Are Australia a better side now than 12-18 months ago?

[Poker Boy]

No - they're just older. Since the Ashes last year they've gained one great player - Mike Hussey who should have played in the last Ashes - and Brett Lee's bowling has improved. The search for new talent has been so unsuccsessful that in SA and Bangladesh they recalled Ashes flops Martyn, Kasprowicz and Gillespie(Clarke is different because he's young and can still improve). Hayden and Ponting are scoring runs and Warne bowled briliantly but we knew that already. Yes they've won all but one of their Tests since the last Ashes but against the ICC Waste of time(sorry world)XI the worst WI team ever, SA who were hindered by Grahame Smith's inability to bat as well as he talked, and Bangladesh what would you expect? Had Australia been to India or Pakistan like England have would they have done any better? Australia are still an excellent side but slowly falling from their peak(the last WC in my opinion).

[andyc]

Originally Posted by Poker Boy

No - they're just older. Since the Ashes last year they've gained one great player - Mike Hussey who should have played in the last Ashes - and Brett Lee's bowling has improved. The search for new talent has been so unsuccsessful that in SA and Bangladesh they recalled Ashes flops Martyn, Kasprowicz and Gillespie(Clarke is different because he's young and can still improve). Hayden and Ponting are scoring runs and Warne bowled briliantly but we knew that already. Yes they've won all but one of their Tests since the last Ashes but against the ICC Waste of time(sorry world)XI the worst WI team ever, SA who were hindered by Grahame Smith's inability to bat as well as he talked, and Bangladesh what would you expect? Had Australia been to India or Pakistan like England have would they have done any better? Australia are still an excellent side but slowly falling from their peak(the last WC in my opinion).

Brad Hodge and Stuart Clark hardly did badly.

[Poker Boy]

I agree with you about Hodge but Australia's selectors obviously didn't think so as they dropped him for SA tour two Tests after he scored a double-hundred! And didn't they drop Clark in Bangladesh?