Transition Time?

For two decades Australia's success, rightly or wrongly, earned them the reputation of being arrogant. Given Englands dominance of this series and the fact that they are now spruking themselves as No. 1, can the arrogant tag now be handed to the Poms?

If they think beating the weakest Aus side in 3 decades makes them no.1, they are 'aving a laugh.

current rankings IMO (without looking them up)

India slightly > South Africa (not much in it)

> small gap to England

>>>> long gap to Sri Lanka

>>> another long gap to Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, and Bangladesh ... all roughly equal at present, IMO, and all improving teams EXCEPT Australia.

>> a diminishing gap to Zimbabwe, who finally seem to be getting a few things right

BD, some of our press and supporters - possibly

- the cricket team & management - I'd say probably not.

Look at all the interviews - 3 innings defeats handed out, but everyone from Andy Flower downwards has acknowledged that there is still work to do.

I saw your comment on another thread about grace or otherwise in victory and defeat. Please don't tar us all with the same brush. Excessive gloating makes me uncomfortable - but I'm not the forum taste police when it comes to postings.

Growler wrote:the forum taste police

That'd be a great job... It'd be like being the deputy to Tim Nielsen.

I don't think so no.

Incidentally there is nothing wrong with enjoying a fantastic result against your main rivals. No need to get your knickers in a twist about it, I don't think posting a couple of photos is excessive, if you can't handle that you should see some other boards. Most of the England fans are pretty tame on here, I've seen no "HAHAHA f**K you stupid aussie qunts lol" type threads that you tend to get elsewhere.

Back to the arrogant thing, I think most of us feel that we have a chance against india and SA at the moment, but I don't think anyone is under the illusion that we are suddenly by far the best team in the world.

HAHAHA f**k you stupid aussie qunts lol

vilkrang wrote:I don't think so no.

Incidentally there is nothing wrong with enjoying a fantastic result against your main rivals. No need to get your knickers in a twist about it, I don't think posting a couple of photos is excessive, if you can't handle that you should see some other boards. Most of the England fans are pretty tame on here, I've seen no "HAHAHA f**K you stupid aussie qunts lol" type threads that you tend to get elsewhere.

Back to the arrogant thing, I think most of us feel that we have a chance against india and SA at the moment, but I don't think anyone is under the illusion that we are suddenly by far the best team in the world.

Vilks, my knickers aren't in a twist, and it wasn't me accusing you (directly or otherwise) of excessive gloating. I was remarking on BD's point generalising us poms.

Believe me, I'm as thrilled as you about the win, and the manner of it. I just take the view that the Aussies know what a hiding they've had, and don't need me to remind them - as I don't like having my face rubbed in it either, thats all.

Though Aussies must understand should they get offended by mild gloating... English fans have had their noses rubbed in it for the past 20 years so can expect a little back from time to time.

I know JK .... its just me.

As I said, my comment wasn't a sly dig at vilks, as I have seen a lot worse on other boards.

Growler wrote:

vilkrang wrote:I don't think so no.

Incidentally there is nothing wrong with enjoying a fantastic result against your main rivals. No need to get your knickers in a twist about it, I don't think posting a couple of photos is excessive, if you can't handle that you should see some other boards. Most of the England fans are pretty tame on here, I've seen no "HAHAHA f**K you stupid aussie qunts lol" type threads that you tend to get elsewhere.

Back to the arrogant thing, I think most of us feel that we have a chance against india and SA at the moment, but I don't think anyone is under the illusion that we are suddenly by far the best team in the world.

Vilks, my knickers aren't in a twist, and it wasn't me accusing you (directly or otherwise) of excessive gloating. I was remarking on BD's point generalising us poms.

Believe me, I'm as thrilled as you about the win, and the manner of it. I just take the view that the Aussies know what a hiding they've had, and don't need me to remind them - as I don't like having my face rubbed in it either, thats all.

My post was aimed at BD for the most part .

