LEATHER REPORT

According to Spanky, we have leather-flingers galore? Not sure everyone agrees.

Spanky:

Australia mines a rich vein of talent Kiwis can't match

Barely a year ago, fears were held that the fast-bowling stocks were emptying as fast as the sugar bowl at an Indian tea party. Glenn McGrath had retired, Jason Gillespie had slowed down and the long-serving Queenslanders had lost their edge. As it turned out, the worries were misplaced. Indeed the pace stocking is bulging.

Pat:

Day 5 at Bellerive is the harbinger of grey days ahead for Oz. We should not forget amidst all the praise of Lee, and talk of 3 pronged pace attacks that only one thing stood between Australia and a 500+ run defeat.

The effortlessly brutal flogging of everything Oz threw at Sangakarra, compounded by our inability to remove Malinga (42 no) is an omen of very bad tidings.

Me:

Naturally, most speculation has centered on our attack, with the emphasis on our ability to replace Warne and McGrath; especially their ability to pinch a wicket when things were starting to dawdle. We all remember Sydney 2004 when the Indians spanked us for 705, and none of us want a repeat. That! was gruesome. Stuey Clark is an admirable McGrath clone, but Lee worries me. Johnson was good in India with the white ball, but has he got what it takes in proper cricket with a red agate? MacGill can bowl, but despite being a wicket taker, he's never really been able to take control like Warne. Would Magilla have been able to turn Adelaide last year the way Warne did? And I've seen bugger all of Hillfenhaus, but as long as he can put it on the spot, I'll be reasonably happy.

I'm a pessimist. Quite obviously we have more depth than all the other teams, but we still lack that lethal cutting-edge. Don't forget: Sydney 2004 was awful, but so was Antigua 2003 when the Windies chased down 400+ with Warne missing presumed slim. It might have been a dead rubber, but our inability to get rid of Omari Banks and Vasbert Drakes with Martin Love dropping a sitter off Banks reminded me of Karachi 1994 when we couldn't get rid of Inzi Potato and Mushtaq Ahmed with Ian Healy missing a stumping. Listening to that Test on the electric radio wahless was every bit as painful as Headingly 1981 and Adelaide 1993.

From what I can gather, our School of Excellence routinely churns out capable first class bowlers. However, it's a big step from the Puras to the B-Green and if we are to continue our domination of world cricket it will be as much to do with the ability of our bowlers to step up that big step to the top step of the cricket steps as it will be to do with the other teams' crappiness. And, as was the case with Kumar At No.3, luck.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Comments

[Mark]

"emptying as fast as the sugar bowl at an Indian tea party."

What?

I thought the whole idea of the tea drinking ritual in Indian was that you didn't use sugar.

On all things relating to the strength Australian cricket, I'm reserving judgment until around September 2009!!

[Tony T]

The 2009 Ashes is definitely something to look forward to, Mark. Most everything since last (our) summer has been a let down.

Speaking of the Ashes...

Beyond argument, Troy Cooley deserves some of the credit for the turnaround. England was mad to let him go after the Ashes series. Apparently the stumbling block was his insistence on a two-year contract, the least of his deserts after he had played his part in producing the formidable bombardment seen in 2005.

Those responsible for his ousting should be hung, drawn and quartered. More likely they will be knighted, as that appears to be the custom these days in the old country.

That ought to make you feel good.

[Scott Wickstein]

Is Lee a better bowler then he was in 2003? I think so, but it would be good to find out against an Indian batting line up that still is capable of monstering bowling that isn't quite good enough.

I see that Larry T. has been picked in the 12 for Boxing Day. All the momentum in the media seems to be leaning towards picking him, (BJ & the Boys last night, for example) but I still wonder if they'll pick him for a Melbourne pitch that doesn't look to be offering much life. Ditto Sydney.

Personally I think the First and Second Tests are going to be the hard ones. Looking at the WACA lately, it should be Duck Season on the Indians given the pace and carry it's been showing. That 20-20 game wasn't a one off, either- WA gave the SA Redbacks a torrid time last week to boot.

But our bowling isn't what it was, and how can it be? I think our batting is as strong as it has ever been, and India had trouble bowling out Pakistan, so it's hard to see them giving us much trouble. But I see more drawn Tests in our future, until the next deadset Australian legend emerges, just in time to wipe out the swinish Poms in 2009.

[Carrot]

You're wrong. This team is as good as it's ever been. Even McGrath and the boys had a bad day at the office every now and again - you're not always going to run through sides.

And even if we weren't that great with the ball (and I think we are), if we're consistently defending 500+ totals we aren't going to lose many matches, are we?

[Tony T]

Well, Carrot old ranger, neither Wicky nor myself think the Aussies are instantly for the tip. But nor do I think we'll be able to consistently run through sides.

And it's true our batting is still good and depthy (That's probably not a word, but you get the drift.). But somehow I can see 300+ targets chased down.

India, Pakistan then the Windies, all on spin-friendly decks, will be a good short term demonstration of where we're going.

[fredfillis]

Seems from afar that we have some half decent quicks around but its the tweakers that are a bit thin (sorry, Stewie) on the ground. Don't see anyone around that has the potential to be a match winner except on very tweak friendly tracks.

Maybe the time has come to forget the old codgers and get a young bloke or two a go over the next 18 months. So, I'd be in favor of 4 quicks when the track suits and when it doesn't give a younger bloke the chance to learn at the highest level.

[Tony T]

The tweakers are difinitely a worry considering we're about to play India, the Pakistan over there. What's the bet in Pakistan they serve up dead pitches. Then where will we be. Unless, of course, our quicks can perform some 80s Windies muggings.

[pat]

You're not wrong Tone. Sadly all too true. Time to bring back Dizzy.

[Scott Wickstein]

Depthy. I like it. Call the Oxford Australian Dictionary at once.