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Following Australias Test-series hiding in Sri Lanka, much focus rested on how the batsmen were unable to find a workable method against spin, and on the touring spin bowlers struggling to match the efforts of their Asian counterparts.However, the strongest post-mortem line to emerge from the captain, Steven Smith, was less about technique than attitude and noise. Weve got a pretty quiet group and we need that sort of energy, come South Africa and the summer as well, he said between tours. I thought in the Test series in Sri Lanka we lacked a fair bit of energy in the field and that probably cost us at times.Weve got some pretty quiet characters, so even if its not making noise verbally, it might be just about having a bit more presence and the old Australian way of puffing your chest out and making your presence felt for the quieter guys. Its trying to do that, get into the game that way and try to provide some sort of energy that way.Whether or not Smiths suggested approach is the correct one, the issue he raised was pertinent. This is very much an Australian team still seeking to find an identity for itself after a series of retirements. The performances of the Test team in Sri Lanka, and of the ODI side currently in South Africa, suggest they are still a ways off.The search for an identity and mode of operation true to the team is not new. It may surprise some to note that many of the greatest sides ever assembled went on just such a quest. West Indies worked their way to a position of world authority only after reasoning they had to become harder-nosed than the great entertainers label they had worn since the 1961 Tied Test suggested. Steve Waughs Australian side stumbled early, enduring a decidedly indifferent first two Test series before embarking on a run of 16 consecutive wins. Finding the right level of team discipline and mutual respect was part of this, as was setting lofty goals to focus the mind.Clearly Smith and the coach, Darren Lehmann, need to find the right approach for this team, as distinct from that of the combination led by Michael Clarke that preceded it. The old Australian way is one such, but far from the only one. There could be no greater contrast, for instance, between Brad Haddin, the outspoken wicketkeeper and vice-captain, who remains close to Smith, and his successor behind the stumps, Peter Nevill. I spoke to Nevill recently about his perception as a neat and quiet wicketkeeper.I think thats a common misconception, saying that Im not vocal, because Id be the most vocal person on the field - its just purely directed towards our team, Nevill said. But if Steve was to tap me on the shoulder and say, Id like a bit more of that out of you, then Id certainly oblige.Even without thinking about it, you find a nice little equilibrium where youre comfortable operating at. For some guys, they like to get into a verbal contest, and they find that gets the best out of them. Ive never needed to do that to get myself in that optimal space. It hasnt been something Ive ever thought would that help me play better if I did that.Most dangerous to Smiths team would be trying to take on a persona inauthentic to the group of players currently wearing the baggy green. The search for a team identity was central to the experience of the former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, and as he related in his Cowdrey Lecture, it did not begin until the Black Caps realised, during a grim South African tour, that they had been pretending for too long:Ultimately we concluded that individually and collectively we lacked character. The key for all of us was, the team had no soul. We were full of bluster and soft as putty. It was the first time I had really stopped to consider this in 11 years of international cricket.The significance of what occurred that evening day was that we recognised that we had to change. We wanted to personify the traits that we identified in New Zealanders - to be humble and hard-working. We wanted to be respected by our long-suffering fans in New Zealand. We wanted to be respected by our opposition; and before we could demand this we had to learn to respect them.Later McCullum reflected that this was not a one-size-fits-all approach. It worked because he was leading the New Zealand team: The things that worked for us may not work for everyone. In changing the way we approached the game, and respected the opposition, we wanted to be true to our national identity.Herein lies the dilemma for Smith and Lehmann. To play the game the Australian way, both verbally and tactically, has been shown to work at home. But on foreign shores it is now patently clear that it does not. Further complicating things is that most of the men under Smiths command are not the loud and rambunctious characters of old. If anything, they may at times find themselves identifying more with McCullums approach.It is important, as well, for the Australians to understand that not every team from down under has played the game exactly the same way. Allan Borders collective had more of an obvious snarl than Mark Taylors, personified by the likes of Merv Hughes, yet they played the game more conservatively. Taylor gave way to Waugh and a style that became uncompromising and arrogant in the most overpowering way, before Ricky Ponting dialled back somewhat on stratagems like sending the opposition in to bat, or forsaking nightwatchmen.In the aftermath of Monkeygate, Pontings men felt hemmed in from unbridled attacks by opponents, yet at the same time struggled to be nimble enough to take the fight to them with bat or ball rather than