Buchanan's leaked letter.

[Donny]

Buchanan blasts Aussies

By Bronwyn Hurrell - Fox Sports

AUSTRALIAN cricket coach John Buchanan has blasted his players for allowing deal-making, sponsors and other external issues to contribute to a "soulless" performance against India in the second Test.

In an emotional hand-written letter to each player, obtained by The Daily Telegraph, Buchanan says: "I love each and every one of you" but adds the team's commitment had frustrated and angered him.

"Boys, I am so disappointed with the soulless, 'un-baggygreen', immature performance today," Buchanan wrote after Australia collapsed to be all out for 196 in their second innings in Adelaide.

"I question what progress have we made as a team, as individuals."

Buchanan was shocked to hear his emotional post-match letter had found its way into the hands of the media.

"It's a private letter obviously," he said yesterday. "It's disappointing if it found it's way anywhere. It's a matter between myself and the players, not just the players, the whole team. That would be my only comment."

Buchanan publicly labelled Australia's day four performance "immature" at a press conference following the day's play but went much further in the letter.

"My feelings, while heightened by today's inept display have everything to do with you as persons first, family men [for most of you] second and players third," the letter says.

"In the lead-up to this game, the issues that have dominated conversations, priorities and by definition (I may well be incorrect) your attention/focus/clarity, have been deal making, sponsors, Tug's [captain Stephen Waugh] farewell to Adelaide, helmets, what the media is saying about you."

Buchanan said the players were "letting yourselves down seeking excuses rather than being totally responsible for your decisions".

He compared the supreme commitment of Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer in guiding Australia to a famous victory against Pakistan in Hobart in 1999 with the team's limp batting effort in Adelaide.

"About this time, four years ago in Hobart, Gilly and JL responded to a 'no-win' situation with courage, conviction, and a toughness of character and concentration that is the pure fabric of the Australian cricket team.

"Today the only similar response I saw was Willo [Brad Williams with an injured shoulder] - bowling, batting throwing and diving at mid-off!! What has happened in the interim?"

The letter said the players had elected "a tough road but good on you for choosing this path". It talks of "sacrifice of self, sacrifice of family, sacrifice of money making ventures and ultimately sacrifice to establishing the best legacy for Australian cricket".

It appears clear Buchanan, like several other people in the Cricket Australia hierarchy, believe the players' obsession with commercial deals has reached a point where it could be distracting their performance.

It is the fourth time Buchanan has been involved with private correspondence being leaked to the media, though there is no suggestion he was responsible for making it public.

Upon being notified of the leak last night, he immediately reported it to Cricket Australia.

"I, like all the support staff, respect who you are and what you have achieved," he wrote. "We are always in awe of what you do.

"I love each and every one of you but like my own family, you thrill, you frustrate, you anger."

[Donny]

Don't shoot the messenger

By Robert Craddock - Fox Sports


AUSTRALIA's cricketers were taken aback by John Buchanan's emotional outburst questioning their focus on the game.

But that doesn't mean he should not have said it.

Buchanan's big mistake in cricket's Baggygate affair was not his message but how he delivered it.

Stern criticism is best delivered face to face.

It is the fourth time a message from Buchanan has found its way into the national press. He should have known better than to use hotel staff to process a piece of hot property and send it in 12 different directions.

There were whispers yesterday some players were not happy, but Buchanan should stand his ground on this issue because his points were worth making.

In this era of spin doctors and purified public comment, it was actually a minor thrill to see someone bold enough to unleash an old-fashioned gobfull.

Professional sport is full of tummy-ticklers, from families to fans to media and managers.

No matter whether you are Joe Average or Steve Waugh, sometimes you need to be told the harsh facts of life.

The last thing Australia needs from its coach, in this challenging era featuring the cross-over of generations, is a yes man who is going to bow and scrape to the players.

Sometimes the best pieces of advice are the ones the players don't want to hear.

During the 1993 Ashes tour of England, coach Bob Simpson surprised the players by making a sharp-worded outburst.

He said: "I don't like our attitude at the moment. We expect perfection from everyone but ourselves. We'll complain if our coffee isn't hot but we won't worry about being late for training."

It hit the mark and the players responded.

In their hearts the players know off-field distractions are becoming an issue. Steve Waugh said as much after the Brisbane Test, which seemed a blur to the players amid a stream of off-field signing sessions, street cricket and city mall appearances.

