Former Australian Cricketer Bryce McGain has called for more transparency from Cricket Australia regarding the direction they’re taking with One-Day Internationals after an underwhelming performance against Pakistan. 

An inexperienced Australian side was humiliated on home soil, with Pakistan winning its first series in Australia after 22 years. 

The side’s inexperience was on show, with test stars Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Mitch Marsh rested to prepare for the upcoming test series in India which starts next friday. 

The three-match series also marked the first time no Australian batsman registered an ODI half-century in a series lasting over three matches. 

Sunday’s batting performance in Perth was the series’ worst, as tailender Sean Abbott made the highest score (30) while opener Matt Short was second best (22). As a whole, they scored a pitiful 9/140, which Pakistan chased down with 139 balls to spare. 

Speaking to SportFM, McGain says there are lessons to be learned from the handling of this series.

“Our highest priority is this test series and it has been for some time. Then we’ve got a champion trophy later on next year and that’s our next priority,” he said. 

“This one-day format, again, gets squeezed and has a lower priority. I was really looking forward to it because I wanted to see how the next generation would go. Unfortunately, there’s a few question marks there. 

“There’s still development to come. There’s some recklessness about the way that the batting went about it. Maybe at the top of the order, but throughout it all.

“There’s still some lessons to be learnt and some growth to come. So I’m looking forward to that, I just hope, because this is the thing that really hurts one-day cricket.” 

Just 358 days ago, Australia beat India on their home turf bring the ODI World Cup back to Australia – solidifying them as one of the leaders of the 50-Over Format. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s tour of Australia marks the first time since that same World Cup that they’ve played an ODI series in the past 12 months. 

It is clear through selection Australia opted to take the development route with the series, resting several big names and instead selecting emerging Australian cricket talent like Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short and Lance Morris. Pakistan were basically full strength with top players. 

McGain hopes Australia isn’t contributing to the format’s downfall given their position in world cricket, particularly  from a marketing and gameplay perspective.

“There is nothing better than a World Cup for one-day cricket and these little no context series can really harm the value of the game,” he said. 

“I hope it doesn’t and I hope Australia aren’t contributing to the downfall of one-day cricket because I think they all hold a great position in the way the cricket is played around the world. 

“It does certainly leave some real disappointment when the best players aren’t out there and the public have the questions to ask and Cricket Australia probably need to answer them, right from the top. 

“There’s been zero marketing and promotion around it. Maybe that’s the reason why they’re not investing in something that they’re taking a lower priority on. But I’d love to hear them answer it.

McGain does, however, acknowledge the value of developing and nurturing the future of Australian cricket, despite the series’ shortcomings.

Numerous Australian white ball regulars like David Warner and Aaron Finch have already retired, while other including Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis aren’t getting any younger. 

“It’s been a disappointing series but that’s where these series are so critical in giving that experience,” said McGain.

“This is where the development comes by having the opportunity to play. You’ve got to play them sometimes because it’s an aging list and those players may not be there for much longer and performance may do that but it catches up with them so they do need to look to the next generation. 

“That’s the part that excited me about this series but the development will come. We will see improvement in the future because they got this opportunity as much as it’s a bit embarrassing the morning after, it will become good.” 

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