The beginning of the end of Australia as a cricketing superpower.

[RightWingRoo]

Utterly embarrassing to lose a Windies side that was so inexperienced and poorly performed in recent times.

Australian cricket is at a crossroads. We've got an aging side with most showing signs that their best is behind them. Our batting got worse as the summer went on and was only held together by individual stand out innings. E.g Head in Adelaide and Smith in Brisbane.

But there is precious little in reserve. There is no evidence to suggest that anyone currently outside the team, could improve the overall performance of the side.
It looks very grim

 

[Gethelred]

 

[Retzlaff]

Absolute vindication for those who do their own research into climate change

 

[madjoe]

hahaha! We got owned by some of the best bowling you'll see anywhere in the world. suggest other wise is dead set a joke. we will roll NZ next month and will go in fav v India next summer. make no mistake it's harder to play a guy you have never seem video of these days. full credit

 

[RightWingRoo]

I get it's alarmist, but the alarm bells should be ringing.
This was our best side and we folded like a deck of cards.
Depth is somewhere close to zero, very few putting up compelling cases to suggest they can succeed in International Cricket.

 

[Gethelred]

I get it's alarmist, but the alarm bells should be ringing.
This was our best side and we folded like a deck of cards.
Depth is somewhere close to zero, very few putting up compelling cases to suggest they can succeed in International Cricket.

Our depth has been tested before, plenty of times. I remember when Clarke was our best bat and there was no-one else, when our test bowlers were Doug the Rug, Siddle and Hilfenhaus. I wasn't alive when Chappell and co. retired, but that left a hole; I've seen docos on how the '87 tour of England was 'the worst side to tour England'.

It'll come good. Might take a few years, but that comes courtesy of being pretty strong over the last 4 years.

 

[RightWingRoo]

hahaha! We got owned by some of the best bowling you'll see anywhere in the world. suggest other wise is dead set a joke. we will roll NZ next month and will go in fav v India next summer. make no mistake it's harder to play a guy you have never seem video of these days. full credit

Shemar Joesph was brilliant, don't get me wrong.
But the most concerning thing is that our performances deteriorated as the summer went on. Apart from Cam Green, the rest of the side don't have much or any development left in them. And then you come to the problem, that there's almost no depth outside the team.
Decent chance we lose to NZ imo. Southee and Boult (if he plays) could have a field day on their decks.
No chance of beating India with everyone 12 months older. Only chance is to start producing roads again, to neutralise Bumrah, Shami and Siraj. If they get desks similar to this summer we're in diabolical trouble

 

[RightWingRoo]

Our depth has been tested before, plenty of times. I remember when Clarke was our best bat and there was no-one else, when our test bowlers were Doug the Rug, Siddle and Hilfenhaus. I wasn't alive when Chappell and co. retired, but that left a hole; I've seen docos on how the '87 tour of England was 'the worst side to tour England'.

It'll come good. Might take a few years, but that comes courtesy of being pretty strong over the last 4 years.

Think the cupboard is as bare as it has been since the mid 80s. Even then it was affected by losing 15 guys in and close to our best 11, to the South African rebel tours. Not an excuse we have this time.

We may well still have some great moments left, but we'll be heavily reliant on the current 12 (including Boland as a proven back up quick). But they're not getting any younger and have shown vulnerability if the batting conditions are less than perfect.

Hope I'm wrong, but it doesn't look good. Especially as the best prospects of the next generation (Puckovski, Jhye Richardson), have big questions around the capabilities of their bodies.

 

[madjoe]

Shemar Joesph was brilliant, don't get me wrong.
But the most concerning thing is that our performances deteriorated as the summer went on. Apart from Cam Green, the rest of the side don't have much or any development left in them. And then you come to the problem, that there's almost no depth outside the team.
Decent chance we lose to NZ imo. Southee and Boult (if he plays) could have a field day on their decks.
No chance of beating India with everyone 12 months older. Only chance is to start producing roads again, to neutralise Bumrah, Shami and Siraj. If they get desks similar to this summer we're in diabolical trouble

its not AFL mate you don't just move players out to blood youth that's been covered to death on here. We did mighty well in the two toughest tours in the world game and got found out by a freak bowling spell. if Shemar didn't bowl today we win by 3 wickets down.

dude jadeja and Ashwin have had tours here in the past where they didn't get near a wicket. we'll match them with this bowling attack and go mighty close.

youth debate is funny as. half of the 4 day cricket to go. We have great talent around morris,mcsweeney, hope. sangu (bad speeling)

 

[The King!]

Time to merge or relocate I guess

 

[RightWingRoo]

its not AFL mate you don't just move players out to blood youth that's been covered to death on here. We did mighty well in the two toughest tours in the world game and got found out by a freak bowling spell. if Shemar didn't bowl today we win by 3 wickets down.

dude jadeja and Ashwin have had tours here in the past where they didn't get near a wicket. we'll match them with this bowling attack and go mighty close.

Not suggesting we do blood younger players just for the sake of it. We're heavily reliant on those currently in the side.

The biggest problem is as current side is ageing and showing signs of decline. The are very few below it, putting their hands up as replacements as retirements happen over the next 12, 24, 36 months.

We may still be able to beat NZ and India, but I wouldn't have much confidence in it given the vulnerability we've shown to the moving ball. It's not Ashwin and Jadeja I'm worried about, more the quicks I mentioned previously.

 

[010203]

Let's not overreact to one loss shall we.

 

[BRAB]

Utterly embarrassing to lose a Windies side that was so inexperienced and poorly performed in recent times.

Australian cricket is at a crossroads. We've got an aging side with most showing signs that their best is behind them. Our batting got worse as the summer went on and was only held together by individual stand out innings. E.g Head in Adelaide and Smith in Brisbane.

