The comments themselves might not have been earth shattering, but the fact they came from Ricky Ponting will no doubt cause a few murmurs in world cricket.
In the space of just two Tests, the skipper has conceded Australia’s bowling attack has come back to the pack and his side can no longer expect to steamroll opposition.
Neither statement was hardly a declaration that Australia’s era of world No.1 was reaching an end. In some ways they were what many had already surmised following Australia’s mass retirements of the past 18 months.
But given Ponting’s insistence at the start of last summer that he believed his new-look side could perhaps even exceed the feats of the Warne-McGrath era, the captain’s concessions will no doubt be taken by the Australia’s closest rivals as a further sign that the world champion’s aura of invincibility is eroding.
There may not have been too much surprise in the end result of Australia’s 2-0 series victory against the West Indies.
But the fact Australia still had to work hard on the 15th day of the three-Test series to claim victory over the supposed world No.8 was widely unexpected.
Having made winning Test matches in three and four days an art form for a decade, Australia now know they will likely have to battle hard for five days more often than not to claim victories.
Ponting described it as grinding out results.
After the third Test, he also noted that at the moment it’s working.
Despite the retirements of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and co, Australia have still won a World Cup and three Test series over the past 18 months.
The true test of Australia’s grinding qualities, though, will come over the next year when Australia travel to India, South Africa and England – the three leading challengers to Australia’s Test throne.
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