As expected, Australia trounced minnows Bangladesh in the recently concluded Test and ODI series. But while they did manage a clean sweep, their performance was highly patchy in phases- a definite warning signal for the future of Australian cricket. The struggle against a mediocre batting line up on the opening day of the first Test at Fatullah raises the million dollar question once again. Who after McGrath, Warne and co?
Except for the comeback man Jason Gillespie, the Aussie bowling line up- till not long back the most feared - looked completely pedestrian. This despite the presence of Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Stuart Clark, who put in an impressive Man of the Series performance in the preceding series against the Proteas. But the absence of McGrath was clearly felt even against a weak opposition like Bangladesh.
Stuart Clark is tipped to be the next big thing in Australian cricket. But it would be unfair to except him to fit into the giant boots of McGrath. Of course, Clark proved to be a more than adequate replacement in the series against South Africa. But the fact remains that bowlers like the 'Pigeon' come once in a generation. Thankfully for Australia, Gillespie has made a successful return to international cricket - though it seems more of a consolation.
The main worry remains as to who would replace the ageing generation of Aussie superstars. And also how long the present bunch of players must carry on their national duties, considering the tight schedule of international matches these days. The question has assumed all the more importance post Australia's Ashes debacle. Even lately, though, Australia's performance continues to be consistent, there have been enough signs that their domination of world cricket isn't guaranteed any longer. At least not in the shorter version of the game.
South Africa proved this when they chased down the now famous world record score of 434 on way to their 3-2 series victory. This game could turn out to be a defining one for world cricket as it should make other major teams believe that Australia are no longer unassailable. They did come back like true champions in the Test series but the tour of subsequent tour of Bangladesh exposed their failings once again.
Player burnout can be attributed as one of the factors - more so with this team because most of the experienced cricketers in the side are past 30. Adam Gilchrist has been the biggest sufferer. Once having an incredible average of close to 60 in Test cricket, his consistency has come down drastically. It required a break from the rigours of international cricket to rejuvenate him. And it came in very handy as he's beginning to look lethal once again. In fact, it required a match-winning effort from Gilchrist to turn around Australia's fortunes in the Fatullah Test against Bangladesh.
Sadly for Australian cricket, he's not going to be around for too long. Neither are the others like Hayden, Langer and Martyn. Even as Ricky Ponting seems to be getting better with age, Michael Clarke has failed to live up to the promise he showed in India on his debut. While his one-day performances have been satisfactory, this man - who was compared to Mark Waugh in his earlier days - is yet to earn his stripes in Test cricket, if one goes by recent performances.
Not long from now, Aussie cricket will enter a phase wherein they will have to take the field minus most of their prominent stars. And it would be intriguing to watch whether the next set of cricketers are able to carry on the great legacy of Australian cricket. West Indies failed to do so once the likes of Haynes, Greenidge, Richards and the other menacing fast bowlers retired. In fact, to this day, the team is in a state of rebuilding. It can be safely assumed that Australian cricket wouldn't meet with such a fate considering the excellent standard of their domestic structure.
As of today, Aussies are still the numero uno side in world cricket. The Poms - their closest competitor- have been rather inconsistent since tasting success in the Ashes. But whether the world champions manage to maintain that halo of invincibility in the years to come remains to be seen.
Except for the comeback man Jason Gillespie, the Aussie bowling line up- till not long back the most feared - looked completely pedestrian. This despite the presence of Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Stuart Clark, who put in an impressive Man of the Series performance in the preceding series against the Proteas. But the absence of McGrath was clearly felt even against a weak opposition like Bangladesh.
Stuart Clark is tipped to be the next big thing in Australian cricket. But it would be unfair to except him to fit into the giant boots of McGrath. Of course, Clark proved to be a more than adequate replacement in the series against South Africa. But the fact remains that bowlers like the 'Pigeon' come once in a generation. Thankfully for Australia, Gillespie has made a successful return to international cricket - though it seems more of a consolation.
The main worry remains as to who would replace the ageing generation of Aussie superstars. And also how long the present bunch of players must carry on their national duties, considering the tight schedule of international matches these days. The question has assumed all the more importance post Australia's Ashes debacle. Even lately, though, Australia's performance continues to be consistent, there have been enough signs that their domination of world cricket isn't guaranteed any longer. At least not in the shorter version of the game.
South Africa proved this when they chased down the now famous world record score of 434 on way to their 3-2 series victory. This game could turn out to be a defining one for world cricket as it should make other major teams believe that Australia are no longer unassailable. They did come back like true champions in the Test series but the tour of subsequent tour of Bangladesh exposed their failings once again.
Player burnout can be attributed as one of the factors - more so with this team because most of the experienced cricketers in the side are past 30. Adam Gilchrist has been the biggest sufferer. Once having an incredible average of close to 60 in Test cricket, his consistency has come down drastically. It required a break from the rigours of international cricket to rejuvenate him. And it came in very handy as he's beginning to look lethal once again. In fact, it required a match-winning effort from Gilchrist to turn around Australia's fortunes in the Fatullah Test against Bangladesh.
Sadly for Australian cricket, he's not going to be around for too long. Neither are the others like Hayden, Langer and Martyn. Even as Ricky Ponting seems to be getting better with age, Michael Clarke has failed to live up to the promise he showed in India on his debut. While his one-day performances have been satisfactory, this man - who was compared to Mark Waugh in his earlier days - is yet to earn his stripes in Test cricket, if one goes by recent performances.
Not long from now, Aussie cricket will enter a phase wherein they will have to take the field minus most of their prominent stars. And it would be intriguing to watch whether the next set of cricketers are able to carry on the great legacy of Australian cricket. West Indies failed to do so once the likes of Haynes, Greenidge, Richards and the other menacing fast bowlers retired. In fact, to this day, the team is in a state of rebuilding. It can be safely assumed that Australian cricket wouldn't meet with such a fate considering the excellent standard of their domestic structure.
As of today, Aussies are still the numero uno side in world cricket. The Poms - their closest competitor- have been rather inconsistent since tasting success in the Ashes. But whether the world champions manage to maintain that halo of invincibility in the years to come remains to be seen.
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