Darren Lehmann’s first media conference as Australian coach was enough time to make it clear why he had been rushed into the position just 16 days out from the start of an Ashes series.
Lehmann declared the ongoing problems plaguing Australian cricket will cease with his appointment.
The immediate reaction from players has been excitement at a weight being lifted.
Turning things around enough to beat England still stands as a massive task, but the chance to play under one of the most popular and respected figures in Australian cricket seems to have breathed life into what was shaping as a doomed campaign.
When the Australian squad gathered together at their team hotel in Bristol on Monday to mark the start of their Ashes tour, there was a buzz among the players despite shock at the sacking of the likeable Mickey Arthur.
Lehmann spoke with confidence and calm.
He said Australia could still win the Ashes, despite the tumultuous events so far on tour which have culminated in Arthur being sacked as coach and Michael Clarke resigning as a selector.
“There won’t be any ongoing problems. We’ll get everything right off the field and on the field,” Lehmann said.
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“My top three priorities are to win, win and win.”
Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland acknowledged the timing was far from ideal but said management could either sit on their hands or take decisive action and try to jolt Australia into action.
In the aftermath of the David Warner nightclub incident two weeks ago, which appears to have sealed Arthur’s fate, innuendo about a cover up and a culture divide festered.
Lehmann said his reign would be defined by honesty.
“It’s all about honesty – dealing with anything that comes up straight away,” Lehmann said.
“Leave no stone unturned. Make sure you’ve dealt with every issue straight away.”
The former Test batsman and, up until now, coach of Queensland said he will bring former legends into the set up like Shane Warne.
Lehmann is known for his love of a smoke and a beer.
But he said talking and bonding about cricket and life was what mattered, not what’s in your glass.
“It’s important to talk about the game whether it’s with a beer or a diet coke. I don’t mind – learning about ourselves as cricketers and people,” he said.
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Sutherland confirmed on Monday that former Australian batsman Lehmann would be the national coach through to June 2015.
He and high performance manager Pat Howard sacked Arthur in Bristol on Sunday night with 20 months still to run on his contract.
He was appointed in November 2011 and, since that time, Australia have struggled with inconsistent performances and numerous off-field issues. Australia have won 10 of 19 Tests, 18 of 39 ODIs and seven of 16 T20s with Arthur at the helm.
Sutherland said those failures were at the heart of the decision and that the buck had to stop with the coach.
The CEO is confident Lehmann can make an immediate impact.
“This has been a difficult decision to make but one that we feel is necessary,” he said.
“We are looking to establish a high-performing Australian cricket team that is consistent over a period of time. To achieve that, we need all the parts moving in the right direction. Recent on-field results have been too inconsistent.
“Discipline, consistency of behaviour and accountability for performance are all key ingredients that need to improve. And we see that the head coach is ultimately responsible for that.
“We are really confident this Australian cricket team will respond positively under Darren Lehmann.”
Sutherland, Clarke and Howard all admitted that Arthur shouldn’t be held solely responsible.
However, Sutherland denied he would reconsider his own position as chief executive.
Arthur faced the media after Sutherland and Howard, and handled himself with dignity.
He accepted CA’s decision with grace, saying he knew the responsibilities the position entailed and refused to blame his players or employers for his downfall.
