How Andrew McDonald has guided the Australian cricket team to Ashes glory

First of all, there is strategy.

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As Thunder captain, I always followed Ron’s advice. We had access to all kinds of analytics and data, but above all else I relied on his expertise and calm, simple view of the game.

Next month we will celebrate 10 years since we won the BBL final. Ron was dropped from the starting 11 at the end of the season, but he was still my trusted confidant.

Ron’s fingerprints are all over the clever strategies and calm, patient approach this Australian team employs and is a big reason why they were able to capture the Ashes so quickly this summer.

I don’t agree with every move they make. I would prefer to see more stability in the teams they select, particularly in the batting order, and there is no way I would drop Nathan Lyon in Brisbane.

But I also clearly see that every move made involves a lot of thought and strategy. More importantly, I am confident that the thought processes behind these decisions were clearly conveyed to the players.

As a player, Ron was not the fastest bowler, the most skilled batsman or the most agile fielder. But he was a very good competitor. He was a working-class player, had an excellent Sheffield Shield career and earned a Test cap by using his intelligence and always adapting his game to benefit the team.

Now, as a coach, it is obvious that he understands what makes players tick and how their individual strengths can benefit the team. It helps to have such an experienced staff at his disposal, but it also requires excellent people skills to support individuals in a team environment to do things their own way, keeping them quietly focused on the collective’s goals at all times.

He completed the series in Adelaide, Australia, despite batting linchpin Steve Smith’s late withdrawal due to dizziness.

While other teams may have been flustered by losing such an important player just minutes after the coin toss, this Australian team seems to be taking every obstacle in stride.

I have no doubt that Ron’s unhurried, simple approach contributed greatly to this. He is a very level person. He doesn’t get caught up in success, feel sorry for things when things don’t go his way, or over-dramatize events. He immediately rolls up his sleeves and continues his work.

Consider how the McDonald’s team responded to this situation last summer. India defeated by 295 runs in first Test in Perth. There was no immediate reaction. They stayed calm, collected themselves and fought back to win the series 3-1.

Also consider the challenges they overcame to win the Ashes series, including untimely injuries to key players such as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Smith and Usman Khawaja. Even Lyon’s election drama could have exploded in their faces, but it didn’t. I attribute this to measured and wise leadership.

Which brings me to the locker room, where McDonald holds his own.

He may seem a bit dry to the media but believe me, this is his egoless way of diverting attention. Behind closed doors, Ron is a friendly and fun guy. A great friend with a wicked sense of humor.

Over the years, it has been widely reported that post-match celebrations for Australia’s win over South Africa at the SCG in January 2009 were disrupted by a dispute between team-mates Michael Clarke and Simon Katich. Less well known is how Ron – on his Test debut – broke the ice and tension in the rooms with Katich apologizing after that dust-up.

“Don’t worry, it happens all the time in Victoria,” he quipped.

Two months later in Durban I was having the toughest day of my Test career. I was batting late on the first day and struggling to survive against South African pacer Dale Steyn, who was using a back in the field.

In frustration, I let Steyn have it, verbally abusing him for swarming me with bouncers. “F— you, Dale Steyn,” I yelled at him. Steyn replied to me: “You’re shitting yourself, aren’t you?”

He was right and I knew it.

But I survived and made it back to the barracks that night with 37 runs next to my name. When I entered the rooms, I collapsed into my chair with my head in my hands; I was tired, emotional, and most importantly, embarrassed for losing my cool.

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Ron was the first person to approach me. He sat next to me, put his arm around my shoulder and said, “Thank you for getting me through this.”

He was the next batsman and he was telling me how grateful he was that he didn’t have to bat against Steyn that night. It was a self-effacing moment from a guy who had just joined the team, but it helped me rethink my assessment of how I batted that day.

It wasn’t pretty or fancy, but it was bold and served a purpose for the team. My sense of shame faded away.

Maybe this was my introduction to Ronball.

Mike Hussey played 79 Tests for Australia and will commentate for Fox Cricket and Kayo this summer.

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