Mixed bag for aussies

[pluga_4]

since the retirement of the great warne and mcgrath:

*have played 26 tests for a win/loss record of 12-8 and 6 draws.
(home 7-3 and a draw/away 5-5 and 7 draws)
*have won 5 test series and lost 3

the aussies had the front running in the first 2 tests v south africa last summer and inexperience cost them in the end. the cardiff test in england saw the aussies unable to get that last wicket, even though the match was interrupted with bad weather.
losing to india in india, we were just outplayed, like most aussie sides that have toured there in the past 40 years.

*the aussies have used 30 players in the test arena
*have had 14 debutants in this time
*have had 4 retirements in this time (2 of which were all time greats gilchrist, hayden, macgill, hogg)
*have got up to a possible 9 guys who may well have played there last test
(symonds, hodge, rogers, casson, mcgain, manou, tait, lee, s clark)

once katich and m hussey have a form slump and get dropped or an injury forces them out, there is no coming back for them.

the only other players outside the 30 we've used since the warne/mcgrath retirement are bracken and cullen.

we've unearthed a few good players in johnson, siddle, hilfenhaus, bollinger, hughes & north but who are the next crop to earn a baggy green?

[Marklar_33]

The next generation of Test cricketers will be so unfairly judged on the feats of Australia 1995-2007. For one Test side to have Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist and Hayden is ridiculous, and that will impact on the current crop and next crop until the memory of our total domination fades :thumbsu:

Test cricket is much more enjoyable when either side can win

[mattymac]

test cricket is dying a fairly rapid death by the looks. look at the rubbish teams that wash up on our shores. look at the MCC poll just published and the non-crowds that turn up for tests in SA, India, NZ etc. Its only us and the poms that still have the hunger for it. i can see a time in the next decade when the only surviving test series is the ashes because all the talent will get drained off to the IPL and its probable worldwide successor and financial concerns will see to it that the best players aren't risked playing meaningless test series in front of empty stands and loungerooms

[Radical Roo]

Test cricket just no longer have the same promotion as the limited overs game. Esp with India's attitude to prioritize limited overs games, the rest of the world will follow suit. While i do not think test cricket will die full because core cricket nations like England, Aus and SA are still in strong positions but other smaller nations like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bang, WI and New Zealand will be financially pressurized into following India's step. There are just so much more money to be made from.

So in the next 25 years, i believe there will be a new trend forming where Australia, England and South Africa will be the countries where Tests are still the main deal but others will all follow India into the 20/20. I think this is as much a cultural thing as it is a financial things. In countries like Australia, a sport is much more than a money making tool, it's about representing what is a nation and its people are made of.

[ROO BOY IN W.A]

There is a few players comming through and we will see them over the next few seasons.

[amer]

Love this mentality that we'll never dominate again.

Give it 2 years and we'll be the clear-cut best again - ignoring the magnificent game that is footy, cricket is Australia's game. We might never again see a side quite as strong as the one just gone, but imo this is one of those sports we'll always be the strongest at barring rebuilding periods between established sides.

Some people like to point to something like Rugby Union to rebut, but we only have 80,000 people playing it in Australia compared to nearly half a million cricketers.

[krisholio14]

That record brings me a lot of joy and pain.

While it's great for me to see the Aussies choking on their own arrogance in three series against their main rivals, the honest to goodness truth is their record really is exceptional considering the turnover they've had in the last 18-24 months.

When you look at it straight up, far better Aussie sides than this one have been thumped by far more in India. In the two tests they lost here against the Kaffir bashers last year they were in the box seat to win at the half way mark and let it slip, and shit, they were the better side for all but about 3 days of the whole Ashes series and didn't win it.

Considering the last time an Australian side turned over this amount of players in such a short time it sent them into a five year period of embarrassment, the fact they've been able to still perform at this level is a marvellous achievement.

And good lord it hurts to say that.

[amer]

That record brings me a lot of joy and pain.

While it's great for me to see the Aussies choking on their own arrogance in three series against their main rivals, the honest to goodness truth is their record really is exceptional considering the turnover they've had in the last 18-24 months.

When you look at it straight up, far better Aussie sides than this one have been thumped by far more in India. In the two tests they lost here against the Kaffir bashers last year they were in the box seat to win at the half way mark and let it slip, and shit, they were the better side for all but about 3 days of the whole Ashes series and didn't win it.

Considering the last time an Australian side turned over this amount of players in such a short time it sent them into a five year period of embarrassment, the fact they've been able to still perform at this level is a marvellous achievement.

And good lord it hurts to say that.

I'm just looking forward to England only holding onto the Ashes for a year and a half again. :p

[ashy_magpies]

Bit unfair to leave Andrew McDonald off that list, if it weren't for North, McDonald would have dominated the Ashes...

I would love to see the selectors thrown out Gough Whitlam styles, they are a joke and holding Australian cricket back from it's true potential...