Nick Bendel
End of an era?
December 6th 2008 02:49
Due to the recent retirement of several stars, and due to the convincing nature of the loss, there has been no shortage of commentators willing to proclaim the end of Australia’s reign as the sport’s predominant team.
Although the verdict may be correct, to offer it now is premature. Firstly, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Australia overcame the Indians at home earlier in the year. Secondly, being beaten by strong opposition on their turf hardly qualifies as a shock. As things currently stand, Australia has lost a solitary series in testing conditions- no more.
Of much greater significance is the upcoming battle against South Africa. Since going down to the West Indies in the summer of 1992-3, Australia has never lost a series at home. The subsequent 27 contests have yielded a remarkable 24 victories, while the 89 tests that have been played have resulted in 65 wins, 15 draws and just 9 defeats.
Australia’s period of supremacy can be traced to 1995, when it travelled to the Caribbean and snatched back the Frank Worrell Trophy. Thus ended the reign of a West Indian outfit that was generally regarded as the world champions, having gone undefeated at home since 1973 (and having gone undefeated in all series since 1979/80). Mark Taylor, the visiting captain, declared that the 2-1 victory made his men the new world champions, as they had knocked off the previous title holders in their own backyard. And he added that world champions the Australians would remain, until another bunch was able to come down under and triumph in a series of at least three matches. So far, that is yet to happen.
Many would regard Taylor’s concept to be as logical as it is simple. Ricky Ponting, however, is not one of them. In his opinion, losing to the Proteas would not change a thing. “It has taken us a long time and a lot of great wins in different conditions around the world to get us to that number one spot,” he argued. “But if they won the series 1-0 or 2-1, I don’t think that would mean that they deserve to take over that mantle. It’s a bit the same with India last series. Just because they beat us, the number one team, doesn’t necessarily mean they go from the number four or number five in the world to number one in the world, because it’s something that’s accrued over a long period of time.”
While there is some truth in what the captain is saying, his predecessor’s argument is more convincing. If the Proteas win, they can justifiably call themselves the world champions. If the Aussies lose- whatever the ICC rankings may say- they will no longer be able to lay claim to that title.
What makes the upcoming series so significant is that South Africa has a strong chance of prevailing. There is a real possibility that when the final test concludes in Sydney in early January, it could mark the end of a golden era in Australian cricket. In a month’s time, an era of almost a decade and a half of dominance, an era encompassing memorable victories in all corners of the globe, an era illuminated by the talents of Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Healy, Hayden, Waugh and Ponting might draw to a close.
While the hosts are struggling for confidence and structure, the visitors are in a bullish mood. The Proteas have won eight of their last nine series- the only blip being a draw in India- and have not been afraid to make it known that they are expecting to triumph. As their batters have been consistently scoring and their bowlers have been knocking teams over, their levels of experience and assurance have risen, and a certain swagger appeared in their stride.
The thing that is most noticeable about this South African line-up is how balanced it is. There is a nice blend of younger and older players, while the bowlers and batters all challenge their opponents in slightly different ways. The depth in the team and the tenacity with which it plays are also worthy of note. This is a group that knows how to win. In the best test tradition, runs and wickets will have to be earned; unlike the Black Caps, they will not be charitably handed away.
But one thing that can be said about the Australians is that they will not meekly submit. After all, being confronted by cocky Proteas is hardly a novel experience for them; the South Africans have been delivering all the same lines since their readmission to international cricket in 1991, and have yet to win a series against Australia in that time. Although some of their batsmen may be struggling for form, although their best combination of bowlers has yet to be found, and although the balance of their eleven is not ideal, history shows that it will be difficult to defeat them on their own grounds.
What that means is that an exciting summer of cricket is in store. Two ultra-competitive teams with everything to play for will be pitting themselves against each other in protracted and unrelenting struggle. Tensions will be sure to rise and controversies will be sure to occur. If the tests are played in the positive spirit that was sadly lacking on the Indian tour, there is a chance that this will be the most thrilling home series since Australia’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the West Indies in 1992-3. There is also a chance that the result will go the same way. The end of an era could be in sight.
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