But there is precious little in reserve. There is no evidence to suggest that anyone currently outside the team, could improve the overall performance of the side.
It looks very grim

Does your herald sun subscription come with a referral code?

 

[The Sultan]

Wonder what the ongoing impact of BBL will be? Putting shield cricket on hold during two months of cricket season.

 

[RightWingRoo]

Let's not overreact to one loss shall we.

You really can't see dangerous signs ahead?
The lack of talent in the shield to replace an aging side?

We were in trouble at stages at in the previous 3 tests as well. And we were largely dug out of it by individual performance from Cummins, Hazlewood and Head.
Our only complete performance was in Perth. Looked shaky after that

Don't forget we would've lost the Ashes, if the weather gods didn't shine on us in Manchester.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

We have good talent that will see us beat a lot sides but we will struggle to beat the best consistently because we are tactically inept. Cummins is a nice guy and a great as a bowler but as a tactical captain is useless. Mcdonald seems similar..decent from a cultural perspective but tactically poor. We need to build smarter and better leaders to succeed.

 

[RightWingRoo]

Wonder what the ongoing impact of BBL will be? Putting shield cricket on hold during two months of cricket season.

Doesn't help imo

Green had at least played the PM'S 11 game, but still hadn't played red ball cricket in over a month.
If there'd been any injuries over the summer, anyone we would've brought in would be under-prepared for test cricket.

Not sure what the solution to that is. BBL really isn't much of a money spinner, compared to other leagues around the world. Probably could do without it and go back to a shorter state based comp.

 

[The Sultan]

Doesn't help imo

Green had at least played the PM'S 11 game, but still hadn't played red ball cricket in over a month.
If there'd been any injuries over the summer, anyone we would've brought in would be under-prepared for test cricket.

Not sure what the solution to that is. BBL really isn't much of a money spinner, compared to other leagues around the world. Probably could do without it and go back to a shorter state based comp.

They tried a state based comp and it drew 3 people and a stay dog.

there is no interest in one dayers either domestic or international either

 

[Zach Package]

If anything it’ll be the rocket they need to not think they can piss it in by selecting a feel good side and not rotating the quicks when actually required.

Warner kicking back and smoking a Cuban somewhere, his retirement has uncorked a genie and the only reason we still hold the Ashes is because he decided to go on another year.

 

[RightWingRoo]

We have good talent that will see us beat a lot sides but we will struggle to beat the best consistently because we are tactically inept. Cummins is a nice guy and a great as a bowler but as a tactical captain is useless. Mcdonald seems similar..decent from a cultural perspective but tactically poor. We need to build smarter and better leaders to succeed.

Both Cummins and McDonald have had good moments. Our planning in the WC final was spot on, everything went perfectly to plan.
But we show a real vulnerability when the opposition attacks us, seem to get rattled very quickly. Also seem to struggle with a plan B, if things go awry.

Not sure if we have anyone who'd be a huge tactical improvement as captain. Smith might be, but he's got enough on his plate keeping his head above water as a test quality batsman these days.
Cummins is a very good leader of men, but tactically flawed and seems to struggle to think on his feet. Have no issue with McDonald at this stage, but not 100% convinced on him either.

The current group is talented, but aging and vulnerable. The biggest problem is the lack of depth and were we'll be in 2-3 years time. The production line has ground to a halt and lack of options in shield cricket, is probably to the worst it's ever been.

 

[RightWingRoo]

If anything it’ll be the rocket they need to not think they can piss it in by selecting a feel good side and not rotating the quicks when actually required.

Warner kicking back and smoking a Cuban somewhere, his retirement has uncorked a genie and the only reason we still hold the Ashes is because he decided to go on another year.

The Manchester rain helped a lot with that too haha.
But agree that he helped Uzzie take the shine off the new ball, and he did enough to justify selection without being brilliant. One thing I'm sure of is that none of Bancroft, Renshaw or Harris would've been any better.

The quicks were generally good this summer, but did have periods of time where they lost the plot. Not sure whether rotation would've helped us here.

Hopefully ignites a fire for the NZ series, because that will be tricky. Certainly can't turn up over there and just expect to win.

 

[RightWingRoo]

They tried a state based comp and it drew 3 people and a stay dog.

there is no interest in one dayers either domestic or international either

The Vics got some good crowds to games at the G, back in those days.

Depends on what CA see as their priority. A BBL that still has limited interest and doesn't help Australian cricket much overall.
Or a shorter comp so the shield can continue until mid December and re-start late January. That better prepares test players.

Agree about ODI's, they're dead outside the world cup.

 

[greyhound punter]

Been saying it since the 2nd Ashes test. Midway through that I knew we were cooked. I was mocked mercilessly. This is vindication.

Batting looks very weak without Warner. He is a huge loss.

Gutted.

 

[PhatBoy]

For a country that loves to knock other teams for their tactics it wouldn’t do Australia any harm to have a look at its own.

Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head seem completely incapable at the moment of playing with any flexibility.
I get that both of them have had some success playing aggressively but Head has literally regressed, statistically, since he adopted this attacking approach beginning with that knock at the Gabba last summer. Yes when it’s worked it’s been really good but it’s been very very lean in between.
Marsh has been more reliable but he looks like he’s got no way of reining himself in.

Carey has actually played some knocks that were better than I thought he was capable of - in this test match for starters. I’m not sure how flexible he is either though. These guys don’t seem to have a lot of willingness to adapt their games at the moment and concede 10-15 overs to the opposition.

 

[frankrizzo]

Marsh had a hot streak but i think we have to accept he aint getting any better than current version there is a reason his first class average is 34 and his test average 30, we just need to hope he can string few more scores together next year or so while we search for genuine test batsmen.