Is it the end of an era in Australian cricket?

[Jascave]

Seeing Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke go out to shots 10 years ago you wouldn't have thought they would do, yesterday in Perth, and also seeing Mike Hussey missed a catch he normally would've taken 9 times out of 10 at the beginning of the England innings, make you wonder-is this the end of a great era in Australian Test cricket?

 

[BORK]

Seeing Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke go out to shots 10 years ago you wouldn't have thought they would do, yesterday in Perth, and also seeing Mike Hussey missed a catch he normally would've taken 9 times out of 10 at the beginning of the England innings, make you wonder-is this the end of a great era in Australian Test cricket?

Our world ranking suggests that era ended some time ago

 

[mayhem20202]

Our world ranking suggests that era ended some time ago

Exactly what I was about to write. The era was over shortly after the end of the 5-0 Ashes win last time England were out here.

 

[Bomber Bears]

we're in the middle of an extended changover period. Ponting is really the link to the previous dominant era (Clarke and Hussey were only around the last couple of years)

 

[krusden]

Seeing Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke go out to shots 10 years ago you wouldn't have thought they would do, yesterday in Perth, and also seeing Mike Hussey missed a catch he normally would've taken 9 times out of 10 at the beginning of the England innings, make you wonder-is this the end of a great era in Australian Test cricket?

I think one of the cat fans has the quote that sums up the last 15 years of aussie cricket (but in relation to geelong) as well: don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened.

cycles happen, we're in the middle of a downward cycle that happened probably before the end of the last ashes tour in australia when we began to lose warne, mcgrath, langer, martyn and then Roy.

this was inevitable, it's just sad how people didn't expect it to come at all and that the current crop are expected to be The Next (insert name here) rather than their own player.

 

[Yaaablett]

Absolutely it's over. You can make a case for Hussey and Haddin this series as being the only world class players we've got.

A few players have given us a false sense of class with our past opponants being well below Englands standard. Watson being one.

Our bowling going right back to the last Ashes series has been deplorable. The constant changes in length and line and consistent wastage of the new ball gives us no chance. Club cricketers would cop it from the captain if they bowled as much leg side garbage as our test cricketers do. What happened with trying to hit the top of off 90% of the time with the odd short one?

The selection policy (if you can call it that) is another major issue. If Steve Smith is the next best bat and the best number 6 option then I am missing something. As talented as he is he is not the 4th best middle order player available.

To say that Johnson was rotated for the Adelaide test is treating the Aussie public like morons. When the bloody hell do we rotate players during an Ashes series??????

We need to start again. These guys are playing for their careers too often. Get rid of the dead wood, bring in youth and give them the opportunity to establish themselves. Keep Ricky as captain but he must bat at 5. Give Hughes an extended go. Find another opener. Get rid of Clarke, his selfish displays of declaring himself right to play finished me.

And keep Johnson but pick some guys that can bowl a consistent line and length. And most importantly stop playing spinners that aren't up to it just for the sake of having a spinner!!!!!

The Aussie cricket side and selectors and coaches have done a superb job since the late eighties but right now have totally lost the plot.

The public can take us losing when the opposition is too good, we hate it but we can accept it. When we are losing due to mis management, poor direction and blatant wrong moves it is intolerable.

 

[Goldencats]

The era ended along time ago

This current team is an absolute mess, certainly the worst team I've ever seen

It's amazing to think this same team knocked RSA off in RSA in early 09

 

[belfast_bomber]

I'd just like to see some kind of hope for the future. The malaise at the moment is horribly depressing, not just because of the smugness of the poms but also because we can't help but wonder what our serious options are.

Yaaaab is right, too many people playing for their careers all at the same time increases the personal pressure on everyone, which doesn't help team spirit. Trouble is anyone else who comes into the side is by definition in the same situation. Nobody has the freedom to take a few chances and enjoy their cricket, except maybe Haddo. It shows.

 

[legend166]

What gave it away?

 

[krusden]

The era ended along time ago

This current team is an absolute mess, certainly the worst team I've ever seen

It's amazing to think this same team knocked RSA off in RSA in early 09

i'm guessing you're too young to recall the teams up to and including the 89 ashes tests or a fair bit of the early 90s when the mighty windies didn't just own us but sweep the floor with us.

we've been in this situation before, this is the worst team since then for sure but there is at least some hope as there's some young blokes coming through.
However, that will take time and the over-reactions of the media and selectors aren't helping.
However, the more the australian public expects the winning side to be picked for this ashes series "just like that" then the more the selectors will make changes for the tests and the more the side will become unsettled.

we should be making changes with the view of the saffers in september 2011 and then india next summer. Not asking for warney to come back, not considering sacking the captain, not playing shitty second rate bowlers like hauritz but looking to see what's on the horizon.

 

[Subprime]

What gave it away?

The 4-nil thumping at home by the old enemy might have been a hint...oh hang on too early...

 

[Big John]

It is the end of an era, but not the end of greatness. Its the end of a time that started at the end of the 07 Ashes where we were one of 4 or so teams that were fairly good test cricket teams.

It is the start of the time where we are one of worse test teams going around.

 

[Crows4Flag]

This thread should be a statment not a question

 

[iluvparis]

This thread should be a statment not a question

I'll take 'Obvious trends in world cricket' for 50 thanks.

