The official end of an era

If South Africa win this series now, I think it will basically mark the end of 11 years of Aust being the undisputed No 1 team. When we beat the Windies in 1995, I think that merely vacated the title which Aust probably took without much doubt a year later with successive wins against the Windies at home and Saf away.

In that time, Aust had obviously lost the odd series in the subcontinent but were still supreme at home.

So I think the pending series loss is like the 1995 tour of the Windies, it is merely vacating the title waiting for a team to make it undisputiably theirs. Saf's might do it if they beat (or even draw with ) Aust in the home series.

Premature, JGK. Watch your fellow countrymen bounce back.

An 'era' that required likes of Bucknor to prop it up ....

PeterCS wrote:Premature, JGK. Watch your fellow countrymen bounce back.

I don't see it PCS. WE don't have the firepower any more to dismiss good batting line ups twice. In the last 12 months we've blown wins against India in Adelaide, the Windies in Antigua, India again the Delhi and now this - all from not being able to bowl teams out on the 5th day. To do this you need a decent spinner and frankly, ours our barely FC standard.

Didn't Skully start a similar thread after the series loss to India?

Henry wrote:Didn't Skully start a similar thread after the series loss to India?

Mebbe...


A home loss (esp in these circumstances) is far more significant.

JGK wrote:

PeterCS wrote:Premature, JGK. Watch your fellow countrymen bounce back.

I don't see it PCS. WE don't have the firepower any more to dismiss good batting line ups twice. In the last 12 months we've blown wins against India in Adelaide, the Windies in Antigua, India again the Delhi and now this - all from not being able to bowl teams out on the 5th day. To do this you need a decent spinner and frankly, ours our barely FC standard.

Come back MacGoo, all is forgiven?!

MAgoo was about as penetrating as a marshmallow in Antigua.

Let's face it, the Warne era was just one of those once in a lifetime things.

What about Shy Tee? Why has he dropped out of favour? No good?

And Bo Casson, seems to have annoyed somebody.


There must be SOMEONE. It stands to reason. Though Zim says to stick with Crazy for a while, so he must have something.

Besides, I'd have thought it's only ***official*** if Ponting says "Right, that's it mates, you're all a load of *u*k*n* tossers apart from me - I'm out of here."

if SA win this series then yes, its the end of an era and SA the new #1 imo

been a great run though...

Ash wrote:if SA win this series then yes, its the end of an era and SA the new #1 imo

But not by very much at all. They are hardly dominating test series like the Aussies did.

Aus set them 414 to win after all, and in the series in England they had to score 282 to win 1 test and had to follow on 300 behind in another.

Aye - it's a very open era we're heading into.

Shame England are proving to be so fragile when it comes down to the crunch.

They've proven over recent times that they are capable of competing with the best (see JKL's post above and the first 4 days at Chennai), but there's too many weak links in the setup, from the selectors through to the coach through to dipsticks like Tinkerbell.

In his pomp, Duncan Fletcher was setting up excellent game plans, and was tough enough and well organised enough to ensure they were executed almost to the letter.

What a contrast with the current slack arsed drip.

Batsmen continue to totally dominate World cricket. Either almost all bowlers are shit, or (almost) all pitches are now designed to favour batsmen.

Someone had a thread recently showing England's bowlers' stats over the last 3 years, and they made for pretty unflattering reading. Bowlers from most countries have the same problem, although in some cases this is disguised by a large number of Tests v the Zimkrill and Bangleplankton.

Zimbeatme and Banglamesh.

Zimbabwayoutoftheirdepth and Bangladeshidedlyaverage

Zim... i give up

Zimbabesinthewoods and Bangladyboys

Bangladyboys.

Love it. Also Mohammad Sami's wife's nickname.

Also Mohammad Sami's wife's nickname.

Which is?

Bangladyboys.

Yes. Losing a series at home would probably in retrospect be seen as the end.

Mind you, were it not for one erroneous umpire's decision last summer, we would have lost _that_ series against India. I think that was the beginning of the end.

JKLever wrote:

Ash wrote:if SA win this series then yes, its the end of an era and SA the new #1 imo

But not by very much at all. They are hardly dominating test series like the Aussies did.

Bloody Aussie sycophant.

When was the last time Aus lost 2 consecutive tests at Perth in the same calender year?

I wonder if SA's belief in this test came after what they saw India achieve against Aus the whole year?

"When was the last time Aus lost 2 consecutive tests at Perth in the same calender year?"


This is the first such time.


For more details: This is only the 2nd time that Australia has lost 2 consecutive tests at Perth, the previous time being in the mid eighties.

Before this year, the last loss at Perth was in 1997, against the Windies.