words. Clarkes sense of adventure on the field corrected that to a large degree, but also started a trend of overseas humiliations that Ponting, ever the fighter, had largely been able to avoid.There is one more example worth noting of a team finding itself this year, in the English county competition. As an Australian Test player, Chris Rogers was not always totally comfortable with the extremes of aggression practised by some of his team-mates, though he acknowledged the effectiveness of the approach.Granted the opportunity, with Somerset in his final first-class season, to define a team for himself, Rogers assessed both the club and the players within it. Recognising many of the young men under his command to be quiet, diffident types, he encouraged a brand of hard cricket that did not force them into overt displays of braggadocio.Instead he sought unstinting effort and attention to detail, and enjoyment of shared success. In doing so, Somerset went within a day of their first ever County Championship title, crucially finding a way to defeat Yorkshire outright at Headingley. In recent years that has been close to an unthinkable result, much as success in India has become a similarly distant dream for Australia. 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Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. PITTSBURGH -- A year into the job, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivans daily message to his team has not changed. Just as he did when he took over an underachieving group last December, Sullivan wants the Penguins to play the right way.Play smart defensively. Push it up the ice. Dont get caught up trying to make the fancy play. Just take the shot. Lots of them preferably. Repeat as necessary.At the moment, there may be no team in the NHL doing it as well as the defending Stanley Cup champions.Sidney Crosby left briefly after taking a stick to the face then returned to pick up his NHL-leading 21st goal and the Penguins crushed the Arizona Coyotes 7-0 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.Pittsburgh has outscored the opposition 36-14 during the run, including Crosbys latest highlight reel score when he swatted a puck out of midair to make it 5-0 in the second period.I mean when youre winning, its fun, Crosby said. I think weve done a good job of limiting other teams chances. When youre doing that, youre creating offense and giving yourself a chance, so I think weve done a good job at that.Bryan Rust, Scott Wilson, Trevor Daley, Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino and Justin Schultz also scored for the Penguins, and 13 players recorded at least one point. Matt Murray finished with 32 saves while picking up his third career shutout as Pittsburgh pulled into a first-place tie with the New York Rangers atop the crowded Metropolitan Division.Sids been on a tear and has been playing inspired hockey and I think Genos line has very quietly been productive, Sullivan said. When you get the third and fourth lines doing what they do ... were finding offense throughout our lineup and thats whats helping us win games.Arizonas Mike Smith, the lone bright spot for a team with the fewest victories in the league, stopped 18 of 22 shots before being pulled midway through the second period. The Coyotes are 1-4-3 in their last eight.Theres a standard you have to play to in the NHL whether youre a young guy or a veteran and we didnt play or compete at an NHL level tonight, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. Thats the score you get and thats where were at today.Crosby received treatmeent between the first and second periods after getting whacked in the mouth by Arizonas Martin Hanzal.dddddddddddd The sellout crowd cheered when the captain returned to the bench about three minutes into the second. The roar grew considerably louder when Crosby stood all alone in front of the Coyotes net and patiently waited for the rebound off Evgeni Malkins slap shot to fall below the crossbar before he took a swing at it, replicating a goal he scored against Dallas earlier this month when he smacked the puck off the back of Stars goaltender Antti Niemi.I think you just kind of hope you have enough time to wait for it to go below the cross bar and have a play at it, Crosby said. Sometimes you put it where you want to. With the goal, I think he was looking for it up in the air, so I got lucky.By then, the matter was already well in hand for Pittsburgh, which improved to 52-23-8 in the regular season since Sullivan replaced Mike Johnston on Dec. 12, 2015. Sullivans arrival galvanized an underachieving club and provided the spark that eventually ended with the Penguins capturing the franchises fourth Stanley Cup last June.Pittsburgh is right back in the thick of it once again behind Crosby, whose remarkable surge coincided with Sullivans promotion. Crosbys 48 goals and 42 assists since Jan. 1, 2016 are the most in the NHL.When our special teams gets back up to where we know they can be, and if we continue to score like this and get great goaltending, Bonino said, then were obviously a tough team.Game notes Louis Domingue filled in after Smith was pulled in the middle of the second period and made nine saves on 12 shots. ... Pittsburgh went 2 for 7 on the power play. The Coyotes were 0 for 3 with the man advantage. ... Arizona scratched Ds Connor Murphy and Kevin Connauton and F Anthony Duclair. ... Pittsburgh scratched D Steve Olesky and C Eric Fehr.UP NEXTCoyotes: Visit Detroit on Tuesday night. Arizona is 0-3-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.Penguins: Continue a three-game homestand on Wednesday night against Boston. ' ' '