Test AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA Second Test. Dec 26-30, MCG, Melbourne. 10.30am AEDT.

[Blue1980]

Is that true?

NZ: have been largely competitive with most opposition for the last 3-4 years.
SA: same despite what’s happening at the moment.
England: always strong at home and more recently beating Pakistan away
SL: still hard to beat at home, won a series in SA two years ago
Pakistan: never know what you’ll get and struggle on the road but rarely are they relentlessly bad
Bangladesh: just won their first test outside Asia last summer against NZ and were a bee’s proverbial from beating India last weekend. Took tests of Australia and England in their last home series against them.
India: strong everywhere at the moment.
Australia: very strong at home, getting better on the road. Their reluctance to go to some countries is odd but they’re good.
West Indies: have won tests in the UAE last time they went (a while ago now), in England last time they were there, have beaten England at home in a series this year, drawn with Pakistan and SL at home last 4 times they’ve played them, easily beat Bangladesh in WI last time they hosted them and washed them 2-0 away last time they went there.

As far as regularly getting good close competitive games goes I would agree that there is a shortage of them recently: most draws are as much a result of benign conditions as they are sides being evenly matched. But as far as each team having regular enough good results goes, test cricket is quite competitive at the moment.

Yes it could be more a case the current Aussie side is really bloody good.

I mean we won in Pakistan and drew a series in SL this year too, so not losing a series on the subcontinent and only losing 1 out of 5 tests there is quite impressive.

 

[corbies]

The issue is more other nations will continue to decline in the longer formats which will lead to even bigger gaps in quality and result in even more one sided 'contests' every summer, until those nations stop touring altogether. Since 2016 we're 23-0 against other nations at home, with a couple of losses to India and a few draws, it is a massive issue.

And if Australia had lost any of those matches people would have absolutely lost their s**t.

 

[frankrizzo]

If teams were as competitive in australia as aussie fans apparently want them to be CA executives would need bulletproof cars to be safe from the blowback, we sacked half the test side when we lot to SA at home a few years back and we had argus report because england won just one series over here, looking back that was just a damn good england side super deep batting and quality spin and pace we just got beaten by a better side.

 

[DaRick]

It’s probably about the standard of 90s australia at the moment, below godmode 99-07 team but still really good.

Definitely better than any pre-Warne Border side.

I don't think it's quite as good as the Taylor side - Taylor remains the best AUS captain in my lifetime and Warne > Green as a Point of Difference - but they're not too far behind.

The contest with this side would be mouth-watering - basically you'd have the Immovable Object (Border's batting lineup) vs the Demolition Men (Cummins' bowling lineup). Given that you have to take 20 wickets to win Tests, Cummins' side would be more likely to win, but there's a good chance that Border's batting lineup salvages a draw, or that Shane Warne rips through them.

RE the sides we've had since 2006/07, only the 2007/08 and 2013/14 ones can compete. The 2007/08 side had slightly better batting, but significantly poorer bowling and I rate Cummins > Ponting as a tactician (less reactive with bowling changes and field placings, bolder at the toss). Plus, Green represents a Point of Difference in a way that Symonds (RIP) did not.

The 2013/14 side had a flawed Top 6 (housing Bailey/Doolan/Watson) and the bowling lineup wasn't as well-rounded, but Johnson/Harris could blast away any batting lineup and Clarke may well be the best AUS tactician in my lifetime.

 

[Yoda_]

If teams were as competitive in australia as aussie fans apparently want them to be CA executives would need bulletproof cars to be safe from the blowback, we sacked half the test side when we lot to SA at home a few years back and we had argus report because england won just one series over here, looking back that was just a damn good england side super deep batting and quality spin and pace we just got beaten by a better side.

Cricket Australia sounds like the most corrupt double agent in a movie. One hand needs to keep the fans happy to see them continue coming through the gate but the other hand have to have them winning all the time.

 

[Yoda_]

Yes it could be more a case the current Aussie side is really bloody good.

I mean we won in Pakistan and drew a series in SL this year too, so not losing a series on the subcontinent and only losing 1 out of 5 tests there is quite impressive.

I don't think we play any all time greats as often as we did in yesteryear. Certainly feels like a void in all timers between 2013-ish and now.

On top of this, the bowling is in a similar boat, no genuine International all timers have come across. Stuart Broad and James Anderson only by sheer value of wickets could be considered greats. Apart from this, who else? Tim Southee? Trent Boult? not household names in 20 years are they?

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I don't think we play any all time greats as often as we did in yesteryear. Certainly feels like a void in all timers between 2013-ish and now.

On top of this, the bowling is in a similar boat, no genuine International all timers have come across. Stuart Broad and James Anderson only by sheer value of wickets could be considered greats. Apart from this, who else? Tim Southee? Trent Boult? not household names in 20 years are they?

I think Rashid Khan could have ended up in that conversation BUT he plays for Afghanistan and won’t get enough exposure to Test cricket, which is a big shame. Elite.

I think Dale Steyn fits in that all timers bracket and that Rabada has the potential to also.

Ashwin? I don’t know, it is a bit thin.

Shane Bond would have been one if not for injury. He goes back a bit further though.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I think Rashid Khan could have ended up in that conversation BUT he plays for Afghanistan and won’t get enough exposure to Test cricket, which is a big shame. Elite.

I think Dale Steyn fits in that all timers bracket and that Rabada has the potential to also.

Ashwin? I don’t know, it is a bit thin.

Shane Bond would have been one if not for injury.

Ashwin definitely, as well as Bumrah.

 

[Leeda]

Its clear that Jonty Rhodes has had nothing good or bad to say about either team.. both shocking games and SA are on the skids....
The outs are of their own fault and Boland, Hazlewood, and Cam... are going to put the foot down..

Too much BBL... lost interest in cricket.. not a fan of the crash and bash.. traditional is my name..

 

[Hyakutake]

Rent free.

but correct

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

No it isn't but Australian cricket fans only enjoy cricket through whinging about it.

It's why the proof that test cricket isn't dying in this country is every voiced or written opinion that test cricket is dying.

Outrage when we lose, 'test cricket is dying'/'They didn't pick my bloke'/'I hate the coach'/'poor over rates'/'I hate reverse sweeps' when we win. It's why the Cricketing stuff that annoys me thread will never run dry; we are a Pandora's box of discontentment on this sunbaked little isle.

lol..meant to reply to this earlier. I mourned the loss of a wonderful SS tradition when QLD beat the Jellybacks to win their first Shield. Equally India had never won a series here until a Gnome coached (hear my whinge lol) Oz team lost Series not once but twice.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Too much BBL

Says it all. We've been T20'd out this season.

 

[Gethelred]

lol..meant to reply to this earlier. I mourned the loss of a wonderful SS tradition when QLD beat the Jellybacks to win their first Shield. Equally India had never won a series here until a Gnome coached (hear my whinge lol) Oz team lost Series not once but twice.

We all do it. I'm starting to think it's cultural.