Australian cricketers lack technique: Rod Marsh

The current crop of Australian cricketers are struggling because they have not been "taught the correct technique for batting, bowling and fielding", feels the country's newly-appointed manager of elite coaching development, Rod Marsh.

"When someone does run in and swing the ball, it becomes almost unfair because the batsmen don't know how to deal with it," Marsh told 'The Advertiser'.

"You have to learn to play the swinging ball because it is part of the art of batsmanship and to play the swinging ball, you need a good technique.

"Then there are no excuses; what has to happen is you have to be taught the correct technique for batting, bowling and fielding then you are ready for anything," he said in a strongly-worded assessment of the players.

Marsh will co-ordinate with head coach Mickey Arthur in his new job, working with state coaches, national development managers, the under 19s and under 17s to improve the standard of coaching.

"We just want to try and get to a stage where there are no excuses and that is covering every base, which is the development of coaches, which is part of my role now," he said.

"In my opinion, technique is a problem and why it is a problem is anyone's guess," he said.

Marsh said the new crop of coaches have failed to get correct the players' technique.

"People come up with different opinions about that, but I think one of the reasons is it has not been stated; young coaches haven't been told that the first thing you must do is get correct technique," he said.

"Once you have got that, you can play every shot in the book, and they should be taught every shot in the book - not that they have to use every shot - but they have to be taught those methods to be good players," he added.

Marsh said bowlers also need to work on a few shortcomings.

"If people bowl it halfway down the pitch, it is not going to swing. That was what it was like in 1877 and that is what it is like now. It will not swing if it is pitched halfway down the pitch," he explained.

"I've been coaching cricket for more than 20 years and this is a great opportunity to work with the elite coaches around the country," he said.