*Official* Australia in decline thread

[honestbharani]

The key thing to notice is that I feel South Africa have regressed a bit since that series in Australia. It happened with them in England too, they seemed to have been finished after the tests... Is it a case of them giving too much of themselves to a cause and then not having anything left for the other games?



But yeah, Aussies are not an easy bunch to displace. Juz witness how Johnson seems to have worked on his swing... Seems to be gettnig the ball back to the right hander in this tour..

 

[Jono]

What's really good about this is that Aust backed up their test losses beating the exact team they lost to, and this time at home.

Its not like they beat NZ straight after losing 2-0 to India, or beating WI and SA after losing the Ashes.

This was the best way for Australia to respond, and they have done it dominantly.

****ing amazing team/cricket culture in this country.

 

[Matt79]

[/thread closed] surely?

 

[Richard]

Nah, we need it for the next 1,428 premature predictions.

 

[Richard]

The key thing to notice is that I feel South Africa have regressed a bit since that series in Australia. It happened with them in England too, they seemed to have been finished after the tests... Is it a case of them giving too much of themselves to a cause and then not having anything left for the other games?

This series should've been seen as even more important than the away one, given it's at home. That SA have done so much worse here than they did in Australia is atrocious.

 

[Uppercut]

Calm down. They may yet not even lose this series.

 

[Richard]

Even if they don't - which as of this post remains extremely unlikely - then they've still performed dreadfully in this First and Second Test.

 

[GIMH]

SA to take the match tomorrow IMO

 

[Rant0r]

the best thing to come from australia's 'decline' is the quality of cricket, that is, australia are still a very good cricket team, but other teams are also very good, there hasn't been a game involving australia where someone has piled up 4/700 or something like that. thank **** we're not watching the other tests on the go at the moment.

 

[morgieb]

Now I definitely think they are. We'll probably lose this current Ashes series.

 

[Prince EWS]

Now I definitely think they are. We'll probably lose this current Ashes series.

Yeah, because we didn't lose the Ashes in England when were in our prime at all..

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Yeah, because we didn't lose the Ashes in England when were in our prime at all..

But this time you're losing to an England side with Stuart Broad bowling first change.

 

[TT Boy]

But this time you're losing to an England side with Stuart Broad bowling first change.

Plus Ravi and Bell at 3 & 4.

 

[Richard]

In 2005 there was Harmison opening the bowling, Bell at four again (and whatever you might say about him, that he's better-equipped to succeed now than then is almost beyond dispute) and Geraint Jones keeping wicket and batting seven. Much as the good of 2005 was sensational, the fact that there were weak-links in the England side then as now should not be missed.

 

[morgieb]

Again, another bump.

To lose one Ashes is a mistake, to lose two is pretty ****ing unforgiveable.

 

[pasag]

Again, another bump.

To lose one Ashes is a mistake, to lose two is pretty ****ing unforgiveable.

It's sport - your team loses, you move on and look forward to the next battle.

 

[Top_Cat]

Again, another bump.

To lose one Ashes is a mistake, to lose two is pretty ****ing unforgiveable.

Haha, before 1989, better sides than the current lot hadn't won a series in England stretching back to the Great Depression, FFS. That's why the 1989 win was so big - last time Aus won in England was 19-****ing-34!

Perspective - get it India.

 

[Johnners]

Ricky will retain them in 2013 tbh.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think the answer to the poll question is still "no". Australia have played the best teams in the world lately and been beaten in three series, so they're definitely not a dominant side any more, but I wouldn't call it a slump, at least not in the West Indies recently/Australia in the 80s sense. It's not as though Australia are falling into the bottom half of test nations or anything.

I'd still fully expect Australia to beat Pakistan and the West Indies at home in the summer ahead, for example.

 

[JBH001]

Haha, before 1989, better sides than the current lot hadn't won a series in England stretching back to the Great Depression, FFS. That's why the 1989 win was so big - last time Aus won in England was 19-****ing-34!

Perspective - get it India.

Dont think thats right, T_C.

Off the top of my head they won in 1948, in 1963 (61?), and drew in 1972.

But you are right about the perspective part. As Australia come back to the pack, tis to be expected.