The Streak - Can Australia Do It Again?

[Jono]

MacGill isn't totally hopeless either. Australia might well miss out on the streak, but I don't think losing Warne and McGrath will really be responsible for it.

It'll have a large part to do with it.

 

[silentstriker]

Um, do India actually have a shot to draw in Australia now? I'd never have thunk.

 

[The Sean]

Um, do India actually have a shot to draw in Australia now? I'd never have thunk.

They did it last time when Australia were also McWarne-less, so they have to be a shot. That being said, it will depend a lot on if India's batsmen can get themselves back into the same kind of form they were in in 03/04.

 

[silentstriker]

They did it last time when Australia were also McWarne-less, so they have to be a shot. That being said, it will depend a lot on if India's batsmen can get themselves back into the same kind of form they were in in 03/04.

Agreed.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

They did it last time when Australia were also McWarne-less, so they have to be a shot. That being said, it will depend a lot on if India's batsmen can get themselves back into the same kind of form they were in in 03/04.

I think Clark/Lee/Johnson/Tait or whatever is a better selection of seamers than Bichel/Gillespie/Williams/Bracken too. Australia are definitely better equipped to handle losing Warne and McGrath than they were a couple of years back. It'll be an interesting time, though.

 

[Craig]

LOL

The final two tests of this series, Craig....

That is dire, real more daft then Geriant Jones' run out

Craigos you idiot.

 

[Johnners]

It will definetly be a lot harder without Warne & McGrath, but it's still definetly a viable acheivement. I have to agree with Fuller in that with Clark/Lee/Johnson/Hilfenhaus, the attack looks in better shape than it did with Gillespie/Williams/Bichel etc.

Back on topic though, if the streak is to be equalled, or broken, it will come on the back of the batting imho. With Ponting & Hussey absolutely Gunning every bowler that comes within Cooee of them, and Clarke starting to look like the Class player we knew he was capable of being, our Middle Order is going to win us a truckload of matches in the upcoming 3/4 years.

Whilst it may be said that you need to take 20 wickets etc. etc. i reckon our bowling attack, whilst capable on their day, without Warne or McGrath will struggle to reduce teams to the lower totals an attack comprising both legends has in the past. For this reason, i beleive that the onus will be on the Batting to really step it up another notch, to give the bowlers the extra confidence etc. until the attack finds it's feet without the old heads of Warne & McGrath around.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Even with McWarne, Australia have proved that when they both don't fire they are susceptable to conceding pretty big totals, like they did at Adelaide.

 

[Choc]

Would like to see England at least pull back one just for the fun of it

 

[silentstriker]

Back on topic though, if the streak is to be equalled, or broken, it will come on the back of the batting imho. With Ponting & Hussey absolutely Gunning every bowler that comes within Cooee of them, and Clarke starting to look like the Class player we knew he was capable of being, our Middle Order is going to win us a truckload of matches in the upcoming 3/4 years.

Whilst it may be said that you need to take 20 wickets etc. etc. i reckon our bowling attack, whilst capable on their day, without Warne or McGrath will struggle to reduce teams to the lower totals an attack comprising both legends has in the past. For this reason, i beleive that the onus will be on the Batting to really step it up another notch, to give the bowlers the extra confidence etc. until the attack finds it's feet without the old heads of Warne & McGrath around.

But thats the thing. The batting can't stop you from getting a draw. Without McWarne, will you be able to bowl them out every match to keep the streak going? I don't see the Aussies losing any matches anytime soon...but winning as much?

 

[Salamuddin]

I think Clark/Lee/Johnson/Tait or whatever is a better selection of seamers than Bichel/Gillespie/Williams/Bracken too. Australia are definitely better equipped to handle losing Warne and McGrath than they were a couple of years back. It'll be an interesting time, though.

You had Lee in 2003/2004 as well and Macgill was probably in better form a few years ago


I think you overrate Tait - I just can't see him being consistently successful at test level with his action.....at best he'll average 31 like Lee.

Also HilfenHaus, what's so special about him apart from the Germanic name ? He doens't look particularly impressive to me..

Johnson is the only one that I think has true world class potential. Clark's a good bowler but I don't think he will be as good as McGrath even given the impressive start to nhis test career.

I certainly feel that teams would fancy their chances of getting runs against Lee/Clark/.Watson/MCGill/Johnson and even more so if you throw Tait into the mix.
IMO, both Pakistan and England at full strength would have better bowling attacks tan Australia withoiut McWarne

 

[Johnners]

But thats the thing. The batting can't stop you from getting a draw. Without McWarne, will you be able to bowl them out every match to keep the streak going? I don't see the Aussies losing any matches anytime soon...but winning as much?

Yeah i agree that without the old-timers we will find it difficult to bowl the opposition out every match, but i also mentioned thats why the batsmen have to step it up a notch. If they can consistently churn out the big scores, it's going to give the bowlers a helluva lot more confidence knowing they have the big scores behind them, thus taking the pressure of, and hopefully making them more likely to bowl well... follow?

