Australia - the new Test cricket minnows?

[Hawkeye]

Whitewashed in India
Whitewashed in the UAE
Beaten by the weakest Test team right now - SL
Beaten in England

Will most probably be beaten by Bangladesh as well if they tour.

Are we seeing the rise of Bangladesh - and downfall of Australia?

I really miss the Australian team that was the most feared cricket team - Ponting, Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Lee.

They now have a bunch of batsmen who can't play any sort of swing, seam OR spin.

[Hawkeye]

One feels for Smith, who is the lone world class bat in their team.

Starc still has a lot to prove in Tests where he's been failing. Can't rely on Hazlewood only.

[shah_1]

Poor thread

[Nikhil_cric]

What's with the Australia bashing ? If they are minnows, Pakistan,SL,India,WI are all minnows.

[Hawkeye]

7th consecutive loss in Asia.

[Smbhayi]

Yeah sure. Can't even score a single runs 30 straight overs against spinners

[Hawkeye]

Note that SL are arguably weaker than even Bangladesh, with their current lineup.

[#GreenRoars]

Every team is minnow out side their home.

[Smbhayi]

*single run

[Hawkeye]

Every team is minnow out side their home.

Not as bad as them.

[Convict]

On the other hand we're capable of winning two tests in a series in England

[Executioner]

All of the top 6 teams are champions at home. SL only to an extent

[WhenSultansBowled]

When are Aussies touring UAE?

[Executioner]

Before it was - Should Bangladesh be stripped of test status (after losing an ODI)

Now it's "Australia are minnows" after a loss away from home

[Nikhil_cric]

One of their problems in Asia has been playing left arm spin. Jadeja,Zulfi baba and now Herath. SLA's who dart it in and still get turn on turners are hard to deal for most batsmen but especially for these Australian batsmen. Anyway i still expect them to win this series.

[SL_Fan]

We are the new minnows. One win here and there doesn't change that. Hopefully this win can spark a few into action.

[Hawkeye]

Every team is minnow out side their home.

All of the top 6 teams are champions at home. SL only to an extent

Note that both Pak and Ind recently beat a bit stronger SL side.

Ya'll are forgetting how weak this team currently is.

[WhenSultansBowled]

Note that both Pak and Ind recently beat a bit stronger SL side.

Ya'll are forgetting how weak this team currently is.

And both India and Pakistan have at least one win vs England

[Hawkeye]

1-down, two more to go.

Who is the Boxing Day test against this year? Warner needs to score 215* and Australia have to be 528/6 (d)!

Pakistan.

What's your prediction? Our bowlers will be pretty toothless on those flat Aus pitches.

[Nikhil_cric]

2nd highest W/L ratio away from home in the last 5 years. Highest W/L ratio at home and overall in the same period and Australia are suddenly minnows in test cricket?

Hawkeye bhai still has not gotten over that thumping by England in the last match eh?

[Sports_Psychologist]

Every team is minnow out side their home.

We haven't played a single match in Pakistan😂

[Statsman]

Not minnows but incapable of winning in the subcontinent. Not sure if its smug attitude or what but while sub continent teams are putting hard yards to compete well in alien conditions the Aussies look as if they are not even interested in learning how to play in the subcontinent. They are happy with their home wins on super pattas where the likes of Warner and Vogues are Bradmans.

[sensible-indian-fan]

Extreme exaggeration.

Aus suck at those countries but they are a destruction machine in 3 other countries (Aus, NZ and SA) where other teams routinely get thrashed more often than not.

Anyways, today's result just proves that Aus are not clear cut number 1. They have lost everything in Asia in recent times. This is like 0-8 that India went through (actually even worse cos Aus is losing in a third country too).

But they still have 2 more tests so you never know.

[Usman Chadda]

Note that SL are arguably weaker than even Bangladesh, with their current lineup.

Not in tests, no.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

[Varun]

Pakistan.

What's your prediction? Our bowlers will be pretty toothless on those flat Aus pitches.

Pakistan will win at least one test.

[Nikhil_cric]

Extreme exaggeration.

