A bit of confrontation between Simon Katich and Guatam Ghambir. We love this sort of stuff here at the Corner Post!
Image courtesy of Google Images.
Now on the field I have been loving the series against India. I think so far it’s been a hard fought tussle between two passionate nations. Truly what test cricket is all about.
What I haven’t been loving however is the coverage off the field. Am I the only one sick to death of reading about how ‘the Australian period of dominance is over’ and how this is the ‘end of an era’? It seems a race by the journos (led by Peter Roebuck) to jump on the bandwagon and officially proclaim the end of Australian cricketing success as we know it!
But let me get this straight, four years ago we won a test series in India for the first time in decades. It was hailed as the ‘final frontier’, and one of the side’s greatest accomplishments. Now all of a sudden we lose ONE test match against the same side, in the same country, and the empire is crashing to the ground?
I’m sorry, but let’s call a spade a spade. I agree that Australia may not be streets ahead of the competition as they have been in the past, but to forecast the end of an era because we lose one test match on the hardest tour of our schedule is a bit premature isn’t it?
And before Roebuck and Co get too excited about the Indians, let’s not forget they are in a very similar position to where Australia were a few years ago. They have a number of senior players coming to the end of their careers. In fact, nearly half their team is nearing retirement. Names like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and Kumble will not be easily replaced. Take those names out of the equation and suddenly the Indian order doesn’t look so formidable, even on the flat, lifeless Indian wickets.
Not to take anything away from the Indian side. They currently sport a well-balanced and winning team. But success in sport is fleeting, especially when you have the nation’s media breathing down your neck.
So before we pronounce a new world order let’s just be a little cautious. Sport is full of swings and roundabouts. India might well claim the Border-Gavaskar trophy, and it will be a well deserved win. But please, spare me and the rest of the Australian public the dramatic hyperbole.
3 comments:
Nah Perko I think you're wrong on this one.
a) It isn't one Test, it started back last summer where we could only draw the series at home
b) The Test was our biggest defeat in some 20 odd years, not just any old loss
Australia have lost three players in Gilly, Warne and mcgrath that would be picked in any Australian All time XI and probably a couple in an all time world XI, they are huge losses
Haddin is no Gilly, Johnston no McGrath and nobody is anywhere near as good as Warne and never will be.
Not to mention lee and hayden (and symonds?) have got little time left.
Its fair to say we are not going to be the unbeatables we're been.
Australia will still be a top 3 side but we're on the out from the "first place and daylight second" scenario
Wally
Wally just like one innings doesn't make a summer, one test match does not make a side.
I agree with you that Australia is not as dominating as a few years ago, but that was not my point.
My point is that the reaction to our performance in India has been a bit harsh and over the top. We were the better team in the first test, India were the better team in the second, and the third was evenly poised.
And we are playing in India. Even the great teams of the 90s and early 00s couldn't win in India. And they HAD Warne and McGrath.
I think Adam Gilchrist said it best in an interview earlier this week where he said that it is a credit to the success of the Australians over the past few years that we lost a match or two and people act like the world is turning on its head.
Less than 10 months ago Australia equalled the world record for the most consecutive test wins, now they are being written off as 'has beens'. It's just funny to see how quickly people will turn on a team that has been so good for so long.
And don't forget, India is a team full of veterans, just like we were two years ago.
MMM, worst loss in 20 odd years, its hard not to. Its just the way Australians see our cricket team its probably the most revered sporting team in the country.
Our bowling attack was absolutely woeful and painful to watch, its understandable people are talking about the end of an era..
Wally
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