Australian Cricket Dominance Could End????

[Nostromo]

Originally Posted by Mr Hutt

The Aussie decade is now over....

Eng and S.A will play the final of the WC and Eng will win!!!

mark my words!!

I think you are being premature in writing the Aussies off. OK, they've had a some setbacks in the past few matches, but that does not change the overall quality of the team. After all, England have been at the lower end of the ODI scale for quite a bit of time and the while the recent victories might have given them a few more brownie points, it is a far cry from winning the World Cup. IMO, they won't even get to the semi-finals.

South Africa on the other hand, will not only play in the final, but win it, beating either Australia or India.

[PaceHitta]

Sorry no intention of being mean.

But I don't see England as too much of a threat for the WC. I can easily see Australia bounce back, and still see them as good sparring partners in the group stages, but ultimatley they are my favourites to make it to the final.
I would never ever write off the West Indies in the Caribbean. And SA will have to perform well, especially since part of me thinks that SA had a very easy series against Pakistan because they simply didn't really come to the party.

My prediction an SA - AUS final, however the game is cricket so you never know...

[Wiljoy]

Originally Posted by Mr Hutt

The Aussie decade is now over....

Eng and S.A will play the final of the WC and Eng will win!!!

mark my words!!

Anything to add to this prediction now Mr Hutt,

[Younis Khan #1]

Either South Africa or england will be one of the weaker semi finalists now

[acker]

Mr Hutt is that Mr Jabba the Hutt if it is, there is a piece of drool in the shape of a union jack dribbling down your 54th chin.

[Nostromo]

If the right South Africa team arrive at the semi-finals, they will beat Australia followed by whichever team they play in the final. The problem with the Proteas is that every so often the shaky Doppelgangers turn up instead and make a mess of it.

[Younis Khan #1]

Originally Posted by Nostromo

If the right South Africa team arrive at the semi-finals, they will beat Australia followed by whichever team they play in the final. The problem with the Proteas is that every so often the shaky Doppelgangers turn up instead and make a mess of it.

I think their bowling attack is weak and lacks variety; they are all medium to fast pacers that australia really won't mind facing at all. Hogg will cause the batsmen trouble....

[Nostromo]

Originally Posted by Younis Khan #1

I think their bowling attack is weak and lacks variety; they are all medium to fast pacers that australia really won't mind facing at all. Hogg will cause the batsmen trouble....

I don't think that this is right. Pollock & Ntini are completely different in their approach and Hall is something else altogether. Nel has his own style; only Kallis is a bit one dimensional, but if Smith uses him intelligently, then the attack should do well.

[Younis Khan #1]

Both pollock and Ntini have struggled for wickets during the tournament. Whereas Hall and Langeveldt have taken the bulk of them in one or two games which no real consistency. The importance of a good spinner is immeasurable, and SA unfortunatly don't have one.


Hogg
Murali
Vettori
Peterson

I think that will be the difference. I might be wrong, but we'll see.

[acker]

Originally Posted by Nostromo

If the right South Africa team arrive at the semi-finals, they will beat Australia followed by whichever team they play in the final. The problem with the Proteas is that every so often the shaky Doppelgangers turn up instead and make a mess of it.

If the right South Africa team arrive at the semi-finals they will still be eaten and beaten by the Australians.
The biggest gamble Australia took this world cup the inclusion of Symonds has worked; and the shear run scoring power of the big 4 (Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting and Symonds) to score more quickly and more heavilly than anyone else will ensure a hatrick of world cups to the Aussies.
This South African team is weaker than thier 1999 squad which included Donald and the younger Pollock.