The easy line here is to say the players deserve to be chastised for chasing the almighty dollar - and that's certainly a big part of it - but there is much more to the argument.

The demands on the players from Cricket Australia are substantial - and getting bigger. Under their contracts, players are required to attend around 30 functions for state and country each year.

When you earn $1million-plus from Cricket Australia annually, players don't expect people to have any sympathy for being pushed but the increased workload has become a distraction.

Not all of the players' private commitments are for their own good as they are heavily committed to charities.

A recent Cricket Australia survey revealed the players average about three charities per person.

It is hard to legislate for what is right for players across the board because each player is different.

Adam Gilchrist is fascinated by the corporate world - he is on the board of Travelex - and has a high capacity to absorb corporate responsibilities because he is stimulated by them.

Gilchrist's great mate Damien Martyn is a different beast altogether, a more private character and not a big "function" man.

The Australian cricket side is big business. A few years ago they were rated the No1 sporting side in the world and the players have drawn enormous financial rewards on and off the field from their success, but the whole corporate side is in danger of becoming a monster.

A few sharp words will not go astray.

[Donny]

Buchanan's blunders

By Robert Craddock - Fox Sports

IS John Buchanan a scheming plot maker, an absent-minded professor or simply unlucky?

This is the question rumbling around Australian cricket after yet another leaked Buchanan dossier.

It is the fifth time a Buchanan document allegedly meant for the players has become public property.

The Daily Telegraph, which broke the story of Buchanan's leaked letter during the Adelaide Test, can confirm Buchanan did not intend to leak the document.

When contacted, he had no idea the letter had become public property and immediately contacted Cricket Australia.

But after five incidents in six years, the coach may now choose to use the spoken rather than written word to deliver his message.

Perth, March 1997

Then coaching Queensland, Buchanan's game plan is swiped from the Bulls' dressing rooms before the Sheffield Shield final against Western Australia.

It becomes so widely circulated that Channel 9 does a spoof segment featuring a McDonald's worker asking a customer "would you like a Queensland game plan with your french fries?"

The plan urges the Queensland team to "test the ego" of Damien Martyn and claims fast bowler Jo Angel "does not hit the deck hard" and "has lost pace".

Western Australia captain Tom Moody says that he will ignore the plan. Obviously he does because his side is thrashed.

Wellington, Feb 2000

A guest at the James Cook Centra Hotel contacts Pam Curry, producer of Wellington radio station 91ZM morning crew, and claims he has a secret dossier accidentally slipped under his hotel door containing details of Australia's game plans for the one-day series against New Zealand.

The plans say Australia must "intimidate" New Zealand with "controlled aggression" and that captain Stephen Fleming is "a bit lazy early" and allrounder Chris Cairns is "fragile."

Cairns replies by saying that he has known that for ages. Fleming said he did not read it.

Northampton, August 2001

A Buchanan memo quoting the deeds of fifth century BC Chinese warlord Sun Tzu is circulated among the players but again one copy falls under the wrong door and is given to a local journalist who quotes it in full.

The mass circulation Daily Mirror responds by printing a poster of Tzu wearing a baggy green cap and England Test legend Ian Botham wrote in his column that "shoving 10-page memos under the door of Test cricketers never made anyone bowl faster or score more runs."

Melbourne, Dec 2001

An Australian game plan for South African fast bowler Allan Donald was accidentally slipped under the hotel door of a journalist when a hotel worker mistook the number for Ricky Ponting's room.

The plan said to "wear him down" and that Donald "can over-attack at times which can give us plenty of scoring opportunities".

Adelaide, Dec 2003 A Buchanan letter sent to each player lambasting Australia's second innings batting effort in Adelaide is leaked to News Limited. The letter claims that Australia's batting was "unbaggygreen" and "immature".

Buchanan said the letter was private.

[Donny]

Waugh plays straight bat

By Jon Pierik - Fox Sports

TEST captain Steve Waugh believes coach John Buchanan was within his rights to blast the Australian players for their performance in the second Test.

The Australian cricketers will today discuss the furore created by Buchanan's leaked letter when they gather in Melbourne ahead of the crucial Boxing Day Test.

Speaking for the first time about the scandal dubbed "baggygate", Waugh said yesterday he believed it was Buchanan's job to point out where he felt the players had let themselves down.

But he added that administrators must work with the players to minimise commitments that could distract from their focus and performance.

