little bit better and more consistently and there is no question we can get better.
“There is scope for every part of our game, whether it is technical or tactical through looking at the opposition and doing that differently, where we can improve.
“If we were quite happy to sit back after back-to-back World Cups then we would be doing ourselves a disservice, and Australian cricket and world cricket a disservice.
“It is on our shoulders to look at our game and work out how we can improve and from my point of view I would like to continue the process.”
An example of Buchanan’s desire to keep finding ways to improve was his inclusion of American baseball coach Mike Young as a member of his backroom staff for the tournament.
“Mike has been with us for a couple of months and all he players would attest to the difference he has made to our fielding,” he said.
Buchanan then laid down a challenge to the other international sides to match Australia’s levels of performance.
“They must keep trying to bridge the gap if there is such a thing as a gap,” he said.
“It is dependent on the rest of the world and a number of countries are trying to look at what we are doing and taking on our resources and expertise.
“Therefore it is our role to extend that gap and hope the other teams want to follow.”
Australia’s next challenge is in the Caribbean where they will play four Test matches and seven One-day Internationals.—Reuters
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