There was a lot of doom and gloom last summer when Australia lost a home series to India.
The Test team was labelled, among other things, overrated and old, and were accused of having a bowling attack thoroughly undeserving of being called the best in the world.
I wasn’t buying into the hysteria and felt it was a massive overreaction.
In short, there was plenty of world-class talent in the team, and while not perfect, they should be allowed one underperforming series without reaching for the pitchforks, and sending people off into premature retirement.
Despite many thinking the sky was falling, the balanced and rational summary was that Australia simply needed to find a number five batsman, to add a fast bowler to the rotation, and have an eye on the next keeper and captain.
Well, Travis Head, Jhye Richardson, Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Alex Carey and Pat Cummins – as a collective – seem to have answered those questions, less than 12 months after they were asked.
(Photo by Matt Roberts – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Head’s blistering century in Brisbane set the tone for the series, with every sniff of an England advantage consistently being countered by the Aussies, aggressively and immediately.
Head looks to have matured as a batsman, and the previously vacant number five spot in the batting line-up is now his to lose.
Richardson and Neser filled in nicely in Adelaide when Josh Hazlewood and Cummins were ruled out due to injury and a COVID scare, respectively.
When they pulled up sore, it set the stage for Boland’s fairytale debut at the MCG. The performances of all three quicks provides evidence that Australia’s fast bowling stocks are deeper than many believed.
Carey has been extremely tidy behind the stumps. Two difficult missed opportunities to his right are his only blemishes with the gloves thus far.
His batting average of 19 belies his ability with the bat, yet we all know what he’s capable of, and he has managed a half-century in his first three Tests.
(Photo by Matt Roberts – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Lastly, as I wrote a few weeks ago, the captaincy of Cummins has been faultless thus far, with his leadership partnership with Steve Smith undoubtedly the right call by Cricket Australia.
Unfortunately for the pessimists, it does appear as though the Australian Test team remains a very good one, with most of the concerns actually turning into positives. So you can stay where you are, sky.
It’s about now that I should pump the brakes a touch on my ungracious victory lap, because it would be remiss not to mention that the opposition was most definitely not India.
There’s no point beating around the bush, England have been terrible.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
A lot of things have contributed to England’s capitulation and the sad fact the series has been decided after just three Tests: a less than ideal preparation, muddled thinking, questionable selections, inconsistent plans, poor captaincy, terrible execution and bad application.
Yet the biggest reason for England’s performance is their talent, for they’re simply just not very good.
Expecting batsmen with first-class batting averages in the mid 30s to somehow outperform their statistics against a quality attack, bowling on their home decks, in front of boisterous crowds, is the height of optimism. Or madness.
When you can’t post decent scores, it puts too much pressure on the bowling attack.
The English bowlers haven’t been without fault themselves, but are far from the biggest issue facing England, who as a nation need to decide if they value red-ball cricket or not.
The evidence overwhelmingly suggests they don’t, which is disappointing.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
It also means that the Australian success needs to be taken with a grain of salt, because they have very rarely been put under any pressure thus far in the series.
Bigger examinations await this Australian side, and some of the aforementioned question marks may be raised again when stiffer opposition is faced.
However, you can also only play what’s in front of you.
If the opposition is poor, then you need to be ruthless and demonstrate just how much better you are than them, and the Aussies – to their credit – have done just that.
The 2021-22 Ashes has been an absolute bloodbath, and the chasm that exists between the two teams has been illustrated mercilessly by Australia.
The sky is falling alright, but it’s over England.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Victorians might think so... I had to have a second look when I saw that David Boon was to be available for the fifth test. I thought that we had a decent No. 3?
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Totally agree. And with the series in the bag, I think Australia should play Swepson in Sydney, because I think two spinners, and 3 quicks (including Green) is the optimal balance for the sub-continent, so it would be good to give it a dry run now, with zero pressure.
BBBT
Roar Rookie
The biggest issue last year against India was that we ran our bowlers into the ground. That was always a huge risk playing back to back tests. The back end of the Gabba test was painful to watch with the big 3 of Cummins, Hoff and Starc truely spent. This year by design and necessity we’ve rotated through 6 quicks to fill the 3 spots. India was roughly the same last year with guys coming in when required.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Even the South Australian Seconds would have a shot at victory.
