Showed both the good and bad of sticking with proven veterans. Wouldn't have got to number 1 without them, might have been less embarrassing in those two 0-8 series if we'd have moved on sooner. Overall I think it was worth it. 2007-2011 was a glorious mini era.
Corrections, the WI free fall was really in the early 2000s. Even in the 90s, the WI lost exactly one series at home and 3 series away which isn't awful by any stretch. But starting with the 99-00 away tour to NZ, WI started a downward spiral that we still haven't recovered from.
Not really. WI downturn began in Pakistan in 97 when their full strength team was whitewashed with two innings and a 10 wicket loss. This was followed with a 5-0 whitewash in SA. That was the true turning point.
Yeah that's all good and well, but as you may recall, WI still beat Pakistan at home along with SL, NZ, India, and drew with Australia. Free fall happened after their tour to Nz where thereafter, they were losing regularly home and away. There's a huge difference between turning point and a free fall. Had WI been in a free fall, they would have lost the 99 Frank Worrell series but they didn't.
Fair enough but then maybe Walsh/Ambrose retirement can be taken as a starting point.
Yes !! Especially Ambrose.
TBF, physical stuff aside, I also think a lot of that Ganguly gen cricketers were too caught up in the WC hype and Yuvi had that cancer break.
A lot of it was very similar to how the England Ashes 05 side unravelled.
Yeah especially Ambrose
Yep especially Ambrose
The revival of Australia was Ashes 89 and the beginning of their great era was 95.
Sorry. Australia’s greatness didn’t start from 1995. It started from 1999 series against Pakistan when they chased down 370 in 4th innings . SA had the best W/L ratio in 1995-99 period
Not just results but also quality of players. We really should have beaten them in 1997 but gave Matt Elliott and Greg Blewett rare moments in the test sunshine. They weren't unbeatable in 98/99 either but by 2001 they'd moved into a different class entirely.
You also had the fruition of Pointing, Hayden, Martyn and Langer who had all been in and out for much of the late-90s but replaced the prior generation permanently in the early 00s and went to surpass them. Lee also came in around then and, while his stats are good but not great, he added another dimension to that attack
Gilchrist however, just made that team unfair as someone once put it.
Well yeah. I have made this very point few times before. In my mind 1999 world cup was the switchover point. Before that, as a fan I remember always thinking that Australia were beatable in both formats, while SA felt invincible.
