“It’s not his fault we’re not playing well”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Australia captain Steven Smith has insisted that head coach Darren Lehmann should not be blamed after the Baggy Greens lost their ongoing Test series against South Africa.

South Africa claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the third and final Test in Adelaide after they demolished Australia by an innings and 80 runs in the second Test in Hobart. Prior to that, they triumphed in Perth by 177 runs.

Australia have been well below par, especially with the bat, in both Tests, but Smith reiterated that Lehmann should not be held accountable for the team’s shambolic performance.

“He’s been terrific over a long period of time,” the Australian captain said. “It’s not his fault we’re not playing well. It’s up to us to go out there and do the job.

“He does everything he can for us in training and preparation.”

Batting collapses have been the root of the problem for Australia over the past few months as it extends back to their disastrous tour of Sri Lanka, where they were whitewashed 3-0 in the three-Test series.

It was a similar story on Tuesday as Australia started the day on 121/2, but lost their last eight wickets for just 32 runs in the span of 19.2 overs.

Smith acknowledged that his side are going into the matches well prepared, but are failing to execute when it is most needed.

“We prepare well. It’s just at the moment, when we get out in the middle, we’re not executing our skills well enough and not handling the pressures of international cricket well enough as a playing group,” Smith said. “That has to change and, from my point of view, I have absolutely no problem with anything Darren (Lehmann) is doing at the moment.”