Is this the worst Australian test side, ever?

[Dave the OAP]

Apart from Siddle who is world class, they do not have a talisman, Shane Warne type spinner and that is really the issue they have. Most of the top sides now have top class spinners, India have them, Pakistan, Sri lanka, we have one...BUT the two sides that dominated world cricket for many years do not have world class spinners ( West Indies and Australia), although paradoxically Saffies rely on their pace men rather than the spinners and they are number 2 at the moment.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Interesting view. What makes you say he's world class? Personally, I think he's little more than an average bowler who has stood out on a couple of occasions because he is one of the few Australians to have shown the determination and attitude that usually typifies them.

Exactly right.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I definitely wouldn't describe Siddle as being 'world class', but then perhaps Yorkshiremen have low standards when it comes to cricketing prowess.

There is a distinct lack of genuine world class pace bowlers in this day and age.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Interesting view. What makes you say he's world class? Personally, I think he's little more than an average bowler who has stood out on a couple of occasions because he is one of the few Australians to have shown the determination and attitude that usually typifies them.

I think he was the only one of the Aussies who really troubled our batsmen consistently...as he has done for a while ( and Graeham Smith , the Saffie skipper reckoneed he was the one bowler he would have from any team in the world in his side - and as he is the captain of the number 1 side, I think I would take his word for it)

I think it was a bit more than determination. His use of the conditions to get reverse and especially movement off the seam was something apart.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I definitely wouldn't describe Siddle as being 'world class', but then perhaps Yorkshiremen have low standards when it comes to cricketing prowess.

There is a distinct lack of genuine world class pace bowlers in this day and age.

hahahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha

I prostrate myself at the world leading wit

 

[Spiros]

Interesting view. What makes you say he's world class? Personally, I think he's little more than an average bowler who has stood out on a couple of occasions because he is one of the few Australians to have shown the determination and attitude that usually typifies them.

Until a few days ago I might have been inclined to agree with you but I thought his bowling performance in the England innings was one of the best from a player on either side in the test. On a very unhelpful wicket he took 6 for 75 - his figures compare with our best bowlers in the first innings even though they had helpful conditions. He also took 6 in the first innings at Brisbane.

 

[Simster]

hahahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha

I prostrate myself at the world leading wit

In fairness, you are certainly on your own in describing Peter Siddle as "world class".

 

[Barrel of Fun]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=5540;type=series

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Until a few days ago I might have been inclined to agree with you but I thought his bowling performance in the England innings was one of the best from a player on either side in the test. On a very unhelpful wicket he took 6 for 75 - his figures compare with our best bowlers in the first innings even though they had helpful conditions. He also took 6 in the first innings at Brisbane.

A good bowler is always going to take the lion's share of the wickets, when the rest of the attack is utterly toothless*. Anderson had to share his wickets with Finn, Bresnan, Tremlett, Swann and Broad. With the exception of one good innings for Johnson, they were all there for Siddle to collect.

*See Hadlee, R.

 

[Billy the Fish]

If Siddle is world class based on his performance in this series then so is Bresnan.

Siddle is a workmanlike bowler who will run in all day. He's very good, but he's rarely unplayable.

Dale Steyn, Zaheer Kahn and Jimmy Anderson are probably the only bowlers I'd label as world class at the moment.

*edit* I should say that I'm not counting spinners in that list

 

[Pavilionaire]

No, this is NOT the worst Australian side ever. That honour must go to the side England humbled 5-1 in Australia in 1978/79.

This time, England have made a pretty decent side look abysmal.

Katich, Hughes, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Haddin - all average over 40 in test cricket. Of the bowlers, Johnson and Harris average under 30 for their wickets, whilst Siddle's 73 wickets have come at a better average than Jimmy Anderson's haul. Throw in Nathan Hauritz and that should be a competitive side. It just goes to show what can happen when your confidence goes.

 

[Questions]

If Siddle was your 3rd or 4th seamer then you`d be fairly happy IMO.
Since I`ve been watching Ashes cricket though they,ve normally had a stronger first 2.
If you had a Mcgrath or an Alderman in there with Johnson bowling to his real potential then things would be so different. But they dont and he isn`t so this is an average attack.
As for their batting, well thats more of a form issue I reckon because Hussey,Ponting, Clark and a fit Katich are all quality. Their openers though are nowhere near good enough. Watson is a number 6 and Hughes should never be there.
Truth is they lost a lot of great cricketers in a very short space of time. Mcgrath, Warne, Lee,Langer, Hayden.

 

[Grendel]

Let's not forget that the series could still be drawn, and not much more than a week ago they absolutely destroyed us.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Grendel, unless England go on a week-long bender that's not going to happen.

Questions, you can add Gilchrist to that list. Even Gillespie would walk into this side and they could also have done with Stuart Clark, not to mention McGill.

 

[H block]

Grendel, unless England go on a week-long bender that's not going to happen.

Questions, you can add Gilchrist to that list. Even Gillespie would walk into this side and they could also have done with Stuart Clark, not to mention McGill.

Gilchrist was immense.