Australianism

[four_or_six]

Any Aussies that think this whole thing is a myth don't deserve to support their cricket team.

The other day on ESPN they showed the 5th day at the Oval in 2005. I felt honour-bound to watch. It just reminded me how that never-say-die spirit was there in that Aussie team. Now, that team wasn't in particularly good form that series, while a good England side was, but in every single game the crims dug in and played hard.

Lord's - bounced back from 190 all out to wipe the floor with us

Edgbaston - lower-order heroics nearly pulled off the ultimate win

Old Trafford - in the first innings, a gutsy fightback kept Australia in the game, and Chimpy's ton plus lower-order heroics pulled off an amazing draw

Trent Bridge - lower-order heroics plus yet another 4th innings fightback, this time with the ball, England scraping home with 3 wickets to spare

The Oval - Hayden's career-saving ton; Warne and Lee bowling like absolute demons on the final day even when it became clear that the series was lost. Absolutely extraordinary.

So Greg Norman's a choker? Big ****ing deal.

I do wonder if things might have been different if Lee had had a bit less demon and a bit more brain.

 

[Top_Cat]

One way to test if it's just the team having good players rather than any 'cultural' explanation is to check if there were similiar claims made about the West Indies during their period of dominance.

There definitely was but it was specifically aimed away from nationalism. You never heard of the 'never-say-die Jamaicans' in the side. They had a culture of team, all selections/bowling decisions/batting orders being for the greater good, etc. The ability to cut across national lines was the key from what I've read in Viv Richards' autobiogs and others.

I do wonder if things might have been different if Lee had had a bit less demon and a bit more brain.

God, so AWTA. Lee's post-lunch bowling was just crazy.

 

[slippyslip]

Any Aussies that think this whole thing is a myth don't deserve to support their cricket team.

The other day on ESPN they showed the 5th day at the Oval in 2005. I felt honour-bound to watch. It just reminded me how that never-say-die spirit was there in that Aussie team. Now, that team wasn't in particularly good form that series, while a good England side was, but in every single game the crims dug in and played hard.

Lord's - bounced back from 190 all out to wipe the floor with us

Edgbaston - lower-order heroics nearly pulled off the ultimate win

Old Trafford - in the first innings, a gutsy fightback kept Australia in the game, and Chimpy's ton plus lower-order heroics pulled off an amazing draw

Trent Bridge - lower-order heroics plus yet another 4th innings fightback, this time with the ball, England scraping home with 3 wickets to spare

The Oval - Hayden's career-saving ton; Warne and Lee bowling like absolute demons on the final day even when it became clear that the series was lost. Absolutely extraordinary.

So Greg Norman's a choker? Big ****ing deal.

Hate to break this to you, but, err, ugh, we lost the 2005 Ashes.

Oh, you're using that other Australian myth - the plucky underdog that "punches above his weight" but goes down fighting?

Yup, Australia was clearly the underdog in 2005.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hate to break this to you, but, err, ugh, we lost the 2005 Ashes.

Oh, you're using that other Australian myth - the plucky underdog that "punches above his weight" but goes down fighting?

Yup, Australia was clearly the underdog in 2005.

Yeah it's a good point.

Have seen plenty of abject capitulations in other Aussies sports too, as happens with every other country. Not saying we can bust the whole thing as a myth but it's overblown by media, I reckon. OZ are nowhere near as good in some sports as we tell ourselves we are. When the inevitable failure happens, the attitude stinks too. Press interviews of just about every swimmer in the Olympics after their races suck; "So, why do you think you didn't win? Are you ashamed to call yourself Australian? Have you sold your house and moved to France like the cheese-eating surrender monkey you are?"

As a country, we need no help in pumping up our own tyres. Re: Ashes 2005, despite them going undefeated for the year beforehand and the best players in that year also being the best players in the series, I know most people were under-estimating the English threat too.

 

[Jono]

No, in interviews Hewitt has even said he backed off a bit after winning the first set. Its been Hewitt's biggest problem in his career. Backing off when he is on top. I've heard Newcombe and other commentators go on about it for the past 6 years.

Safin was "off" because Hewitt came out and played aggressively. Hewitt didn't let Safin play well. But during the 2nd set Hewitt started to play more defensively which was a massive mistake.

Fair enough.

I am a Hewitt hater, and would be more than happy to label him a choker, but I just don't think he did choke. Just reckon Safin had the tournament of his life.