England will stuff the aussies

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Beny

The Only sure thing is that Aus are the best at the momment.

That's true, Beny, but from there there's only one way to go. The Aussies won't be at the top forever. Has anyone in Australia realised that yet? Sometimes I wonder. No-one is invincible forever, and if the Aussies have elevated their cricketers to the status of near gods, they are going to be hugely disappointed when the defeat inevitably comes. I don't necessarily think it will be next summer against England - in fact, I rather hope not, as I want to be in Australia when we take back The Ashes in 2006/7 - but one day, mate, the Aussies are going to be pushed off the top, the whole of Australia will wear black armbands for a year or so and the rest of us will have a satisfied smile into our pints.

[Beny]

That's true, Beny, but from there there's only one way to go. The Aussies won't be at the top forever

Once again an assumption.. Based on no evidence... see you in 2006/2007.

and if the Aussies have elevated their cricketers to the status of near gods

Isnt it self-evident?

[Occasional Fan]

Beny, technically I suppose you are right. They could stay at the top forever. They won't though. Not an assumption. A prediction. Looking forward to any encounter with the Baggy Greens.

[Beny]

hopefully in the next few weeks.

[NZBeth]

There are a few teams out there who have perfected certain aspects of their game that I believe can have some surprising results in the ICC. England, India, NZ, Sri Lanka to name a few. We'll just have to wait and see. I don't think the Australians awill be easy but I do think they are beatable.

[Big Merv]

I havn't seen the English team since the last time we played them. Are they any different?

[Rachael]

Do you mean in ODI or Tests?

If you mean ODI.. then definitely no: still **** (and many of the same faces). In a 12 game ODI series like the one the Aussies played against India recently... I'd still back the Aussies to win something like 12-0. They might know they've been in a game though.. which, I guess, is progress.

If you mean Tests.. less clearcut. Are we as good now as we were when Gough, Caddick and White were all at the top of their game in India 3-4 years ago? Probably not.. but it seems to me that whereas then we were riding the crest of a wave that looked pretty insubstantial (and so it proved as we entered a truly dire phase of having absolutely NO worthy, fit bowlers to draw upon)... we're now just picking up a wave that looks a darned sight more promising (not least because you could knock out half the squad and find ready made replacements for every position who would not look out of place).

I'd stil back the current Aussie side to beat us every time.. but I'd back us to make a decent contest of it at last.. and I can't remember the last time THAT could be said!

[deep-point]

I would agree with much of what Rachael says, but not all.

With the one day side, its usually very much a case of if Flintoff fires then they have a chance, but beyond that there isn't much to shout about. There are good players, but not really a solid team, and there are too many players who have not fully proven themselves in ODI's, even (shock) the captain himself.

I don't agree that the current test side is not as good as that of 3-4 years ago. Whilst in Sri Lanka & Pakistan that side was able to grind out a couple of series wins by wearing down the opposition, this team in my opinion has more to offer.

Whilst the batting has lost the likes of Stewart and Hussain, people like Strauss & Key have so far shown that they are more than capable replacements. Vaughan is a better player than he was at that time, and Thorpe continues to show his class.

In the bowling department, Harmison stands top of the world rankings, and his coming of age has enabled other bowlers to feed off of that success. Hoggard is the ever-dependable workhorse, Giles is much improved, and there are one or two others like Anderson and Jones who have the ability and just have to start producing regularly.

But for me it is the emergence of Flintoff as a true test class allrounder that is the biggest difference from a few years ago. Over the last year to eighteen months he has averaged nearly 50 with the bat and under 30 with the ball.

He is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, and is capable of making the best batsmen in the world look ordinary with the ball (witness his dismissal of Lara in the third test this summer).

In the past it is fair to say that the England team have not matched up in any department with Australia, but I'm not sure that will be the case next summer, it could be a real fight. The forthcoming series with SA will be a good test of how far they have progressed.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Big Merv

I havn't seen the English team since the last time we played them. Are they any different?

Hi BG,
Yes the England team are a LOT different than when you last played us in Australia, if you remember the contest was spoiled with the injuries to Flintoff and Simon jones.

I would say we are better prepaired to take you on than we have been since 1981, when I think that was the last series we won.

We as a team have better bowlers than we have had for years, and the batting is ok.

I think we are a better team than when we had Caddick and Gough and the rest, we never beat Australia in a series with these players.others will disagree, but the story will unfold in 2005, if we dont win a series against Australia with this present team, then I doubt we ever will.

[deep-point]

Originally Posted by ernest

I would say we are better prepaired to take you on than we have been since 1981, when I think that was the last series we won.

Actually, the last time we won was '87, but as I was too young to remember that either I won't hold it against you. I would agree with your point though.