Test AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA Third Test. Jan 4-8: SCG, 10.30am AEDT

[PhatBoy]

And lets to be real when people say they want close contests they mean close contests at home where we always prevail, people here were slitting their wrists when india beat us at home but overall it was actually a tight series.

I say this every time and never get clear answers when people talk about these "best era's" the more competitive times for test cricket what time do they actually mean? and what games in what countries? the era when we didnt lose at home for 16 years? the era when west indies didnt lose a single test series home or away for 15 years? how was that good for cricket but us winning a home is bad for the game now?

I actually think that turn of the century era was a pretty good one, WI were still a better outfit than now albeit on the slope, India put on two mighty series at home against Australia and on the back of Dravid were starting to win away, Sri Lanka were just approaching a stage where they were a real force at home, Pakistan were good, SA were good albeit the Cronje affair was about to descend, and the Kiwis were reasonable. England were a joke but that’s always good for cricket

 

[Gough]

I actually think that turn of the century era was a pretty good one, WI were still a better outfit than now albeit on the slope, India put on two mighty series at home against Australia and on the back of Dravid were starting to win away, Sri Lanka were just approaching a stage where they were a real force at home, Pakistan were good, SA were good albeit the Cronje affair was about to descend, and the Kiwis were reasonable. England were a joke but that’s always good for cricket

We'll look on that period of time as the last golden age of test cricket in the future I suspect. So many great players spread across some pretty handy teams.

 

[Financialpanther]

We'll look on that period of time as the last golden age of test cricket in the future I suspect. So many great players spread across some pretty handy teams.

The period before the IPL arrived was the peak as test players actually gave a crap about representing their nation in the game - post that, the overcommercialisation of cricket damaged the long game.

 

[Pollywaffle]

I’m not sure why the fact that T20 cricket hasn’t been talked about in SA’s decline this year in tests. Every country is producing great stroke players or sloggers ready for hit and giggle cricket but when it forms to the patience of tests matches not even close.

Pretty much reflects society in general I guess..limited attention spans all around.

 

[Pollywaffle]

We'll look on that period of time as the last golden age of test cricket in the future I suspect. So many great players spread across some pretty handy teams.

Yep. I used to look forward to summer ( mostly) Sigh!
Have to get used to the smash and grab stuff I suppose.

 

[franjon]

Funnily enough, as good as Anderson is, the thing that annoys me most about him is he dishes out the sledges by the bucket full, but the moment he cops it he goes running to the press about it. If you give it, you should be able to take it. Always been more of a Broad fan.

Broad, thanks to his father, spent a lot of time playing in Australia for Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne, he would have gathered an understanding of how Australians play, he knew what the expectations were.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Broad, thanks to his father, spent a lot of time playing in Australia for Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne, he would have gathered an understanding of how Australians play, he knew what the expectations were.

Broad won my admiration in the 2013-14 Ashes series. For some reason the Aussie crowds continued to boo him all the way through what must have been a tough series for him, but he kept his sense of humour throughout, and no matter how hopeless the situation was, Broad kept charging in and giving it everything he had. If every other English player had his attitude, they may not have been whitewashed 5-0.

 

[big_e]

Broad, thanks to his father, spent a lot of time playing in Australia for Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne, he would have gathered an understanding of how Australians play, he knew what the expectations were.

I remember an article a few years ago that said Australians hate Stuart Broad because he plays like an Australian.

Exhibit A being that the thing that people always go back to us that he nicked and didn't walk - which frankly is an old Australian tradition.

 

[franjon]

I remember an article a few years ago that said Australians hate Stuart Broad because he plays like an Australian.

Exhibit A being that the thing that people always go back to us that he nicked and didn't walk - which frankly is an old Australian tradition.

In my day it was John Snow. They didn't hate him, but were often a bit wary when he was bowling. He had a fair bit of s**t in him, especially against Australia.