The World XI batting failed once again, and brought the Super Test and Super Series to an inglorious end. The Australian team deserves every single compliment it is getting for its fantastic showing. The Ashes defeat was a wake-up call for a side that hasn’t been stretched all that much in recent times. Chastened by that loss, the players approached the Super Series with greater intensity, and the results were there for everybody to see.
They had slackened a bit in certain areas in the recent past, the fielding drills being a case in point. I had got the feeling that the sessions were turning out to be too individual-based. It is great to note that the players have got back to doing things as a unit, as a group. Believe me, these things can make a huge difference. By the time the Aussies realized that they were not quite up to the mark, the Ashes series had gone past the halfway mark, and England were in no mood to loosen their grip.
It’s easy to be wise with the benefit of hindsight, but Stuart MacGill could well have made a difference to Australia’s chances in the Ashes series had he been used in a couple of Tests, particularly the games at Manchester and the Oval. He bowled quite brilliantly in the Super Test in tandem with Warne, and I hope the Aussie think-tank is more amenable to playing both bowlers together in future matches, if the conditions favor spin.
The Australian team has followed the ‘six batsmen + Gilchrist + four bowlers’ policy in recent times. The advent of Shane Watson gives them the option of playing the all-rounder in place of a specialist batsman. Then they can seriously consider playing two specialist spinners. In fact, that is exactly what they did in the Super Test, and I expect this strategy to be adopted more often.
The Australian team will be high on confidence as they prepare for the season, which includes back-to-back series against the West Indies and South Africa. The Windies will depend on the batting talents of Lara, Gayle and Chanderpaul to give them good scores.
However, I feel the West Indian bowlers will struggle to take 20 wickets consistently. There are reports highlighting the emergence of some promising fast bowlers, but it remains to be seen if they can trouble Australia’s awesome batting line-up.
The South Africans will be as competitive as always, with players like Smith, Gibbs, Ntini, Andre Nel and Nicky Boje eager to prove themselves against a strong opponent.
I know this may sound biased, but honestly, I can’t see either the West Indies or South Africa beat Australia. I foresee another period of Australian domination.
