*Official* Australia in decline thread

[FaaipDeOiad]

Australia vs South Africa is the really interesting one for mine.

Yeah I agree with that. I think most people realised that Australia could well lose the series in India, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't the best team in the world, simply because India have pretty much always beaten all comers at home. It does mean they aren't by far the best team in the world though, as you might have said after the 2004 tour.

The South Africa series will be an interesting measurement of exactly where Australia are at. If Australia win those series comfortably like last time around, that would establish that nobody is going to beat Australia outside of the subcontinent without a major struggle. If they lose them, particularly if they lose the home one, that would indicate that Australia aren't the best in the world any more.

 

[Precambrian]

Yeah I agree with that. I think most people realised that Australia could well lose the series in India, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't the best team in the world, simply because India have pretty much always beaten all comers at home. It does mean they aren't by far the best team in the world though, as you might have said after the 2004 tour.

The South Africa series will be an interesting measurement of exactly where Australia are at. If Australia win those series comfortably like last time around, that would establish that nobody is going to beat Australia outside of the subcontinent without a major struggle. If they lose them, particularly if they lose the home one, that would indicate that Australia aren't the best in the world any more.

In case Australia goes down by another titanic margin like Mohali, then their status as World No.1 needs to be questioned, as South Africa managed to draw (a series win in my books, since it required a dustbowl to bail India out) against virtually the same side only months ago.

However, again, only in case.

 

[Burgey]

When you get upset, is it known as a Cambrian Explosion?

 

[Precambrian]

When you get upset, is it known as a Cambrian Explosion?

Lol, It predates explosion, perhaps call it evolution.

 

[Top_Cat]

In case Australia goes down by another titanic margin like Mohali, then their status as World No.1 needs to be questioned, as South Africa managed to draw (a series win in my books, since it required a dustbowl to bail India out) against virtually the same side only months ago.

However, again, only in case.

Not necessarily. South Africa managed to beat India at home years before Australia did but Aus were still number 1 for the whole time.

Not that it really matters. As long as there's attractive cricket being played, Zimbabwe could be number 1 for all I care.

 

[Burgey]

What was that line when they were looking at the pre-Cambrian shales?

"Oh ****, not another phylum!!"

 

[Precambrian]

 

[Precambrian]

Not necessarily. South Africa managed to beat India at home years before Australia did but Aus were still number 1 for the whole time.

Not that it really matters. As long as there's attractive cricket being played, Zimbabwe could be number 1 for all I care.

AWTA. Rankings are flawed anyway. Anything to make cricket competitive. Australia has shown the way, now for other nations to step up.

 

[Burgey]

Been to Shark Bay to se the live Stromatolites? Apparently worth a look, they've built a wealkway out to them. Haven't been there myself.

 

[shankar]

Not necessarily. South Africa managed to beat India at home years before Australia did but Aus were still number 1 for the whole time.

England managed to draw the series in India last time around as well. India's not as tough a place to tour as in the late 90's for the result of this tour (in case they lose or draw) to be irrelevant to Australia's test rating.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

What was that line when they were looking at the pre-Cambrian shales?

"Oh ****, not another phylum!!"

I did sedimentary environments last session.

If you mention anything to do with phylum again, I'll viciously murder you.

 

[Burgey]

Last time I had sedimentary environments, the doctor gave me some Imodium.

 

[NUFAN]

Agree with the thread title for the first time after watching Cameron White's spell yesterday.

 

[Precambrian]

Agree with the thread title for the first time after watching Cameron White's spell yesterday.

Perhaps you missed the ball of the century in Mohali.

 

[NUFAN]

Perhaps you missed the ball of the century in Mohali.

Yeah no I saw it <-- that was at the ball not you..

Last game was shocking but it can happen at times, but just watching our dire attack yesterday, we have lost our mojo for sure now and we now have Terrible > Pretty Good > Good > Great players in our team when before we just had Good and Great players.

 

[Richard]

In case Australia goes down by another titanic margin like Mohali, then their status as World No.1 needs to be questioned, as South Africa managed to draw (a series win in my books, since it required a dustbowl to bail India out) against virtually the same side only months ago.

It also required a rank green seamer that couldn't have come better out of The Wanderers or Kingsmead if you tried for them to go 1-0 up. The pitch at Motera was far more out-of-ordinary than the one at Green Park. Playing India in India is supposed to be about playing on dustbowls, and it's certainly not supposed to be about playing on seaming decks.

And really, I don't think drawing that match at the Chepauk was much of an achievement, especially as they batted first. Matches on those sorts of pitches are ridiculous and largely irrelevant.

 

[TT Boy]

It also required a rank green seamer that couldn't have come better out of The Wanderers or Kingsmead if you tried for them to go 1-0 up. The pitch at Motera was far more out-of-ordinary than the one at Green Park. Playing India in India is supposed to be about playing on dustbowls, and it's certainly not supposed to be about playing on seaming decks.

And really, I don't think drawing that match at the Chepauk was much of an achievement, especially as they batted first. Matches on those sorts of pitches are ridiculous and largely irrelevant.

Green seamer Did you even watch the game? India batted on a wicket which offered a little bit for the fast bowlers and folded like a pack of cards, gifting most of their wickets away. The wicket was no green seamer and couple of hours later when South Africa were batting they smashed the Indian seamers all over the shop and the wicket was so green that a guy smashed an unbeaten double ton on it.

 

[Richard]

Green seamer

Yes, green seamer.

Did you even watch the game?

Yes.

India batted on a wicket which offered a little bit for the fast bowlers and folded like a pack of cards, gifting most of their wickets away.

IE, it was a green seamer, if only briefly. India's play may have left something to be desired, but there was plenty in it for the seamers in the first couple of sessions.

 

[TT Boy]

Yes, green seamer.

Yes.

IE, it was a green seamer, if only briefly. India's play may have left something to be desired, but there was plenty in it for the seamers in the first couple of sessions.

Yeah less than two hours...

The Indians played at The Wanderers only eighteen months ago and they know what a lively surface is, they bowled South Africa out for nothing on it and every batsman struggled.

 

[silentstriker]

(a series win in my books, since it required a dustbowl to bail India out) against virtually the same side only months ago.
.

South Africa won the toss and India had to bat last. What is wrong with winning on spinning surfaces? Why is it any less important than winning on greentops? The second and third Test matches were fine wickets, the first was not, yet only the third is criticized.