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Aussie team of 80's not that bad

Will Scarlet

U19 Debutant
I think the AUS team of the 80's was nowhere near as bad as people say. The team included some quality players: Allan Border, David Boon, Dean Jones, Geoff Marsh, Craig McDermott, Bruce Reid, Merv Hughes, Simon O'Donnell, and Greg Matthews. Lillee, Greg Chappell, and Rod Marsh also played until the end of 1983.

Let's not also forget that AUS won the World Cup in 1987, for the first time.

WI, ENG, and NZ were all just stronger throughout the 80's. Not enough credit is given by Australian (and others) cricket fans to this and the AUS players of that period.
 

Top_Cat

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But then again, most of those guys weren't <Zoolander> RIDICULOUSLY talented </Zoolander> in the same way Ponting/Hayden/Martyn/Clarke are. They all had a degree of natural talent which was complemented by an extremely professional attitude engendered in them by Bob Simpson. I have no doubt that had Bob Simpson not come along, guys like Boonie, Marsh and Craig McDermott wouldn't have been near-greats like they are remembered today. Would Steve Waugh have been as great? I don't know but Simpson's attitude has influenced several generations of Test cricketers. Australian cricket owes him a LOT.
 

Will Scarlet

U19 Debutant
Yes, and Steve Waugh, of course.

The current AUS team, like the Windies of the 70's and 80's are exceptional though. Just because the 80's team were not as good doesn't make them ordinary.

Allan Border remains the highest test run-scorer, with an average of over 50. That's exceptional by any standards.
 

Camel56

Banned
Yes in hindsight the players werent too bad but you must remember they were a fairly young side when they came together and only over time developed into the top line players that they became.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Most of the better players you mentioned did not start to perform until the late 80s/early 90s. In fact, the 1989 Ashes team was rated by many, with justification, as the weakest ever to leave our shores.

The problem lay in the fact that we had so many retirements at about the same time that the team was almost completely comprised of inexperience and/or ordinary players.
 

Top_Cat

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In fact, the 1989 Ashes team was rated by many, with justification, as the weakest ever to leave our shores.
On paper, that was probably the case but the scribes of the time completely underestimated the ability of Terry Alderman, Dean Jones, AB, etc. The batting was actually relatively strong but the bowling was where the mysteries were. No-one rated Merv, no-one knew anything about Greg Campbell or Trevor Hohns and certainly no-one thought Geoff Lawson would have as good a series as he did, coming back from a major back injury as he was (with vastly reduced pace).

That in addition to the fact that England had a strong side on paper (Gooch, Gower, Broad, Beefy, Smith, Lamb, Gatting, Fraser, Foster, Pringle, etc.) Most of the main players just had poor series'.
 

telsor

U19 12th Man
While the players themselves may have been talented, and capable of some exceptional individual performances, as a team, they kept loosing. That is why that era is considered a black spot in Australian cricket history.

Arguments can be made today that some teams possess players who are (at least) as talented as the Australians, but the 'secret' to Australia's current success is that they work as a team better than anyone.
 

Will Scarlet

U19 Debutant
telsor said:
Arguments can be made today that some teams possess players who are (at least) as talented as the Australians, but the 'secret' to Australia's current success is that they work as a team better than anyone.
I disagree. I think AUS currently, and over the last decade, have most of the top players in cricket, all in the same team. Back in the 80's other teams had the more talented players but AUS still had a reasonable team.

And back to my original point. Not enough credit is given to the other countries (WI, ENG, and NZ) for Australia's demise during this period.
 

Top_Cat

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telsor - with spelling like that im sure you will be continually loosing (sic) too.
To say that was unnecessary seems almost unnecessary. Pull yer head in, chum.

Arguments can be made today that some teams possess players who are (at least) as talented as the Australians, but the 'secret' to Australia's current success is that they work as a team better than anyone.
True and false in a sense. There are teams who, player-for-player, match the Aussies but I can't think of one who exceeds them (for example; name a team which has a bowling attack to match McGrath, Gillespie, Kasper and Warne). But yes, the 'team first' ethic is what wins the Aussies more games than not.

