^ You see that is the beauty of it. The selectors know when to take action and they take it when it really matters. No one in their right mind would drop Ponting or Gilchrist after they posted such a huge total. That game was a one off freak.
Those same players who couldn't defend 434 in an ODI just whooped South Africa in the first Test. If they go on to lose the test series then you can bet heads would have rolled. But then when was the last time Australia lost any series? Oops, that was the Ashes and despite it being so close, players paid the price.
Now compare that with our team where the openers are playing musical chairs and bowlers like Sami were dropped 3 years too late.
^ Your first post said that "Doesn't matter who you are, if you don't perform then you're out of the team" and now you are saying that "You see that is the beauty of it. The selectors know when to take action and they take it when it really matters". Seem contradictory to me.
I am not denying that they are the best team in the world, however their invincibility is no longer there and in the last year or so they have lost matches which they wouldn't have a few years ago and the reason for that is they dont have effective replacements for the likes of Gillespie, Mcgrath, Warne and Waugh.
^ Adding on to that, This isnt the first and only time aussie attack without McGrath was exposed. Against new zealand they scored 332 and lost the game, and just previuos game they won by just two runs after scoring 319. They lost to bangladesh, scored 434 and still lost. Havent we seen the rising number of times aussie batting line collapses under pressure?
Era of invincibility is gone. They arent the best one day team anymore without the services of McGrath and even in tests when Warne calls it a day, you can rest assured that it will take sting out of their attack as it has done in one dayers. (Lee's occassional bursts notwithstanding)
someone mentioned above that same guys who couldnt defend 434 whopped saffies in first test. Stuart Clarke bowled well but he is not a like-for-like replacement for McGrath as touted in aussie press. I would love to see what ratio aussie test team maintains once Mcgrath/Warne combo isnt there.
This spinning will stop next year after WC, when McGrath, Martyn, Warne and possibly ponting will retire. Austrailia will become Saffis, still one of the best technically and professionally but start losing matches to second tier on a regular basis.
Also remember most of the ODI matches that Aussies lost in the presence of McGrath and company are due to the phaintee their fourth and fifth bowlers get. The new pacers and spinners will take time to catch the class of McGrath and Gillispe.
Aussies are the best because they play cricket and select their teams without EMOTIONS.
You will not see them get into panic-mode no-matter how bad the situation, they play Cricket like true professionals.
A part of it has to do with their genes, personality and the fact that they don't have a million fans ready to burn their effigies if they perform badly.
Australia's pace attack with Lee heading it even without Mcgrath and Warne seems consistent. Bracken, Stuart Clark just took 9 wickets on test debut and cameron white is an all star spinner. You may think it is a bad attack but Pakistan will never be able to beat them. The team is not good enough to perform against the best. If you call England that you are totally wrong and will see in December. A Pakistan where Akhtar has a degenerative knee condition and the misuse of Afridi in the batting lineup will definetely lead to a team having no chance against the worlds best.
The Pakistani attack is appalling. You have all rounders like Afridi and Razzaq carrying the team. Sure Afridi bowled well in Sydney but he can't keep it up. Razzaq is bowling nothing more than medium pace which does not trouble aussie batsmen. And as seen in the odi series against India Rana''s line and length is slowly developing into the old Sami Like.
Long live Australia as world champions with England the only contender. Yes Pakistan have the ability but they misuse Afridi in the batting line up and Shoaib will not have a long career and will not be around for long.
^^ you can brag all you want but S. Clark is no spring chicken and who know how long will he play cricket maybe next month, and if that is the new blood attack well then let me just at the Kangroo’s.
Well english team is the only contender, now that is an out cry, you cannot say who is leading the chasing bunch at all, Ok I agree Aussies have some edge but honestly they are degraded from the superior force of World Cricket after the losses of Ashes, Loss to Bangladesh, loosing to Srilanka in some ODI’s and final loss in that world record game.
I am no judge and you can brag as much as you want but these are all signals of changing of the guards, it can be England, Kiwis, Pakistan, India or Saffies.
Maybe shoaib will not have long career, but we have found bowling strength one after another and kindly watch out for them in WC07’
Strength in who. Akhtar and Rana are the spearheads of your attack and they both do not have a long time left in them. So your saying Mohammed Asif and Arshad Khan and Kaneria will be standouts on the one day scene. These guys will get taken apart by the aussies. The Indians play a bad ball on its merits and always wait for one. wheras the Aussies attack from the start and force them into bad balls. The aussies will rip these guys apart. I hope Pakistans pefformance is not as dismal as there last world cup.......
As long as Yousuf Youhana ,younis khan and Inzy have strike rates of 70. They will never beat Australia.
Rana Naveed is 27/28 only and Kaneria himself rattle Aussies in the backyard, (check the test match wickets he got) here is a list of bowlers Pakistan have M. Asif, Iftikhar Rao, Rana Naveed, Umer Gul, Yasir Arafat, M. Irshad, Anwar Ali (U-19) Jamshed Ahmed (U-19) and Abdul Razzaq. and where is aussies either they draft body guards or grandpa's :p
and you cannot even speak of your U-19 team like that, talk about bench strength!!!
Ripping apart huh and strike rate Ricky Ponting D. Martyn, and Hayden avg is also in 70's my friend :p and if you think that avg is not health then you need a crash course in cricket. I dont need to brag but Shoaib Malik alone matches your brilliant cricketers easily :p
come back when you have your "cricket" facts straight, otherwise stay happy in lalalalla land of yours :p :D
OK maharaj, ur great ur team is the BEST and will be best. Now stop crying about misusing of Afridi. We will deal with that. From the other thread on biggest hitter, looks like either you are Afridi himself or Rock_Express
You guys are talking about Under 19's. Who cares about that . You should look at the depth you have in first class cricket. Don't worry about U19 because half of those guys don't even make it to first class. And Australia has the strongest first class players in the world. Pakistan sucks at cricket. You guys will never be back to your glory days!!!!!
Papu yaar tang na kaar :p Like I said get your facts straight, you dont know a thing about transition from U-19 to first class and to the Pakistan team. and yes Aussies glory days are just starting like the lost Ashes, lost to bangladesh and lost the game (highest world record) blab as much as you want, aussies may have a good 1st class cricket but by the time your players get into the team they need stick to carry themselves around.
Abay stop talking about AFTER WC 07 cup or AFTER Warne/McGrath combo retires. I am talking about NOW. They are the best hands down.
Consistency in ODI's are the key, not some one off fluke like when they couldn't defend 434 or they couldnt defend 330. Remember Bangladesh has also defeated Australia (and some other notable teams I might add). There have always been upsets in ODI's. Tests are what separates the flashes in the pan from the real performers.
The selectors don't give in to public pressure and drop players after the result of some mickey mouse match. They take action when it's IMPORTANT like after the poor show in the Ashes.
Of course the Aussies aren't perfect and I agree they will have a tough time maintaining their dominance after the retirement of Warne, McGrath, etc. But until then, there is a lot to learn from them, because no other team is even close.
looks like some pants are getting wet or something. At one point you said Pakistan is a threat with Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi in the team, now after a few arguments Pakistan sucks and we can “never” be back
at the Kangroo’s.
now that is an out cry, you cannot say who is leading the chasing bunch at all, Ok I agree Aussies have some edge but honestly they are degraded from the superior force of World Cricket after the losses of Ashes, Loss to Bangladesh, loosing to Srilanka in some ODI’s and final loss in that world record game.
looks like some pants are getting wet or something. At one point you said Pakistan is a threat with Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi in the team, now after a few arguments Pakistan sucks and we can “never” be back 