After over a decade of unstinting dominance, Australia were finally brought down to earth
Peter English05-Jan-2009
Little did Ponting imagine it would be mostly downhill after the Sydney win © Herald Sun
Those who think Australia’s up-and-coming players will always prefer a baggy greento an IPL contract may need to reconsider if the downward trend of the national sidecontinues like it has over the past 12 months. For decades the first-classperformers have dreamed of being elevated to the all-conquering outfit, but when agroup of spots became available in 2008 the new recruits experienced the horror ofthe side’s most unsuccessful calendar year since 1985.For all but the most committed, an annual six-figure bank transfer from India couldsoon become much more enticing than time in the trenches digging the once mightyteam from murky situations. Successful fightbacks became too hard for the currentline-up in the final stages of the year. Stability, consistency and high quality,three benchmarks for modern Australian teams, were lost along with the unofficialNo. 1 ranking – although they cling to the ICC’s version.Twenty-three players were used in Tests by Australia in 2008, in a mixture ofevolution, confusion, injuries and poor form. By the end of the year seven of the 25contracted players were out with various ailments, the first home series defeat in16 years had occurred, and the team was unrecognisable, in performance, from theprevious versions. In December it really was the worst of times as South Africachased 414 for a demoralising result in Perth and then turned the MCG match in a fashion familiar for Australian teams, but not their opponents.Not since the start of Allan Border’s reign had Australia lost five matches in ayear, and that run came when the side had trouble competing with New Zealand.Fortunately for Ricky Ponting, New Zealand were one of three teams Australiabeat, joined by West Indies in the Caribbean and India at the SCG. At the time the series wins were celebrated, but by the end of the year there was no cheer in having overcome the world’s No. 7 and 8 while struggling so badly against two and three. It was not a good sign with such a big year to come, with trips to South Africa andEngland for the Ashes.Followers of Australia have learned they need to lower their expectations. Pontingexperienced a year of 1182 runs at 47.28 in 14 games, which was an excellent return,but because of his previously high standards was considered lean. Once againPonting the batsman was great outside India, while his captaincy was questioned. Theheat began with his over-rate bungle in Nagpur and was followed by his grumpy posesas the team headed to defeat in Perth, and a sloppy attitude in the field that letSouth Africa revive in Melbourne.Ponting repeatedly maintains he is enjoying the challenge of rebuilding the team. Sofar he has been unable to lift them when they are down, a trait that isn’tsurprising considering his overall career pattern. Unfortunately for Ponting, helooks like being Australia’s version of Richie Richardson. Richardson followed theClive Lloyd and Viv Richards eras and was unable to save West Indies. Australia’s slide willnot match the never-ending drop in the Caribbean, mainly because of the strongstructure below the international level. However, Ponting is now in a position wherehe will hope for better, rather than know he can build successfully on theBorder-Taylor-Waugh years.While form, injury, strange spin selections, Andrew Symonds and heated contests withIndia were the major issues, there were also pleasing developments with a couple ofkey players. Michael Clarke showed his maturity, playing tough innings as well asbright ones, to prove there was stability and flair in the middle order. Thewicketkeeper Brad Haddin ended his first year in the team strongly after anuncertain beginning and Mitchell Johnson became an international force with theball, highlighted by his 11 wickets against South Africa at the WACA. Brett Leestruggled after the West Indies tour, taking 57 wickets for the year but ending itwith a diminished reputation and an appointment with his surgeon. For Australia, itwas a time that the senior players will want to forget, and a period that might haveyounger ones starting to reconsider their futures.
The mourns the series loss to South Africa with a replica of the original Ashes obituary © Daily telegraph
New man on the block
Simon Katich was a familiar figure around the Australian side until 2005, when hewas cut as part of the post-Ashes changes. However, he received a chance in the WestIndies when Matthew Hayden was injured, scored four centuries in seven matches andfinished with 1021 runs, the third-most by an Australian in 2008. As the year endedKatich was the banker as opener, while Hayden was under severe pressure.Fading star
Hayden, Brett Lee and Michael Hussey all have strong claims. Statistically, Hussey’sbatting average drop from 80.58 on January 1 to 59.04 on December 31 was the mostsignificant, but Hayden’s collapse from dominator to easy wicket caused the greatestloss of lustre. How he held on for the Sydney Test, only Andrew Hilditch and hisfellow selectors will know.High point
It came in the first week of the year, with Michael Clarke taking three wickets inwhat was meant to be the second-last over of the SCG Test against India. TheAustralians celebrated like they had stolen the World Cup, but by the time they leftthe field the dramatic slip towards the pack had begun.Low point
There is an unusually high number to choose from. A defeat to India away; the firsthome series loss since 1992-93; giving up the second-biggest fourth-innings chase inhistory; letting South Africa escape in Melbourne. The Perth defeat was bad, butwatching the fall continue at the MCG was worse, especially as the injury curseclaimed Shane Watson with another case of back stress fractures.