"It's part of John's role to throw things up to the side and see whether there is any feedback regarding those items," Waugh said.

Tearaway paceman Brett Lee was recalled yesterday in the only change to the Australian XII for the third Test against India at the MCG. He replaces the injured Jason Gillespie.

Left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken was retained, meaning there was no room for Matthew Nicholson.

Buchanan's leaked handwritten dressing down of the players during the Adelaide Test has caused a major stir in cricketing circles.

The letter detailed a litany of outside issues - suggesting sponsorship and deal-making issues had distracted the players.

Several Australian players were stunned by Buchanan's comments with at least one unimpressed.

Buchanan has yet to make any elaborate public comment on the matter.

Waugh said it was important for Cricket Australia and the players to "fine-tune" their relationship to ensure the game's stars are not distracted by off-field sponsorship commitments.

But he added that heavy sponsorship commitments were part of the modern game.

"A lot is expected of the players, you just have to deal with what's in front of you the best way you can," he said.

Australia's Test cricketers have protested against the number of functions they have to attend for the game's major sponsors.

The ACA has received numerous complaints from players and player managers claiming cricketers are asked to do too much for CA.

Concerns were raised before Buchanan savaged his players in Adelaide over the amount of time they spent discussing private sponsorships deals before a match.

Leading player manager Neil Maxwell, who looks after Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie, said the sponsorship demands CA put on its players would be a major point of discussion at a cricket managers meeting in January.

Maxwell said it was "unfair" the more high-profile players were continually asked to attend CA sponsorship functions and appear in advertisements while other squad members did little.

Maxwell said some players were concerned about being overexposed and the "pressure" on players to prepare properly for matches had increased since the first Memorandum of Understanding between players and officials was signed in 1997-98.

"Sharing the load is a key," Maxwell said. "If all 25 (CA contracted) players helped out, it wouldn't be a problem.

"As far as Cricket Australia is concerned, they are becoming more aware of the demands on the players and need to build that into their contracts going forward."

If a select few like Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee continue to be heavily used, Maxwell said it was important this was reflected in their base CA contracts.

"Guys like Merv Hughes and Shane Warne in the past, and Michael Clarke going into the future, are going to be drawcard players," he said. "That's not reflected in their contracts when sponsors want certain players to be in their commercials."

Players are required under their contracts to attend about 30 functions a year for state and country.

As the pressure on the Australians continues to build, India's cricketers look happy and confident.

Run machine Rahul Dravid yesterday tipped Sachin Tendulkar's barren Test year to end at the MCG.

Tendulkar has had a lean year, scoring 109 from his last seven knocks at the paltry average of 15.57.

But he loves the Boxing Day venue - his last Test knock at the MCG was an outstanding 116 during the 1999-00 series. "A lot has been said unnecessarily about Sachin's form - we believe he's in great touch and hitting the ball really well," Dravid said.

"We're looking out for a big score from him here."

[Donny]

Buchanan: No regrets

Fox Sports

UNREPENTANT Australian cricket coach John Buchanan said today he would continue to write critical letters to his players when warranted, despite frequent leaks to the media over their contents.

Buchanan, in a letter to the players leaked to the media last Friday, accused them of a "soulless, unbaggygreen, and immature performance" after the unexpected four-wicket loss to India in the second Test in Adelaide.

He also accused them of being distracted by "dealmaking and sponsorships".

"I will continue to do that (write letters)," said Buchanan during Australia's optional training session today before the third Test against India starting here tomorrow.

"Sometimes you use words, other times written words have more impact."

Buchanan, in his third term after signing a new deal with Cricket Australia in October, said necessary steps would be taken to not repeat the mistake.

Buchanan's letters have a history of getting into the media.

On the 2001 Ashes tour of England, a memo to the Australian team relating theories from Chinese warrior Sun Tzu's `The Art of War' became public when it was placed under hotel doors of reporters as well as players.

Similar incidents have happened during series against New Zealand and South Africa.

A detailed game plan against South African paceman Allan Donald was put under the door of a journalist in Melbourne two years ago.

It is the fourth time Buchanan's private memos have been leaked to the media.

Skipper Steve Waugh was tactful about the scandal.

"There is no problems there," said Waugh. "He is entitled to his say. We don't have to agree with it but that's a coach's job to throw up observations and to challenge a side.

"That doesn't necessarily mean they are true. We have talked about it, we are fine, everyone is OK."