Aus suck at those countries but they are a destruction machine in 3 other countries (Aus, NZ and SA) where others teams routinely gte thrashed more often than not.

Anyways, today's result just proves that Aus are not clear cut number 1. They have lost everything in Asia in recent times. This is like 0-8 that India went through (actually even worse cos Aus is losing in a third country too).

But they still have 2 more tests so you never know.

Not only that. They win in Windies. They won 2 out of five tests in England(competed better than other team barring SA) and they'll probably win this series as well. Also pakistan are actually better off playing in the UAE. i suspect quite a few teams ,including OZ, would have beaten them if they played their cricket at home.

[Nikhil_cric]

Pakistan will win at least one test.

They havent even drawn a test in Australia in 21 years.

[JibranAnsari]

So soon we will be whitewashed by the minnows.. What would that make us?

[WhenSultansBowled]

So soon we will be whitewashed by the minnows.. What would that make us?

Mini-minnows

[sensible-indian-fan]

Not only that. They win in Windies. They won 2 out of five tests in England(competed better than other team barring SA) and they'll probably win this series as well. Also pakistan are actually better off playing in the UAE. i suspect quite a few teams ,including OZ, would have beaten them if they played their cricket at home.

Still.....if you get whitewashed in 2 main countries and you do badly in the 3rd....people will question you.

Calling them minnow is not right but they are going on a worse streak than 0-8 (the only reason Aus didn't get 0-8 and got 0-6 is because UAE series had only 2 tests...now the number is 0-7). If desi teams would go through such streaks, then blood would flow on the roads and wails of pure agony would fill the air.

[Hawkeye]

So soon we will be whitewashed by the minnows.. What would that make us?

It's just because we can't compete on super flat runways.

Our batsmen aren't brutal enough to score fast - where the likes of Warner thrive.

Give us sporting tracks and we'd win in Australia, too.

[Nikhil_cric]

It's just because we can't compete on super flat runways.

Our batsmen aren't brutal enough to score fast - where the likes of Warner thrive.

Give us sporting tracks and we'd win in Australia, too.

You got sporting tracks in SA. What happened there?

[JibranAnsari]

It's just because we can't compete on super flat runways.

Our batsmen aren't brutal enough to score fast - where the likes of Warner thrive.

Give us sporting tracks and we'd win in Australia, too.

Blame the tracks now , we have to play on whatever tracks are presented to us.

[Hawkeye]

Still.....if you get whitewashed in 2 main countries and you do badly in the 3rd....people will question you.

Calling them minnow is not right but they are going on a worse streak than 0-8 (the only reason Aus didn't get 0-8 and got 0-6 is because UAE series had only 2 tests...now the number is 0-7). If desi teams would go through such streaks, then blood would flow on the roads and wails of pure agony would fill the air.

Exactly, my friend.

All hell breaks loose if India or Pakistan lose even a SINGLE test away.

We have mass wrist-slitting contests on respective forums. People start calling their own team as minnows.

I'm sure you must have witnessed the meltdown after our 2nd Test loss - even though we comprehensively won the first one.

Now these same people are calling the thread an exaggeration. Which it may very well might be. But that's how PPers roll.

[JibranAnsari]

You got sporting tracks in SA. What happened there?

They were sporting for only one team lol

[Hawkeye]

You got sporting tracks in SA. What happened there?

That was in stone age. Talk about our current settled team. Eng couldn't win a single match in the UAE on 2 tours, we already won one at their home.

[anuk]

this team is pretty bad. even indians drew a couple of games in australia last time. indians!

[RamLakhan]

Australia are historically weak in Asia! Even their strong teams (consisting Waugh, Ponting, Gilchrist, Mc.Grath, Warne, Hayden) used to lose in Asia. (Something similar to Indian Team with Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Srinath, Kumble couldn't beat even a dipping West Indies team in late 90s)

Australia are used to playing on true pace pitches. The ball should reach the keeper at shoulder heights. They are always susceptible against Spin and even Swing. And note that they do well in ODIs everywhere because the pitches are flat! They will not do well even in T20s because 1 over, 1 wicket can change the match drastically on non-flat pitches.

