posted Feb 19, 2007

Ha ha ha...if I had the answer to that wouldn't I be a highly paid coach of some international team pontificating right and left?

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posted Feb 19, 2007

I think we should get paid for our pontifications, cos we could surely do better on that front than a coach who pronounces someone the "best finger-spinner in the world" and then doesn't pick him, or another who complains his team isn't getting serious competition ahead of the world cup before promptly getting beaten in game after game...

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posted Feb 19, 2007

Some good theories above about strength in depth and the Aussies being found out. Look, every team has a theory about the opposition they are playing (the Aussies included), and most oppositions know how they are being targeted.
So...
Lets face it..they are in a slump for a couple of reasons.
One, They are a little tired of which I have no sympathy given what they do for a living and how well they can be paid.
And two, they mentally were not on the ball as much as they have been in the past and their opponents were.
The Aussies carry an invincibility or arrogance if thats what you want to call it because they know it can act like a twelth man when the going gets tough, however, when you don't have the mental energy to draw on that level of confidence or you're new to the team and don't know about it yet, things look weaker and more vulnerable.
Don't worry, they will regroup, teach themselves the finer art of mental application for 100 overs and soon be back to their winning ways.
I challenge anyone to write them off when the WC arrives in full swing.

(of course - any knock-out tournament can produce a few surprises!!)

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posted Feb 19, 2007

I think recent results have shown that the Aussies don't have strength in depth. So maybe the question is this - will they be lucky enough to get through the WC with their first XI intact? Will Symonds heal quickly enough? With the main guys fit, I don't think any other team will look forward to playing them. But if one or two are injured, there's a number of other sides who'll fancy their chances (Enlgand included).

Of course, how they move forward in the next couple of years when more big names retire or start to creak is a question for another article...

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posted Feb 19, 2007

comment by Willo15

"Lets face it..they are in a slump for a couple of reasons.
One, They are a little tired of which I have no sympathy given what they do for a living and how well they can be paid.
And two, they mentally were not on the ball as much as they have been in the past and their opponents were."
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Weeeelll, that's the thing, isn't it? How much are recent results due to a slump in the Aussie mental attitude, and how much is it down to other teams playing better?

The tiredness point doesn't really work, because England were on the same tour, and to make it harder for them were playing away from home, and in the end won three straight games against the Aussies.

As for the mental thing... well, sure, that plays a part, but what guarantee do you have that they can just raise it at will? I'm pretty sure the Aussies would rather have LIKED to have won the CB series. They would have liked to win the Ashes in 2005.

The evidence is that the Aussies aren't simply losing because they've taken their foot off the gas. Other teams have raised their game. England bowled a LOT better towards the end of the CB series, and constrained the scoring of the Aussies several times in a row. England's fielding has improved, also. Simple as that. Now, if we can just sort out being able to score over 300 regularly...

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posted Feb 19, 2007

Let's say Australia will have to compete that much harder to win this time around.

They aren't a young team...no matter what people say, limbs do matter...continue to be hugely talented...the senior pros are certain to carry the noobs with them...but anything can happen.

Not so sure if they've got their bowlers right for the trip...but they know more than I.

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posted Feb 20, 2007

Aussie bowling is weaker without Warne and Lee. If Warne could be persuaded out of retirement then Aussies could still win world cup. As it stands they may not even make semis on current form. However, cometh the hour etc. NZ are currently the form side in spite of the Commonwealth Bank Series. England found some self-belief which was long overdue and quite possibly were demob happy. I don't think they will figure in the World Cup. Sri Lanka will make semis. The top four from the super 8 will be Australia, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka. South Africa will win the tournament.

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posted Feb 20, 2007

Comment by intotherough

I must say....that's right, I must! That I think virtually everything you have added here is right on the money. I still think tiredness has played a part and that the Aussies have taken their foot off the gas slightly but!!!!!
As you so elequently put it, other teams (England and New Zealand thus far plus South Africa in THAT chase), have raised their standards and are confident of scoring more heavily and in some cases, chasing down ANY total.
I think it is great for cricket, I hate seeing my side lose but, I also agree they would have preferred to have won the CB series, the Hadlee/Chappell trophy and the Ashes in 2005 but, alas, were outplayed fairly and squarely.
Now, if we can simply refocuss, and get back on the ball, we may be able to use our Round robin fixtures to hone our skills instead of simply playing our a@#es off just to get through to the knock out stages.
Credit where credit is due but look out for the revival!!!

PS Maybe you should hit the ball straighter if you're missing the fairway!! Cheers

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posted Feb 21, 2007

Austrelia's recent defeats has created a wide opening in the world cup particularly for South Africa & Pakistan.I tip Pakistan to win the world cup provided they have Shoib Akhter,Asif & Gul atleast from the begining of the second round & further they should change the Batting line up.They should prefer Yunis & Afridi as opening partners followed by Yusuf,Inzamam,Malik,Imran Nazir(Hafeez),Razzakh,Kamran.Imran Nazir or Hafeez will be very useful at no.6 because of the conditions in WI.Always pakistan is coming under pressure because of loosing early wickets.If they sort out this problem by putting Yunis at the top,they are unbeatable.

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posted Feb 21, 2007

comment by Willo15

Now, if we can simply refocuss, and get back on the ball, we may be able to use our Round robin fixtures to hone our skills instead of simply playing our a@#es off just to get through to the knock out stages.
Credit where credit is due but look out for the revival!!!
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This may seem ironic, but the Aussies may have to learn to nurdle a bit better. If the opposition are just a bit wayward with the bowling, as we were in the early stages, they are as good as anyone at hitting them out of the ground.

When the opposition bowling is being consistently miserly, and the fielders start taking their catches, then you have to nurdle, and few teams nurdle better than the English, though I have to say, NZ were very adept at picking up ones-and-twos in the last game of the CH trophy...

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