REQUIEMPIRE

By way of introduction, a joke:

Australia is killing the game

By Malcolm Conn
November 12, 2007

THE joy of Australia's utter domination after such a dramatic loss of star personnel can only magnify concerns about the state of world cricket.

Right of reply:

A once great team fighting on its past

Peter Lalor
January 3, 2009

HAS Australia stooped to be conquered? Must fans lower their expectations of cricket as the side lowers its performances?

There was a time when you heard a select group of Australian cricket followers suggest that the national side's dominance of world cricket was boring. Worse, it was ruining the game.

It is a fair assumption they never lived through the Graham Yallop, Kim Hughes or early Allan Border captaincy eras. There are some who say no amount of victories could erase the scars inflicted during those terrible times. Although most would agree that the Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting eras have gone a long way toward easing the trauma.

In this bleak 2008-09 summer, with the side down 2-0 against South Africa and suffering from its first series loss on home soil for years, those who craved a contest now have what they wished for.

South Africa and India are rising. Both have felled the giant. Or, more to the point, both have beaten the diminished outfit that now lives at 1 Cricket St, Australia. The Australian dynasty has clearly reached its end days and has slipped a long way from when the side was considered invincible.

It would be an interesting exercise to see if those who once longed for such times are satisfied.

Down to business:

Second Test: Hey, Hey, We're The Donkeys

The experts keep on about "rebuilding" as if it's a given that we will soon re-assume our rightful position at the top of the wazza. In Test cricket, it doesn't work like that, rebuilding is really just code for buying time. Simply put: we've lost two superstars and hope to fluke two replacement superstars. You don't rebuild a Test team like you rebuild a footy team. There are enough good cricketers here to keep us perpetually strong-ish and up near the top of the ladder, but to have an extended run at No.1 we need to unearth another Warne and another McGrath. They could nearly always be relied upon to bowl the opposition out for less than us; they were the reason we stayed at No.1 for so long.

Since 1987 we have spent most of the time on the top of the rankings. Was this because of our mythical rebuilding, or was it because we had unearthed a once in a lifetime match-winner? Without Warne, and to a lesser degree, McGrath, would we have beaten England in every series from 1989 to 2005? No. Would we have beaten or drawn with the West Indies every time since 1995? No. Would we have beaten or drawn with South Africa every time since 1993/94? No.

We weren't No.1 because we had "rebuilt" ourselves by dint of some magical cricketer factory. We were No.1 because we have always, even in the dark times, churned out lots of capable cricketers, and more importantly, we unearthed two sensational match-winners.

An old friend delivers the closing address:

Australia's dynasty episode ends in farce

Simon Barnes
January 2, 2009

Australia have not slumped because the template is faulty, or because the system has failed. Australia have failed because two of the finest cricketers that ever drew breath have retired. The problem is not about systems, it is about people. It is about life. The problem is that extreme talent is very, very rare — in cricket, in any sport, in any walk of life.

Australia have for years had a considerable number of very fine players. But in Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne they had the difference between very good indeed and absolutely remarkable. That’s why the decline began with their retirement. For that matter, the turning point of the Ashes series of 2005 came when McGrath turned his ankle on a stray cricket ball while sodding about playing rugby before the second Test: for want of a man to do the tidying up, the series was lost.

That’s what happens. Time after time, in sport after sport, when empires decline and fall, it generally comes down not to historic and economic trends, but to the loss of exceptional individuals.

Comments

[the Don has risen]

Indi is noe one of the best teams.

what happens when Temdulkar, Dravid and Laxman ( the best batsman to watch) finally retire?

That's right they will decline

[the Don has risen]

oops that is supposed to be number one and then Tendulkar.

Do not drink Reisling at lunch

[Jrod]

Hello good friend,

Are you thinking of being in London for this years ashes, are you Australian, and would you like to represent an Australian cricket blog in a charity match whilst doing so, I thought so.

Go to cricket with balls and check out all the details, and if you or anyone you know wants to play, email us and we’ll take it from there, it really is that easy.

All the details are at the above link, and the game is in support of the everyman charity.

Cheers

Jrod