The Indian batting line-up comes close to matching the Aussie batting line-up (Tendulkar, Laxman and Dravid are tough to beat) but I'd pit the Aussie top 7 against anyone in the world right now.
 

Top_Cat

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Camel; I'm a mod so it's my job to uphold the rules and ensure that the forum is kept in good spirits. As such, if I feel a comment to keep that spirit going is necessary, I'll make it. I'm not 'telling you what to do', just making sure you're aware that you too have a responsibility to post in good faith, as you agreed to do when you signed up.
 

Richard Rash

U19 Cricketer
Top_Cat said:
Camel; I'm a mod so it's my job to uphold the rules and ensure that the forum is kept in good spirits. As such, if I feel a comment to keep that spirit going is necessary, I'll make it. I'm not 'telling you what to do', just making sure you're aware that you too have a responsibility to post in good faith, as you agreed to do when you signed up.

Power trip. Chill out. Smoke a joint son. Camel is a legend. My faviourte poster of all time. Honestly if its to be its up to me
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Top_Cat said:
True and false in a sense. There are teams who, player-for-player, match the Aussies but I can't think of one who exceeds them (for example; name a team which has a bowling attack to match McGrath, Gillespie, Kasper and Warne). But yes, the 'team first' ethic is what wins the Aussies more games than not.

The Indian batting line-up comes close to matching the Aussie batting line-up (Tendulkar, Laxman and Dravid are tough to beat) but I'd pit the Aussie top 7 against anyone in the world right now.
I dunno that there are anymore. I have no wish to denigrate the magnificent Oz team work ethic, but the Oz players are head-and-shoulders above other teams, talent-wise.

As you rightly say India's batting line-up (when fit) is pretty awesome, but (and admittedly this is just my call, which may be influenced by more Aussies playing CC than Indians) they don't seem to have back-up guys of the quality of Katich or Love waiting to step in.

One can pick players from other teams who would arguably get picked to go into the Oz team, but I don't reckon there's more than 3 from any of 'em.
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
Richard Rash said:
Power trip. Chill out. Smoke a joint son. Camel is a legend. My faviourte poster of all time. Honestly if its to be its up to me
Ignore this post TC - he's already told us he's drunk.


I like the Yellow Card there - nice touch!
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
The side's biggest weakness was their bowling. It was not a very penetrative attack. Had that been so, the batting would not have appeared as bad as it does from this far in time.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Australia was totally inexperienced and weak pre 1987. If a test team from that poor period in Aussie cricket is taken up, a lot of players can be seen who would struggle to make the Australian team post 1993.

The fact that India, a team which almost always couldnt bat for toffies abroad, drew a lot of the matches in a series they toured, outscoring Australia in some first innings, ss reminicent of the good Indian batting but also of the weak Australian bowling.

The Aussie selectors are to be credited to brin in guys like S.Waugh who were very raw and back them which ultimately led to the team delivering the goods in 87 and finally the Australian team rejuvenation in 1989. And in 6 years they were the best test team in the world.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Yeah. Atleast the 80s Windies team had some good teams pushing them. That is why it is so sad that none of the teams today can push these Aussies. They are the best and they deserve to be the best, but it would be better if they get some serious competition, more consistently. I think, we, the fans, deserve that.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
honestbharani said:
Yeah. Atleast the 80s Windies team had some good teams pushing them. That is why it is so sad that none of the teams today can push these Aussies. They are the best and they deserve to be the best, but it would be better if they get some serious competition, more consistently. I think, we, the fans, deserve that.
I don't know... let's remember that in 2004 Australia were beaten once (albeit not exactly a thrashing) and had two draws. They also trailed on the first innings in all three tests against Sri Lanka. It's not as if they win every single match by an innings.
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
Not that bad?

Allan Border in the 1986/7 season had 70-odd Tests to his name. The rest of the team had about 20 between them.

We lost to England at home, for heaven's sake. :cursing: :stretcher
 
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