Are Australia a better side now than 12-18 months ago?

[valvolux]

You know i don't think we are better than 18 months ago...but I don't think we need to be. We had some awful luck, faced some suspiciously good swing bowling and just didn't find any touch. It was a big series, but it was one series. As arrogant as Hayden was saying that it only mattered how well the australians played...he is dead right, and many of our key players didn't play well. Huss is a massive inclusion, Clark is better than what Gillespie was a year ago and we are going into this series better prepared than any before. The confidence that england seems to have is that we seemingly haven't made any changes - I don't think we needed to make many changes, we just need to play better, and there's no doubt we can. Our team has incredible fighting spirit and are incredibly hard to beat, even if we are seemingly getting flogged. We only need to improve by 20% on 2005 to beat these guys...I think we've probably gained 10-15 from getting rid of Dizzy and getting in Huss...but the key is the rest of the side have another 60-80 up their sleeves from last year.

 

[benchmark00]

Of course he was "pumping up" England - last time I checked, the Wirral was a long way from Wollongong.

 

[Prince EWS]

Who am I confusing him with that was in form then scored next to nothing then?

Adam Gilchrist perhaps. He dominated NZ (as he always does) before the Ashes.

 

[valvolux]

Adam Gilchrist perhaps. He dominated NZ (as he always does) before the Ashes.

and marto...he was red hot fav to take out the AB medal about a month before the ashes after making about 6 tons in the calendar year. he was still in red hot form and batted beautifully with clarke in tough conditions in the 1st test....followed by two nicks onto pads given out leg before and the rest is history. he's still the most stylish batsmen in test cricket since mark waugh - he looked on song in that final test against the Saffers..but he becomes complacent at times when he becomes too comfortable in his position. As there's currently very little comfort sitting in at number 4 for australia, look for a red hot series from him this time around.

 

[GIMH]

and marto...he was red hot fav to take out the AB medal about a month before the ashes after making about 6 tons in the calendar year. he was still in red hot form and batted beautifully with clarke in tough conditions in the 1st test....followed by two nicks onto pads given out leg before and the rest is history. he's still the most stylish batsmen in test cricket since mark waugh - he looked on song in that final test against the Saffers..but he becomes complacent at times when he becomes too comfortable in his position. As there's currently very little comfort sitting in at number 4 for australia, look for a red hot series from him this time around.

EDIT just realised you were talking about Martyn. Fair enough.

 

[Poker Boy]

No - they're just older. Since the Ashes last year they've gained one great player - Mike Hussey who should have played in the last Ashes - and Brett Lee's bowling has improved. The search for new talent has been so unsuccsessful that in SA and Bangladesh they recalled Ashes flops Martyn, Kasprowicz and Gillespie(Clarke is different because he's young and can still improve). Hayden and Ponting are scoring runs and Warne bowled briliantly but we knew that already. Yes they've won all but one of their Tests since the last Ashes but against the ICC Waste of time(sorry world)XI the worst WI team ever, SA who were hindered by Grahame Smith's inability to bat as well as he talked, and Bangladesh what would you expect? Had Australia been to India or Pakistan like England have would they have done any better? Australia are still an excellent side but slowly falling from their peak(the last WC in my opinion).

 

[andyc]

No - they're just older. Since the Ashes last year they've gained one great player - Mike Hussey who should have played in the last Ashes - and Brett Lee's bowling has improved. The search for new talent has been so unsuccsessful that in SA and Bangladesh they recalled Ashes flops Martyn, Kasprowicz and Gillespie(Clarke is different because he's young and can still improve). Hayden and Ponting are scoring runs and Warne bowled briliantly but we knew that already. Yes they've won all but one of their Tests since the last Ashes but against the ICC Waste of time(sorry world)XI the worst WI team ever, SA who were hindered by Grahame Smith's inability to bat as well as he talked, and Bangladesh what would you expect? Had Australia been to India or Pakistan like England have would they have done any better? Australia are still an excellent side but slowly falling from their peak(the last WC in my opinion).

Brad Hodge and Stuart Clark hardly did badly.

 

[Poker Boy]

I agree with you about Hodge but Australia's selectors obviously didn't think so as they dropped him for SA tour two Tests after he scored a double-hundred! And didn't they drop Clark in Bangladesh?