I'm talking cricket this week, so I apologise to readers who aren't too keen on the topic (check mi next week, no hard feelings).

I may lose a few more when I point out I won't be focusing on the West Indies either. They've got a nice little streak going now, albeit against the world's worst team - Zimbabwe. But hey, winning is winning. And at least Zimbabwe has been putting up a fight, something the West Indies when they were commonly called the Worst Indies, didn't always do when coming up short. So they're fine for now.

My attention is turned towards the sub-continent; cricket-obsessed India. The Indians are taking on, and battering Australia, a team which not for the first time, looks out of sorts. After two heavy defeats in the first two test matches, (the second one was by an innings!) Australian coach Mickey Arthur asked every member of the team to make recommendations as to how they could improve their performance. Basically, dem get homework fi do. Four players - Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson - either forgot the assignment, or just couldn't bother. To my knowledge, the long-used excuse 'the dog ate my homework' wasn't offered.

No recommendation

For whatever reason, they didn't submit anything they were promptly dropped for the third test match. Ouch! Considering how Australia always used to batter the other teams, one can't help but feel a little mirth at their current situation. But on one hand, this feels like primary school; teacher beating you for not doing your homework. On the other hand, these are grown men who should know how to follow simple instructions. I don't know why they didn't produce the necessary recommendations, but I know why I wouldn't have; because there's nothing to recommend!

Australia, like every team, is going through a period of subpar performance. That's all there is to it. We should know all about that here in the West Indies. India is just the better team right now and Australia, by their own admission, is rebuilding from their not-too-distant glory years. Plus, this is the same Aussie side that brutally smacked Sri Lanka around just a month or two ago. They're just facing the bigger bully on the block now, simple as that! Arthur of course, being the coach, felt he had to make a stand; a statement against mediocrity and insubordination. Fair enough I suppose. But if all four guys 'kiss dem teet' and say to hell with this, who really wins here? Oh that's right, India!

Speaking of India, the Windies will be playing them later this year, so don't laugh too loud. Windies coach Ottis Gibson might be left asking for recommendations too.

Link me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com