Big Dog wrote:For two decades Australia's success, rightly or wrongly, earned them the reputation of being arrogant. Given Englands dominance of this series and the fact that they are now spruking themselves as No. 1, can the arrogant tag now be handed to the Poms?

With respect BD - Feck Off. I don't think any Pom on here or any Pom who claims to know anything about Cricket would claim that we're currently No 1 (Ok, Darren Gough does, but he doesn't count)

We're aiming to be No1 - of course we are - there's no point in playing if you don't want to be the best you can, but it'll be a while yet until we have played and beaten both India and SA.

As for the arrogance bit - frankly, your boys did come across as a bit cocky, but I don't think there's anything wrong in that per se as the excellent standard of performance came first - they earned the right.

We have the right to celebrate our victory long and hard (mark the word CELEBRATE not Gloat) - God knows we've had to wait long enough. If you're going to throw a hissy fit every time you see a piccy of Srauss holding the urn, you're going to need counselling before too long!

He has been a massive sook since we won. Poor fella.

We're certainly not saying we're no.1 at the moment. Beat India and SA and it's a possibility, but as in 2005 there's a long way to go, and we certainly went backwards for 2 or 3 years after that.

There's no outstanding team in Test cricket at the moment and there's a few sides with ambitions of becoming the clear number one, hopefully this time we can build on the Ashes success rather than allowing that to be the peak of this side's achievements. India and Sri Lanka are more than capable of punishing any complacency from England this summer, that will show where we really are. But a sound thrashing of Australia doesn't come along too often so we have to enjoy it and make the most of it when it does happen.

It seems some people are taking my lighthearted dig a bit seriously. The whole point of is that all through Australias dominant period they were constantly labled as being arrogant, seemingly for no other reason than they were successful. I just wondered if the same mantle will be hung on England.

Big Dog wrote:For two decades Australia's success, rightly or wrongly, earned them the reputation of being arrogant. Given Englands dominance of this series and the fact that they are now spruking themselves as No. 1, can the arrogant tag now be handed to the Poms?

Surely 'arrogant' is when your Chairman of Selectors tells everyone that he and his mates did a great job despite losing the series 3-1 and making some truly bizarre selections?

I can't see that in any of the players or management.

Supporters are individually responsible for their attitudes and behaviour.

Redtop newspapermen are arrogant by vocation and choice.

Henry wrote:

Big Dog wrote:For two decades Australia's success, rightly or wrongly, earned them the reputation of being arrogant. Given Englands dominance of this series and the fact that they are now spruking themselves as No. 1, can the arrogant tag now be handed to the Poms?

Surely 'arrogant' is when your Chairman of Selectors tells everyone that he and his mates did a great job despite losing the series 3-1 and making some truly bizarre selections?

Thats not arrogance, thats moronic stupidity.

This isn't a particularly weak side or group of hopefuls. It's just being managed and captained badly. Plus the only players who might save our bacon are playing a form of the game that makes 'tip n run' in the schoolyard look scientific.

Christ! When I first started playing the game formally at 8yo with real cricket balls and an ant bed pitch we played 35 over matches.

Bradman wrote:This isn't a particularly weak side or group of hopefuls. It's just being managed and captained badly. Plus the only players who might save our bacon are playing a form of the game that makes 'tip n run' in the schoolyard look scientific.

Christ! When I first started playing the game formally at 8yo with real cricket balls and an ant bed pitch we played 35 over matches.

The comparisons with England in the 90s are sound I think. In that time England also had a lot of talented players but piss poor management and leadership. Australia have the talent at the moment but it isn't being utilised.

In all seriousness, Hilditch really needs to go for you guys to progress. The equivalent would be if we had let Steve McClaren stay on after he had failed to get us into Euro 2008.

Andrew Hilditch must have been a stubborn Yorkshireman ala Ray Illingworth in a previous life.

He's certainly got the type of Illingworth attitude that held us back in the 90s.

25 years later and he's still playing metaphorical hook shots down deep square leg's throat, stubbornly refusing to give up the shot or admit that it's the wrong decision to play it.