Yes, we did it. All the hope and belief that Australians invested in our cricket team actually returned a 381-run demolition of our visitors. And it was beautiful.
I can’t remember the last time I stood and clapped my own television, but I did when the Australian team left the field for tea on day two at the Gabba. Alright, and maybe once or twice again before the end of play on day four.
Now, as with any victory, the winning side deserves their pat on the back.
In this case, the Australian Test side had been down on form, and especially down on their luck in the Northern summer. It showed real spirit to open the series in the manner in which they did and they are deserving of praise.
However, I fear that these deserved pats on the back are being too closely followed by smug smiles – something Australian cricketers (and cricket fans) have not yet reclaimed the right to wear.
When interviewed on Monday morning, David Warner provided little beyond your run-of-the-mill responses in the wake of such a victory.
His delivery, however, carried an undeniable smugness, the likes of which is not yet justified in the context of this Ashes series – especially considering the outcome in England just months ago.
Now this is not to say I have an issue with arrogant sportspeople. The reality is quite the opposite – there is nothing I find more entertaining than seeing the most arrogant person (or team) go out and dominate a sport.
But herein lies my problem with any early onset of arrogance within the Australian cricket community – for arrogance to be justified, you need to be considerably proven.
Arrogance in sport should be considered a luxury item. If you can’t cut the cheques when it counts, you’ll end up looking like a fool.
As it currently stands, Australia’s most recent form is not enough to see me find comfort in the idea of entering the Adelaide Test with any appearance of an arrogant mindset.
I’ll admit I am excited, like many Australian cricket fans, at the thought of the momentum created by the Gabba Test snowballing throughout the summer, culminating in a commanding and historic victory. And like every good fan, I do believe such an outcome exists in the realm of possibility.
I have a stronger belief, however, that it is too early to think about ducking down to the shops to pick up some urn polish.
With Australia enjoying a 1-0 lead heading to Adelaide and Perth, there has been a wealth of confident chatter emerge about the likelihood of a draw on the flat track in Adelaide, followed by another dominant Australian victory, led by a barrage from Mitchell Johnson, on a pace-friendly pitch in Perth.
Penciling in such an outcome leaves Australia incredibly well placed to bring the Ashes home. But please, put your pencils down.
One of the major driving forces of Australia’s confidence is the form of Mitchell Johnson – but I cannot help but feel uncertain about how his series will unfold.
Yes, he has come out incredibly strong and appears to be both physically and mentally well prepared. But there is a reason cricket fans feel a haunting sense of frustration at the sight of his name on a team sheet – his streaks of form have long teetered on the fence between brilliant and inadequate.
Now I stress, I do not want to put forward a prediction that Johnson will stumble in Adelaide, and fall (beneath heavy expectations) in Perth – nothing would frustrate me more than to see this actually transpire. But the possibility underlines why I am cautious with my confidence at this early stage in the series.
As a result, I feel a need to advocate that Australians practice a bit of modesty as the next two Tests play out.
Let’s not be so enthusiastic to gift our underdog status to the English – such a status can be a powerful thing when placed in undeserved hands.
Sandy
Guest
I take great pride just knowing we are not going to go down 5-0, we got that monkey off our back, hurdle 1, tick. I can now sit back and enjoy the next 4 matches with a smile, with that knowledge alone.
Slane
Guest
That our players can play well every now and then was not the question. It's consistency that's been the problem . One comprehensive performance is not evidence that any problems with consistency have been ironed out.
Clyde Monk
Roar Rookie
on stress leave perhaps?.. or possibly a self imposed media ban??
Shane.M
Guest
Where is Chris Uk? -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Sage
Guest
Not until they win the series it isn't, no. I think the "enthusiastic" reaction stems from the Poms being terribly smug themselves after 3 series wins so it was doubly satisfying to stuff them so badly. Early days though. Just a bit of cricket left in this series
TheTruth
Guest
I'm not sold on Hughes anymore after being a longtime advocate of his. I have the feeling that he may be in the mold of a flat track bully, although I hope I am proven wrong! In terms of his development, moving to SA was the worst choice he could've made, as playing at Adelaide will do nothing for his game. He would've been much better off going to QLD or TAS, as his biggest problem seems to be against the swinging/seaming delivery
TheTruth
Guest
Agree about Bailey, he looked atrocious out in the middle and way out of his depth. I'd say if he doesnt have a decent crack at Adelaide, then a replacement will needed
Manoj
Guest
Still beware of the hurt POMs, expect a much tougher match in Adelade
jameswm
Roar Guru
Travis Head is another possibility n the top 6 in 2-3 years. Top young SA bat, only 19.
