So is the gap between Aus and the rest finally narrowing?

This series will certainly as a whole give a lot of hearts to most other sides. India's summer proves that Aus are not as invincible they appeared to be till a World Cup back, are beatable and can be tested and put under pressure over a longer period of time in both forms of the game. When the Saffies and Kiwis chased the huge 300+ 400+ a while back in ODIs, it seemed like a fluke, but now there is more evidence that they can be beaten on any given day.

India's show in the last 3 tests also shows that Aus can be put under pressure in tests as well. Losing the greats in the ranks is now showing up more and more and chinks in the armour exposing more wider. Other teams certainly must be fancying beating them more often as well.

I have no doubt that they will remain the top side for sometime now, but is their reign at the top coming to an end? Is the distance between the World's best and the rest closing in that much faster now?

Who do you guys think will be the next best side 5 years down the line? Will it still be Aus or some other side?

They'll still be at the top of the tree because of the quality of their batting in reserve.

Other sides will get closer to them because their bowling is nothing like the quality it was, although they still have decent performers in Clark,Lee & Johnson.

They are all quicks though.
No winning spinner like Warne (nor the calibre of a quick like Hawaii) ...
It'll take some shifting, but I do think the Aussies can now be moved off top spot.

who will take top spot? they may not be as good as before, but which team is currently better than them? india stretched them, but they have all this decade. they should win in the windies and in pakistan if they go there. further on the tour of india is going to be tough for them i feel but the next aussie season will be the real pointer

Batman wrote:When the Saffies and Kiwis chased the huge 300+ 400+ a while back in ODIs, it seemed like a fluke, but now there is more evidence that they can be beaten on any given day.

Bullsh!t. They finished top of the table with one loss coming as a factor of complacency and then they choked like a fat bloke with sleep apnea in the finals.... where's the difference from last year? Not alot? But they won the WC. SA will take over the mantle of 'top friendly winner' probably, but what's that in the scale of things?

Furthermore, this is JAMODIs. They're pants and I wouldn't hold much joy knowing that Aus are 2nd/3rd/4th in the ODI rankings, bar the fact it will hopefully stop a few Aussies being so trite. But then, they'll always bring up the '3 in a row' so, again, not much has changed.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Batman wrote:When the Saffies and Kiwis chased the huge 300+ 400+ a while back in ODIs, it seemed like a fluke, but now there is more evidence that they can be beaten on any given day.

Bullsh!t. They finished top of the table with one loss coming as a factor of complacency and then they choked like a fat bloke with sleep apnea in the finals.... where's the difference from last year? Not alot? But they won the WC. SA will take over the mantle of 'top friendly winner' probably, but what's that in the scale of things?

Furthermore, this is JAMODIs. They're pants and I wouldn't hold much joy knowing that Aus are 2nd/3rd/4th in the ODI rankings, bar the fact it will hopefully stop a few Aussies being so trite. But then, they'll always bring up the '3 in a row' so, again, not much has changed.

Exactly , Mange

Is embee the last Aussie left standing?

I can't believe the hysteria about a couple of ODI wins, triangular tournament final or not. Still, I do find them meaningless.

Brass Monkey wrote:I can't believe the hysteria about a couple of ODI wins, triangular tournament final or not. Still, I do find them meaningless.

To quote Zimmy "disinterest"

Brass Monkey wrote:I can't believe the hysteria about a couple of ODI wins, triangular tournament final or not. Still, I do find them meaningless.

Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation.














NOT.

In tests, India could take top spot in the next 1 year or so, though for how long is not clear since a few retirements are going to come soon. In ODIs, who knows?

taipan wrote:
Is embee the last Aussie left standing?

Dunno. But Timmy's probably inconsolable, crying on his girlfriend's shoulder, tac's probably having a suicide attempt to try and guilt some 'friends' into his lonely little life, Zat is here - he's just got everybody on ignore and skully's probably passed drunk on his PC in the middle of typing a letter to the BCCI sooking his balls off.

doremi wrote:In tests, India could take top spot in the next 1 year or so, though for how long is not clear since a few retirements are going to come soon. In ODIs, who knows?

Lot of good young guys played in the JAMODIs ...but it wasn't until SRT fired with the bat that your batting had a solid look ...

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

doremi wrote:In tests, India could take top spot in the next 1 year or so, though for how long is not clear since a few retirements are going to come soon. In ODIs, who knows?

Nah, not at all. Just haven't the batting line-up once those jewels have faded.

Brass Monkey wrote:

taipan wrote:
Is embee the last Aussie left standing?

Dunno. But Timmy's probably inconsolable, crying on his girlfriend's shoulder, tac's probably having a suicide attempt to try and guilt some 'friends' into his lonely little life, Zat is here - he's just got everybody on ignore and skully's probably passed drunk on his PC in the middle of typing a letter to the BCCI sooking his balls off.

Nah tac won't know the result. There's no live feed in Japan.

taipan wrote:
Nah tac won't know the result. There's no live feed in Japan.

He doesn't care. He cares about himself being some lonely grump with a big balls complex. He's probably a bit 'notice me! NOTICE ME!!!!!'

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

embee wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

Ah well, time for one last sook.

embee wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

Coom awnn... you're a team of 'champs'. One meathead surely isn't going to break you up. Especially this year as his totally uninspiring average of near 40 and econ of 5 isn't the most missable facet of Aus' line up.

So ... presumably, this year it was Ponting's turn to ****** up the team balance?
What was his excuse?

Merlin wrote:So ... presumably, this year it was Ponting's turn to ****** up the team balance?
What was his excuse?

Absinth.

taipan wrote:

embee wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

Ah well, time for one last sook.

I'm sure you have more than one sook left ...

embee wrote:

taipan wrote:

embee wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

Ah well, time for one last sook.

I'm sure you have more than one sook left ...

Weak marty, weak.

Brass Monkey wrote:

embee wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Which is precisely what us Poms said when we thrashed them in the CB series last year - following our Ashes whitewash humiliation..... NOT.

Really? After a bout of laughter due to gigantic hubrissy arrogance from a few of them, that's exactly what I said.

Last year Symonds had torn his bicep and wasn't playing ...this year he has hurt his ankle and wasn't bowling ( plus his batting was pretty shit as well) ...the loss of his allround ability ****** up the team balance

Coom awnn... you're a team of 'champs'. One meathead surely isn't going to break you up. Especially this year as his totally uninspiring average of near 40 and econ of 5 isn't the most missable facet of Aus' line up.

It made them play Hopes ...and yes he batted well tonight ...but increases the pressure on the top order having him come in at seven rather than playing an extra batsman ...BALANCE ...