They are the real flat-track bullies...

[Mamoon]

Pakistan is the worst touring team at the moment as things stand.

With players like Masood, Hafeez, Azhar, Younis, Sarfraz, Wahab, Rahat, Imran, Sohail, Aslam, Iftikhar, Rizwan, Zulfiqar etc., we cannot win Test series in countries like Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and India.

That only leaves Sri Lanka (where the series will be highly competitive and could go either way), West Indies (borderline minnows), Bangladesh and Zimbabwe (minnows).

Replace Australia with Pakistan in the title and this thread might make more sense.

[Nikhil_cric]

That was in stone age. Talk about our current settled team. Eng couldn't win a single match in the UAE on 2 tours, we already won one at their home.

Yep. Settled test side with non performing openers, a dancing aged middle order bat,two sprayguns and a so called ATG who hasn't lived up to the hype at all.

[Convict]

this team is pretty bad. even indians drew a couple of games in australia last time. indians!

Modern Australian wickets.

[Nikhil_cric]

Australia are historically weak in Asia! Even their strong teams (consisting Waugh, Ponting, Gilchrist, Mc.Grath, Warne, Hayden) used to lose in Asia. (Something similar to Indian Team with Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Srinath, Kumble couldn't beat even a dipping West Indies team in late 90s)

Australia are used to playing on true pace pitches. The ball should reach the keeper at shoulder heights. They are always susceptible against Spin and even Swing. And note that they do well in ODIs everywhere because the pitches are flat! They will not do well even in T20s because 1 over, 1 wicket can change the match drastically on non-flat pitches.

They are the real flat-track bullies...

They used to lose only in India.

[Convict]

It's just because we can't compete on super flat runways.

Our batsmen aren't brutal enough to score fast - where the likes of Warner thrive.

Give us sporting tracks and we'd win in Australia, too.

Pakistan hasn't even toured Australia in the era of flat tracks

[AlizeeFan]

Last 16 matches in Asia
Won 1
Lost 11
Drawn 4

[ethan hunt]

All teams are pretty evenly matched atm .

Especially England , Australia and Pakistan.

The kiwis are a little overrated because they routinely lose at home to good sides like Pak , Australia and England and only beat the weak touring sides like India and Srilanka.

Australia and pakistan is an interesting comparison because both teams put up similar performances on seaming tracks i-e England and Newzealand


Pakistan cant play bounce .

Australia cant play spin and reverse.

[James]

Aren't they the number one Test team? Clearly that ranking has been earned?

[street cricketer]

All teams are pretty evenly matched atm .

Especially England , Australia and Pakistan.

The kiwis are a little overrated because they routinely lose at home to good sides like Pak , Australia and England and only beat the weak touring sides like India and Srilanka.

Australia and pakistan is an interesting comparison because both teams put up similar performances on seaming tracks i-e England and Newzealand


Pakistan cant play bounce .

Australia cant play spin and reverse.

When did Pakistan become a great touring side?

[Hawkeye]

Pakistan hasn't even toured Australia in the era of flat tracks

They will soon, and I expect a thrashing by Aus. We don't have players who can score fast and dominate. Can grind it out all day, yes.

When did Pakistan become a great touring side?

Better than most. England lost to WI in WI recently, lol. Lost ALL matches against us spanning over 2 tours!

We're touring Eng for the first time in years and already won our first match there.

[Junaids]

On the other hand we're capable of winning two tests in a series in England

Didn't Pakistan win two Tests in England on their last tour. One of which was against.........Australia.

[street cricketer]

Better than most. England lost to WI in WI recently, lol. Lost ALL matches against us spanning over 2 tours!

We're touring Eng for the first time in years and already won our first match there.

All teams are pretty much HTBs atm. There isn't much of a difference between the teams.

England didn't lose to WI, it drew with them.

[Varun]

Aren't they the number one Test team? Clearly that ranking has been earned?

By beating up on the hapless West Indies at the SCG, yes.

[ethan hunt]

When did Pakistan become a great touring side?

Its all relative to the performance of others .
Historically better than both srilanka and India for sure ??