 

[Salamuddin]

Honestly, and not intending to disrespect Sri Lanka or India, but I think even with Gilchrist McGrath and Warne out of the team, we would be realistic chances to clean sweep both of those teams on home turf. .

In 2003/2004, you barely managed to scrape a home draw against India without McWarne.

And you''re also unlikely to have Gilchrist around much longer......Haddin may be competent but I seriously doubt he'll be as good as Gilchrist.

 

[Johnners]

You had Lee in 2003/2004 as well and Macgill was probably in better form a few years ago


I think you overrate Tait - I just can't see him being consistently successful at test level with his action.....at best he'll average 31 like Lee.

Also HilfenHaus, what's so special about him apart from the Germanic name ? He doens't look particularly impressive to me..

Johnson is the only one that I think has true world class potential. Clark's a good bowler but I don't think he will be as good as McGrath even given the impressive start to nhis test career.

I certainly feel that teams would fancy their chances of getting runs against Lee/Clark/.Watson/MCGill/Johnson and even more so if you throw Tait into the mix.
IMO, both Pakistan and England at full strength would have better bowling attacks tan Australia withoiut McWarne

Lee was a worse bowler in 2003/2004 than he is now, and coming back from injury...

No nothing much is special about Hilfenhaus . Well, Apart from the fact that he's already taken 29 wickets @ 26, including three 5-fers for Tasmania in the Pura-Cup this season that is. He's trouble most batsmen he's come up against, including several who either are currently in the test team (Haydos particularly) or have test aspirations (Voges, Hodge, Symonds)

Add to that his impressive season last year, and the fact that many "experts", former players, etc. all are jumping aboard the hilfenhaus boat, i'd say he's pretty special!

 

[Salamuddin]

Lee was a worse bowler in 2003/2004 than he is now, and coming back from injury...

No nothing much is special about Hilfenhaus . Well, Apart from the fact that he's already taken 29 wickets @ 26, including three 5-fers for Tasmania in the Pura-Cup this season that is. He's trouble most batsmen he's come up against, including several who either are currently in the test team (Haydos particularly) or have test aspirations (Voges, Hodge, Symonds)

Add to that his impressive season last year, and the fact that many "experts", former players, etc. all are jumping aboard the hilfenhaus boat, i'd say he's pretty special!

Domestic stats mean very little.......let's see how he performs at test level. I have my doubts about whether he's that good but time will tell.

As for Lee, he's been pretty unimpressive this season....at test level, Lee's decent but that's about it, he ceryainly will not be the world class quick bolwer that the Aussies hoped he would be at the Boxing Day test in 1999.
I don't really see how's he improved all that much.

As I said before, of all the upcoming bolwers I think Johnson is the only one with real cutting edge potential. Clark is a solid workporse but I think he won't be quite as successful in the future as he is now when he plays more on different wickets and batsmen get used to him more.
Tait's average ...period. At best he'll be occasionally threatening like Lee...more often than not he'll be injured or wayward.

 

[Johnners]

Domestic stats mean very little.......let's see how he performs at test level. I have my doubts about whether he's that good but time will tell.

As for Lee, he's been pretty unimpressive this season....at test level, Lee's decent but that's about it, he ceryainly will not be the world class quick bolwer that the Aussies hoped he would be at the Boxing Day test in 1999.
I don't really see how's he improved all that much.

As I said before, of all the upcoming bolwers I think Johnson is the only one with real cutting edge potential. Clark is a solid workporse but I think he won't be quite as successful in the future as he is now when he plays more on different wickets and batsmen get used to him more.
Tait's average ...period. At best he'll be occasionally threatening like Lee...more often than not he'll be injured or wayward.

If domestic stats mean so little.... and we have nothing else to judge test hopefuls on... i guess we should just take a random pick then i spose... ya never know, perhaps we should pick Steve McGoffin then, he may be crap at domestic level, but i'm sure he could be a star in tests

 

[Salamuddin]

If domestic stats mean so little.... and we have nothing else to judge test hopefuls on... i guess we should just take a random pick then i spose... ya never know, perhaps we should pick Steve McGoffin then, he may be crap at domestic level, but i'm sure he could be a star in tests

Missed the point as usual I see, what I'm saying is .....I wouldn't talk up a player until he has performed at international level.

 

[Johnners]

yeah, and your missing my point... your going to have stand-outs in domestic cricket, Hilfenhaus is 1 of them, as is Johnson. When a player is performing as well as these 2 at domestic level of course they're going to be talked up, because whilst we have nothing else to judge them upon, their domestic form is what the selectors will be looking at... otherwise..you might as well do what Howardj suggested, and go down to the 7/11 and hand out baggy greens.

 

[Stumped]

Sure we can do it...but i doubt it

My bet that there is one or 2 draws to spoil it.

 

[Krishna_j]

The only way to stop the Ausse streak - try and play against India in India again Warney or no Warney