We're on our way to a top-four ranking spot.

Australia stand to lose substantially more than their aura over the next month. An Ashes series defeat would precipitate a stunning fall from grace by relegating Ricky Ponting's men to fourth place on the ICC Test ladder behind South Africa, Sri Lanka and India. A drawn series will place them second after Graeme Smith's men.

Full story here.
Y'know, in many other places, a slip like this would precipitate a review of the playing staff, the coaching unit, and development programs.

For us it will be rewarding Neilsen and Cooley with new contracts and extending the tenure of Merv, Hilditch et al.

And Ponting will get automatic elevation in the Hall of Fame.

btw, the thread title is based on what I fully expect to be the spin from CA to sound like. Something about 'a very competitive environment in the game, and to be ranked in the top half is still a good place to be.'

So a draw this week puts us first.

Would it be that much of a disaster?

I mean, looking at the players Australia have available, you'd be hard pressed to make a case for Australia being clearly the best side in the world.

A lot of sides are much of a muchness now I'd have thought.

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

taipan wrote:So a draw this week puts us first.

And rightly so. Best side on paper by a street.

skully wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

Says more about the competitiveness of eighties cricket though, doesn't it?

skully wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

Only cos SA was still banned.

taipan wrote:

skully wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

Only cos SA was still banned.

Happy days....

Shoeshine wrote:

skully wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

Says more about the competitiveness of eighties cricket though, doesn't it?

Indeed. Even when NZ were beating us, I'm pretty sure we didn't drop below 3rd (although hard to believe we weren't at least behind WI, Eng and NZ at that point).

I saw the historical rankings once. Anyone got a link to a suitable site?

taipan wrote:

skully wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Would it be that much of a disaster?

Not really, except even in the deep dark 80s we rarely fell below 3rd spot.

Only cos SA was still banned.

What, with big gay boys like Garth Le Roux and Clive Rice. Puh-lease.

skully wrote:

taipan wrote:So a draw this week puts us first.

And rightly so. Best side on paper by a street.

Not so sure about that. On paper India and Sri Lanka look just as good. On paper......

The Saffies are far from being a great side yet. They lack that little bit of ruthlessness, and their batting is a bit shaky at times. Although I reckon they'll beat England in the winter 3-1 whether we win the ashes or not.

That the same Garth Le Roux who got the player of the series in the first WSC?

Skulls, Ricey was probably the hardest thing I have ever seen on a cricket field.

I look forward to the next SAf v Eng series then.

Henry wrote:

skully wrote:

taipan wrote:So a draw this week puts us first.

And rightly so. Best side on paper by a street.

Not so sure about that. On paper India and Sri Lanka look just as good. On paper......

The Saffies are far from being a great side yet. They lack that little bit of ruthlessness, and their batting is a bit shaky at times. Although I reckon they'll beat England in the winter 3-1 whether we win the ashes or not.

Agree.

SA, Aus & Ind are all very close - noone is the best side by a street at all.

taipan wrote:That the same Garth Le Roux who got the player of the series in the first WSC?

Skulls, Ricey was probably the hardest thing I have ever seen on a cricket field.

Deary me. First horrie, now me.

What is going on?

skully wrote:I look forward to the next SAf v Eng series then.

This summer. If we win there should be daylight on top.

skully wrote:

taipan wrote:That the same Garth Le Roux who got the player of the series in the first WSC?

Skulls, Ricey was probably the hardest thing I have ever seen on a cricket field.

Deary me. First horrie, now me.

What is going on?

trying to get the hell outta here

taipan wrote:

skully wrote:I look forward to the next SAf v Eng series then.

This summer. If we win there should be daylight on top.

Grouse.

I think it's roughly-

South Africa
India
Australia

Sri Lanka
England

Pakistan
New Zealand
West Indies (full strength)

Bangladesh

Henry wrote:I think it's roughly-

South Africa
India
Australia

Sri Lanka
England

Pakistan
New Zealand
West Indies (full strength)

Bangladesh

South Africa
Australia

India
Sri Lanka

England
Pakistan

New Zealand
West Indies
Bangladesh

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:I think it's roughly-

South Africa
India
Australia

Sri Lanka
England

Pakistan
New Zealand
West Indies (full strength)

Bangladesh

South Africa
Australia

India
Sri Lanka

England
Pakistan

New Zealand
West Indies
Bangladesh

Question for you though. If England do beat Australia in this series, would that not push England up that list of yours? Bearing in mind South Africa lost to them at home already...

Shoeshine wrote:
South Africa
Australia

India
Sri Lanka

England
Pakistan

New Zealand
West Indies
Bangladesh

Question for you though. If England do beat Australia in this series, would that not push England up that list of yours? Bearing in mind South Africa lost to them at home already...[/quote]

Not particularly, I view SA and Aus as pretty similar conditions all in all. It's as near as Aus get to a home series outside of Aus.

England, quite frankly, are shit. Total shit. Get some conditions and we'll smash anybody. Get us on a dead deck and we can't beat the WI in three attempts.

At least SA, Aus, Ind and SL can (and have) pulled off a win on a dead deck of recent.

England are bordering on 'awful', which sticks them with Pak and marginally above NZ and WI.

Bangladesh, at home, will probably beat us.

skully wrote:

taipan wrote:So a draw this week puts us first.

And rightly so. Best side on paper by a street.

And yet we beat them on their soil not so long ago.