[Nikhil_cric]

Didn't Pakistan win two Tests in England on their last tour. One of which was against.........Australia.

Doesn't count . That's a neutral venue as far as beating Australia is concerned. Did they beat England in two tests in England?

[Nikhil_cric]

By beating up on the hapless West Indies at the SCG, yes.

Beat up NZ home and away.

[street cricketer]

Its all relative to the performance of others .
Historically better than both srilanka and India for sure ??

How?

[Junaids]

Doesn't count . That's a neutral venue as far as beating Australia is concerned. Did they beat England in two tests in England?

Settle down. I was just trolling @Convict.

As I've written elsewhere, I think England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and Pakistan are pretty much inter-changeable currently. Great at home, lousy in alien conditions.

[ethan hunt]

Beat up NZ home and away.

Newzealand are not that great at home tbf .
Unless they are up against poor touring teams .

[Statsman]

In term of touring sides

England
SA
NZ
Australia
India = SL = Pakistan
WI

Pakistan is next to India and SL only because of the loss to Zimbabwe and humiliating defeats to SA. This England series might turn the tide for them.

[ethan hunt]

How?

Better winloss ratio in all countries . Hardly rocket science.

[street cricketer]

Newzealand are not that great at home tbf .
Unless they are up against poor touring teams .

You're underestimating New Zealand with hardly any context.

They were pis* poor till 2012 when they were bog average. India won against them at home in 2010, Pakistan won there a year later, England played very poor to come away with a draw iirc. But they transformed as a side afterwards when they became a really competitive side. I'll bet on New Zealand to win at home with relative ease if they were to face Pakistan now at home.

[street cricketer]

Better winloss ratio in all countries . Hardly rocket science.

Hardly rocket science to realise all the Asian sides are poor touring sides when none of them have won a single series in Australia or South Africa.

More so in this millennium.

[Statsman]

Better winloss ratio in all countries . Hardly rocket science.

Its about quality of opposition as well. Drawing series against un-ranked Zimbabwe is unforgivable.

[Varun]

You're underestimating New Zealand with hardly any context.

They were pis* poor till 2012 when they were bog average. India won against them at home in 2010, Pakistan won there a year later, England played very poor to come away with a draw iirc. But they transformed as a side afterwards when they became a really competitive side. I'll bet on New Zealand to win at home with relative ease if they were to face Pakistan now at home.

All thanks to Brendon McCullum.

[Nikhil_cric]

You're underestimating New Zealand with hardly any context.

They were pis* poor till 2012 when they were bog average. India won against them at home in 2010, Pakistan won there a year later, England played very poor to come away with a draw iirc. But they transformed as a side afterwards when they became a really competitive side. I'll bet on New Zealand to win at home with relative ease if they were to face Pakistan now at home.

The NZ side we toured and lost to and that drew in the UAE with Pakistan looked completely different to be honest. Without McCullum they don't look that dangerous and Boult and Southee have looke d mediocre off late. Pakistan have a chance of beating them when they tour as long as they are not green mambas

[ethan hunt]

You're underestimating New Zealand with hardly any context.

They were pis* poor till 2012 when they were bog average. India won against them at home in 2010, Pakistan won there a year later, England played very poor to come away with a draw iirc. But they transformed as a side afterwards when they became a really competitive side. I'll bet on New Zealand to win at home with relative ease if they were to face Pakistan now at home.

Not really !!! There is context to what i am saying .
As poor as they might have been they have always had the better of India.
The side that lost to pakistan was pretty similar to the current team .
Who is thd new addition that makes them.stronger ??
Also while we are predicting the future . Heres a prediction . I expect pakistan to win more matches than india/srilanka over their round of overseas tours .
The mark to beat is 1 . Currently they have 1 win . Lets see.

[street cricketer]

The NZ side we toured and lost to and that drew in the UAE with Pakistan looked completely different to be honest. Without McCullum they don't look that dangerous and Boult and Southee have looke d mediocre off late. Pakistan have a chance of beating them when they tour as long as they are not green mambas

Agree but both are quality bowlers. Boult probably was jaded after coming back from a injury.