 

[Bomber Bears]

I'd just like to see some kind of hope for the future. The malaise at the moment is horribly depressing, not just because of the smugness of the poms but also because we can't help but wonder what our serious options are.

Yaaaab is right, too many people playing for their careers all at the same time increases the personal pressure on everyone, which doesn't help team spirit. Trouble is anyone else who comes into the side is by definition in the same situation. Nobody has the freedom to take a few chances and enjoy their cricket, except maybe Haddo. It shows.

Plenty of encouraging players around the Shield at present. It's a matter of whether they can step it up.

 

[dan warna]

Would love to see Hughes, Smith, Haddin and Clarke stand up to the windians in their pomp that would be fun. Would get creamed.

I think hussey, punter and Katich would have the class to stand up to them, but punter is at the end, and hussey and Katich aren't that far off.

Watto in his current form could stand up to them I think also.

Looking down the state sides, even David Hussey is at the end of his career, and there really isn't much class in the mid 20s age group to match the gifts australia has had over the past 20 years.

 

[red+black]

At least we'll never fall like the West Indies did. Given how bad they are, it makes their supreme era that more remarkable.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Plenty of encouraging players around the Shield at present. It's a matter of whether they can step it up.

Good to hear it, because being over here I only get to see the test team and it's not looking crash hot.

Trouble is the pressure when they do step up. Not that I want to be playing dead rubbers in order to give the young lads test experience

 

[aneale]

the era for cricket fullstop is over. The laughable standard of the #1 and #2 test countries in the world at the moment will tell you that.

Cricket in Australian is just not getting the kids due to the professionalism in other sports, T20 will forever destroy the Asian cricketers, American culture has destroyed Windies cricket (and the Caribbean in general) which just leaves the numpty underachievers in England, NZ and SAF.

There is no great West Indian or Australian eras on the cards, from any nation.

 

[Audacious]

2008 says hi...

 

[Johnson#26]

The 'era' ended in the World Cup Final in 2007.

Australian Cricket was set from neutral to reverse at the rate of knots during/after the Sydney Test 2008.

 

[DaRick]

Australian Cricket was set from neutral to reverse at the rate of knots during/after the Sydney Test 2008.

I agree. This signaled Australia's decline once and for all. The witch-hunt that occurred after this Test (led by Roebuck) seemed to inhibit Australia's cricketers. Even now, its effect still lingers.

However, I think (and hope) that the Adelaide Test was our nadir. We're looking much better so far this Test, although our top order is still dodgy.

 

[Johnson#26]

Am hopeful that you are right, and agree with the first bit.

It annoys me more and more in hindsight.

Everyone should remember that match for a part timer taking three wickets with a Hail Mary last two overs.

Yes there were poor umpiring calls, but that happens. You can have a bit of a whinge, and expect them to be replaced for the next Test. But nope, the toys came out of the cot because the batsmen let it slip late in the piece and all of the simmering tension from that ODI series in October in India boiled over. Just so needless. Personally remember that time with real disappointment and sadness; Clinton Grybas died on the fourth day of that Test. I remember hearing him talk with Healy and/or Connolly on Sports Today on day one when Hogg and Symonds were flaying all comers with the bat. For that reason alone that Test will always leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Wish it didn't. Hoggy dominated with the bat, was so happy for him.

IMO Australia carried on a little ingloriously after the final wicket. I know they were so pumped to win but jeepers, watching it at the time (at the MCG for a T20 Vic vs NSW), it looked pretty average even at the time. Or at least that's the sentiment that I got from it. But that's all beside the point.

From that moment on, the gradual push from the admin and PR and indeed the public (seemingly) towards being all nice and family friendly and BORING went into overdrive. Symonds was run out of town. Lee broke down (a side issue, but it hurt the team). Hayden was injured, made a slowish but hardly awful start in India before being hunted out of the side by the media. Yeah it was probably time for him to retire, but they made such a mountain out of a molehill and made it so much harder for even a champion like him to perform. Stuart Clark was a key reason why we won the 4th Test in last year's Ashes (think Siddle mopped up some cheap wickets; Clark did all the tieing up as per usual), had an average 5th Test and it's sayonara. That also annoys me greatly, no matter how old he is.

Punter's become a shadow of his former self since then, and often (feel for him) has given the impression of a guy running on a treatmill that's going flat out (see the 09 Ashes, for eg).

The Boxing Day defeat with Duminy and Steyn was a real sign that cracks were starting to show; last summer in its entirety was a mirage and obvious to anyone who knows anything about cricket. A wasted summer.

What's more (inevitable, maybe, but very annoying), we're throwing away Baggy Greens and ODI caps like they're going out of fashion. This is part of what is devaluing ODI cricket IMO. The side is just full of bits and pieces players. One is fine; not a whole stack of those who are either here nor there.

This era (08/09-10/11) will be remembered as the Marcus North and Nathan Hauritz era. Admirable state performers. Seemingly lovely blokes. Nowhere near proper international cricket despite a handful of days out. And unfortunately, quite bland. The side's been uninspiring for a long, long while. I really wanted to like North and have him become a favourite of mine; just has not happened.

Ah well.

 

[Marklar_33]

Would love to see Hughes, Smith, Haddin and Clarke stand up to the windians in their pomp that would be fun. Would get creamed.

As everyone else did during that era