Mike
Guest
Ryan - the selectors clearly have their eye on the big picture with Green. He could be a major asset for success in India. A number 6 who can bowl at 140 km from 6'6" would allow us to have three quicks and two spinners. A mature and confident Green could well provide the difference in India - and anywhere for that matter. Green is most definitely worth "carrying". His FC batting average shows it's not "pie in the sky" stuff.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Hazelwood and Starc would likely rotate in terms of partnering Cummins, depending on workload and pitch conditions. The advantage of having Green in the team is that the other two quicks can be selected with impact as the primary factor, rather than durability.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Tony he will play again he’s our best young talent since Ponting. The selectors will be patient & if all goes well he be captain & play 50 odd tests.Lots of people will disagree but the selectors want this to occur, in a insane world including the flat earth society will agree!
Robert
Guest
Let's not get carried away, we've beaten England well but the Tasmanian Second XI would probably beat this team. Australia still have issues they need to sort out quickly
Simoc
Roar Rookie
Carey scored a ton the week he was selected. Guess you don't watch much cricket. Only Harris, Root, Warner scored well at the MCG. The pitch favored the bowlers to much. Last year showed what fresh bowlers can do when introduced later in a tough series. Australia has learnt quickly. Fast bowlers get worn out.
Ace
Roar Rookie
The point I totally agree on is that the Australians were ruthless and as a result combined well as a team. Contributions came from all. Getting that ruthless edge will make them hungry for more success
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
There’s a bit going on here! There is zero evidence of any England bounce about to happen! But hopefully, for the sake of England, and Test cricket, they do. “...had the Ashes been played on English soil the reverse result would have been so.” The Ashes was played on English soil, two years ago. And the series wasn’t over after three Tests? As for Australia, I think you might want to look up NZ’s record against Australia in Tests, as I’m not sure the statement “NZ will bring us back down to earth with a thud as is often the case v the Kiwis” is even remotely accurate, is it? And we belted them last time we played them!
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Well, to be fair, I think the obsession came from him scoring back-to-back double hundreds in the Shield cricket. Which is no mean feat, even on roads. And then he looked pretty good in his debut Test. He's had issues with getting hit in the head, but it really escalated after the "obsession".
Steele
Guest
I thought most cricket pundits knew we had great bowling depth, thus the annoyance with the lack of rotation last year. The big four were just not getting it done. The batting is interesting, we have two future hall of famer’s and an utterly dominant “on home pitches” opening batsman. Head is showing great support yet he is unproven away, hopefully he performs better than Warner does abroad. So that’s not a bad lineup for any starting 11. Unfortunately we haven’t had batting depth for some time. Who is banging down the door to get in? Then to the keeping. Carey is catching well but is batting about as well as he has been in shield cricket-Not very well. Perhaps selectors missed a trick by selecting a guy on name and not form. Time will tell.
Republican
Guest
Perelective please. This Albion line up isnt potentially its strongest, they are playing away from home in the Australian bubble while had the Ashes been played on English soil the reverse result would have been so. I don't believe this Ashes victory rings in a renaissance of Australian Cricket while I expect England to bounce back in the next two tests to restore a semblance of national pride. I also reckon our pending series v NZ will bring us back down to earth with a thud as is often the case v the Kiwis.
Tony H
Roar Pro
I never got the obsession with Puc. He's been hit a million times by bowlers who aren't test standard. Throwing him to the wolves at test level would quite likely end his career and his health. My guess would be that he never plays another test, and if he does, he'll play in the middle order.
Whidm72
Roar Rookie
I think we still have a few questions around the batting and also a second spinner. Both issues important with Tests in the subcontinent coming up
Marty
Roar Rookie
No doubt Australia have played very well but I’m not sure how much you can read into this series. Not only do the English lack talent, particularly with the bat, they’ve also been dumb with their bowling plans and failed to execute basic skills. Your batting average shouldn’t effect whether you can take a catch. Apart from a couple of sessions they’ve played about as badly as a team can.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Bryce Street got a ton against the Lions.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Looking at the list of batting averages in Shield cricket, I agree that Australia has a bit of an issue. And it’s been like that for some time. We’re fairly heavily propped up by Smith, Marnus and Warner (on home soil, at least). If any of those three were injured (or retired), I think our batting depth would be very tested. As for the spinners, Mitchell Swepson would be the next in line, and he’s pretty handy. I’d love an old SCG wicket to be served up next week, so that we could possibly play two spinners, and see what he’s like. Green’s bowling would certainly help Australia field two spinners.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Cheers Sheek - hope you had a good Xmas, mate!