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ICC Test rankings

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
Australia are now the 5th ranked test nation after the latest update by the ICC.

Whilst this is very embarrassing for our proud nation, the question needs to be asked, why are we so low on the table? The most logical answer would be a that there is too much of a focus on T20 cricket and techniques and concentration skills have suffered though I believe the answer lies a lot deeper than this. What is it? I do not know. A lack of killer instinct may be one answer, case in point being in the Sri Lankan series where we had them in the 1st innings of the first test 5/67 and in the 1st innings of the third test they were 5/26. Both games were lost.

Let’s hope that by boof returning home to prepare for the ashes series we can see some turn around in fortunes.
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
47,822
Being 5th is absolutely disgraceful. With our resources we should never drop out of the top 3.

Needless odi and t20 series are just the start of it. Our inability to adjust to pitches with even a whiff of seam or spin or the swinging ball is another major problem.

I'll throw in the preoccupation with the ashes as a reason we aren't doing well. You shouldn't be building towards the ashes, every series and every test result needs to be important.

And wade.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
150,734
maybe its because we are not as good as we think we are, together with our selectors continually picking players for 1 or 2 test matches then dropping them and not allowing the team to settle

picking Wade and injuries to fast bowlers, or rotating fast bowlers for no real reason dont help either
 

OVP

Coach
Messages
11,623
It's because all our pitches are roads now. The batsmen cannot adjust to playing in any conditions overseas because roads are rare anywhere but here.

In the past our batsmen were well prepared. The Gabba used to seam around like England for 2 days, Sydney was a spinning minefield from day 1, the WACA was like playing with a golf ball on cement, it was so bouncy, Adelaide was always a bit of a road, and Melbourne was a variable bounce minefield. Now they are all roads.

I totally 100% blame James Sutherland and the ACA and their Judas-like love of money.
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
66,136
We win the ashes 3-1 we go to clear 3rd

The SL series stuffed us up big time. We had only lost 1 test to them in the past includes both home and away series. Then wham 3-0. You lose a ton of points if sides a lot lower than you in the ranking beat you

Next summer India are here, and if the decks are prepared bouncy, we will belt them and gain a lot of points from them and they will dip down. I think they tour SA soon over XMAS and then England,

I think if we can sort out no6 and no7 positions, we will get back up there over the next 12-18 months
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
99,404
Plenty of valid reasons in this thread...

*We haven't got the batting we once had, that could perform in most conditions
*We haven't got a world class spinner
*We have quite a young side. Many of these guys just went to India for the first time and several are about to play their first Ashes
*The side is rarely the best available side because our selectors are rubbish
*Our home pitches suck and the Kookaburra ball is rubbish, leads to issues when the ball moves.

I'd also add that I think the rankings are severely distorted by India's monster home summer (as India no doubt counted on when they set it up). If we played 13 tests at home in a season I'd wager the table would look a lot different...
 

hineyrulz

Post Whore
Messages
148,279
All our batsman are front foot plodders, raised on roads that can’t handle anything that moves a millimeter in the air or off the pitch.

Our quick bowling continually breaking down on these same said roads haven’t helped.
Plus the selectors obsession with finding a f**king all rounder and picking a useless merkin like Wade because he has some mongrel.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
150,734
The Sheffield Shield was once a great grooming nursery for future test players

For a variety of reason it is not anymore

I dont think there is a variety of reasons, its just all about $$$ for mine

If it wasn't for the big beat off, we would still have plenty of Shield cricket
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
All our batsman are front foot plodders

I would say a couple of them aren’t even that. Some of them just stand there and swing the bat. That and concentration are the biggest reasons why we struggle when the ball nips about a touch.
 

simmo1

First Grade
Messages
5,340
Every country has big T20 leagues, so its a stretch to blame it for our failings when it effects all countries pretty much equally.

It mostly comes down to the batting being poor overseas, which can be put down to a lack of variation in pitches at home.
 
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