sqwerty
U19 Cricketer
From Cricinfo I read this extract:
"And finally, how good are England?
The Ashes posed this question to Australia as soon as it became clear that for the first time since becoming undisputed leaders, their batsmen found themselves confronted with a pace attack that was, in the conditions, better than even theirs. That Matthew Hayden is back to pulverising centuries puts the performance of Australian batsmen in perspective. But Australia, despite their Ashes loss, remain the number one Test side by a distance, while England have just learnt from their Pakistan experience that without conquering the subcontinent, they cannot advance an unchallenged claim to the No.2 status, let alone aspiring to be No.1. They have had a wonderful two-year run, but it is not a coincidence that their previous defeat had come in Sri Lanka. India wouldn't be any easier in a couple of month's time, but hopefully England have absorbed their lessons. India have the chance to grab the second spot if they can beat Sri Lanka, but a points-based ranking system can rarely tell the full story. The battle for No.2 has just begun. We have four interesting months ahead of us."
Sure Australia are still considered number 1 in the world despite what Ian Botham thinks, but even a one-eyed Aussie like me has to admit that England are clearly number 2 (ie. definitely not number 3)
I mean, who are the other contenders at the moment?
You can't write England off after one bad series against Pakistan just like you couldn't write Australia off after one bad series against England.
Some people seem to have short memories.
edit: in italics
"And finally, how good are England?
The Ashes posed this question to Australia as soon as it became clear that for the first time since becoming undisputed leaders, their batsmen found themselves confronted with a pace attack that was, in the conditions, better than even theirs. That Matthew Hayden is back to pulverising centuries puts the performance of Australian batsmen in perspective. But Australia, despite their Ashes loss, remain the number one Test side by a distance, while England have just learnt from their Pakistan experience that without conquering the subcontinent, they cannot advance an unchallenged claim to the No.2 status, let alone aspiring to be No.1. They have had a wonderful two-year run, but it is not a coincidence that their previous defeat had come in Sri Lanka. India wouldn't be any easier in a couple of month's time, but hopefully England have absorbed their lessons. India have the chance to grab the second spot if they can beat Sri Lanka, but a points-based ranking system can rarely tell the full story. The battle for No.2 has just begun. We have four interesting months ahead of us."
Sure Australia are still considered number 1 in the world despite what Ian Botham thinks, but even a one-eyed Aussie like me has to admit that England are clearly number 2 (ie. definitely not number 3)
I mean, who are the other contenders at the moment?
You can't write England off after one bad series against Pakistan just like you couldn't write Australia off after one bad series against England.
Some people seem to have short memories.
edit: in italics
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