Australia in SA
Buchanan: Australia vulnerable
2011-11-22 15:00
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Brisbane - Former Australia coach John Buchanan says the sweeping structural changes at Cricket Australia make the national team vulnerable ahead of its two-Test series against New Zealand.
Buchanan, now New Zealand's director of cricket, said on Tuesday the changes implemented since Cricket Australia's independent review in the wake of a home Ashes series loss to England this year could unsettle the team.
"There's definitely a vulnerability there," Buchanan said.
"That's not just got to do with performance, there are a lot of things happening within Australian cricket at the moment behind the scenes which are going to take some time to gel."
Buchanan served as Australian coach for eight years from 1999 to 2007, guiding the test team to a record 16 straight victories and helping the ODI lineup to World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007.
He was commenting on Tuesday only hours after Australia appointed South African Mickey Arthur as its first foreign coach, the latest in a series of changes in high-level positions.
"There's a new coach, new selection group, and a new captain as selector, which is going to be pretty interesting; having someone in the dressing room from the selectors sitting and watching you," Buchanan said of captain Michael Clarke's new role on the selection panel.
Australia will play two Tests against New Zealand starting December 1.
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