Ryman White
Editor
Yes, I agree that all members of the team will be back down from any victory high they experienced and should be well prepared for business in a weeks time – it may prove to be a very well timed break. I also wanted to express the importance of fans and commentators not driving excessive expectations for the rest of the series, because that can shift peoples mentality entering a match. Not sure if Australia deserve, or would even want to be labeled favourites and expected to win?
Linedropout
Roar Pro
I'd suggest keep it going if that's what landed us the comprehensive 'Gabba victory. It seems to me that the confidence (call it smugness) created by the whirlwind bowling session spilled over to their batting and ultimately had us winning the Test. I think David Warner should only intensify his off-field behaviour; it will get under the skin of KP et al and, possibly, work in our favour. That being said, he has to back up his words if he's going to continue.
Sandy
Guest
Chris...geez man, what can I say, absolutely spot on, thank you.
shadow
Guest
In regard to Warner, I believe it is in the eye of the beholder whether you deem his post test demeanor as smug or happy. For me he is an aggressive little bugger in the same mould as other small bodied and uppity Australian sportsmen like tom carroll, Geoff Toovey or even Ricky Ponting in his earlier years. And this what makes Warner unique from any of the other batsmen in the Australian side. Watson, Bailey, Rogers, Smith and Clarke. They do not have that same presence and it would be laughable if they tried to carry the role of provocateur. It didn't really come off that great for Clarke when he threatened Anderson, particularly as he was threatening Anderson with Johnson's bowling rather than anything he himself could do. But, Warner and the Australian side have clearly seen it as a role he can play and I think it is working judging from the noises being made by the England camp.
ChrisT
Guest
It's OK for Australians to be smug
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I agree. Not sure what they would do instead of Watson at this point. I'm certain Hughes will be back, but I also hope he gets all of this season, and preferably next season also just to play first class cricket and get his mojo back properly first. I suspect that in 2-3 years time our order will look something like this: Warner Silk Hughes Clarke Smith Maddinson A new keeper to come out of nowhere in the next couple of years and get picked when Haddin retires Starc Pattinson Cummins Lyon But many of these players either need to get through injuries or aren't quite ready yet.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
You can't seriously think of Faulkner as a top-6 batsman? At the moment he should be in a team as a bowler who can hopefully score you some runs at number 8. He's never even scored a first class hundred. The one day century where he just went the slog in India is his only triple figure score. As Watson's position is for a batsman who can bowl some overs, not a bowler who can bat a bit, Faulkner really isn't a good fit at all. The problem is that you either weaken the batting lineup significantly going for an extra bowler, forget about having an allrounder and just pick a batsman, or you try and find a like-for-like replacement. Unfortunately, there simply isn't a like for like out there at the moment. The closest is Henriques, but he's not ready for test cricket at this point and may always be just not quite good enough. I would think that if they finally jettison Watson it has to be for a pure batsman and do without the allrounder. Remember Watson was brought into the team at the expense of Phil Hughes when he was first picked to open, so prior to that they weren't playing with an allrounder at all, just some part-timers who could roll out a few overs like Hussey and Clarke.
Tony Loedi
Roar Guru
At this stage we have to persevere with Watson. I think he'd would be better suited batting down the order but who else can bat at 3? Doolan has huge wrap's but doesn't really have a great average in Shield cricket. Hughes, Khawaja and Marsh have all tried with not much success.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Smith got a duck in the second innings, but he was looking very good for his 32 in the first innings. So while it was a disappointing test for him batting-wise, I certainly wouldn't say he was woeful. I expect him to score a lot more runs in this series yet. Rogers, Watson and Bailey certainly need to step it up. With them it wasn't just not scoring a lot of runs, but the way they didn't look quite up to it in doing so. While Smith actually looked quite comfortable and in control and playing well until he got out in the first innings, Rogers, Bailey and Watson all looked almost out of their depth. They all need some serious improvement not just in the number of runs they score, but in just looking like they belong there in doing so.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Agreed. Clarke made it very clear in the post match presentations that there was still a long way to go in this series and they need to really keep playing hard because England will come back and do a lot better in some of the matches to come. He's definitely under no illusions, and I expect when they all come together before the Adelaide test that it will very much be back to business.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think suggesting Warner shouldn't be a happy, satisfied individual and answer questions posed to him out of that coming off the back of such a thumping victory in which he personally performed very well is pretty dumb. Why shouldn't he be? He's been hearing from England how Australia wouldn't win a test in this series, that people like Warner and co aren't of close to the quality of the English batsmen, and any conditions to favour fast bowling will just play into the hands of the English quicks. Then they came out and demolished England, and they didn't just rip through them in the first innings, where England have often been fragile in the first tests of series, but in the second also, where most of the time recently they've shown major resistence and come back. I don't think any of them are remotely thinking the job is basically done and they'll just romp through things from here. But to suggest he doesn't have the right to feel pretty good about proving a hell of a lot of people wrong in that first test is silly.