And as good a captain as B'Mac was, his captaincy was suicidal at time. Williamson has got a very good head on his shoulders and he is probably the most shrewd captain in world cricket atm. Unfair to label them as a one man team too reliant on McCullum.

[Nikhil_cric]

Not really !!! There is context to what i am saying .
As poor as they might have been they have always had the better of India.
The side that lost to pakistan was pretty similar to the current team .
Who is thd new addition that makes them.stronger ??
Also while we are predicting the future . Heres a prediction . I expect pakistan to win more matches than india/srilanka over their round of overseas tours .
The mark to beat is 1 . Currently they have 1 win . Lets see.

Over the last four tours of SA,NZ,ENG,AUS, we won 1,drew 5 and lost 7, you have lost 4 and won 1

[Nikhil_cric]

Agree but both are quality bowlers. Boult probably was jaded after coming back from a injury.

And as good a captain as B'Mac was, his captaincy was suicidal at time. Williamson has got a very good head on his shoulders and he is probably the most shrewd captain in world cricket atm. Unfair to label them as a one man team too reliant on McCullum.

No I mean, McCullum was in the firm of his life that season and played a couple of ATG level knocks, Latham was looking a very good opener and their pace attack was firing and even their spinners looked effective. Fast forward today and they don't have Bmac, Latham has fallen off quite a bit bit and you'll be shocked to see how bad Boult and Southee have been off late. They look very jaded and are heavily dependent on Williamson

[ethan hunt]

Hardly rocket science to realise all the Asian sides are poor touring sides when none of them have won a single series in Australia or South Africa.

More so in this millennium.

Apart from southafrica happily accepting 5 penalty runs for tempering in exchange for a test win in srilanka and the Uae touring sides have generally been pretty poor.
Right now england are as good a touring side as any after their win in India and southafrica but even they were hammered in the UAE and Australia.

[ethan hunt]

Over the last four tours of SA,NZ,ENG,AUS, we won 1,drew 5 and lost 7, you have lost 4 and won 1

Lost 4 ?? Have only played two matches .
If you are going back to previous the previous tour than pakistan have won at least 4.
3 in england and 1 in newzealand.

[Hasan123]

Winning away from home is not easy in this current era. Australia struggle in subcontinent but in South Africa and England for the most part they have done well. I wouldn't say they are minnows away from home but they are ok away from home with plenty of improvement to be made.

From the Asian teams I would say India are the best, they compete well for the most part. Yes they have got thrashed certain times in Australia and England but that can happen as both teams are strong at home.

[Nikhil_cric]

Lost 4 ?? Have only played two matches .
If you are going back to previous the previous tour than pakistan have won at least 4.
3 in england and 1 in newzealand.

I'm referring to your tour of SA in 2013. That is part if your current cycle

[ethan hunt]

I'm referring to your tour of SA in 2013. That is part if your current cycle

Yeah 4 wins.

[Nikhil_cric]

Your away tour cycle began with 2013 tour of SA and completes next year with tour of NZ. Similarly our cycle started with the tour of SA in 2013 and ended with the tour if OZ 1.5 years back.

[Nikhil_cric]

Anyway this is a pointless comparison. Pakistan barely tour outside of the UAE while teams like India and Australia have gruelling away tours and twice or thrice the amount of cricket played by Pakistan. Ridiculous comparison really. Even SL have toured more. 2 trips to England and NZ respectively.

[in_cutter]

How are they ranked #1 with that horror record?

[ethan hunt]

Anyway this is a pointless comparison. Pakistan barely tour outside of the UAE while teams like India and Australia have gruelling away tours and twice or thrice the amount of cricket played by Pakistan. Ridiculous comparison really. Even SL have toured more. 2 trips to England and NZ respectively.

Thats why i go back a little further because this touring bicycle is a little irrelevant in some cases.

[90MPH]

Lost 4 ?? Have only played two matches .
If you are going back to previous the previous tour than pakistan have won at least 4.
3 in england and 1 in newzealand.

Let them live in delusion.

[street cricketer]

Not really !!! There is context to what i am saying .
As poor as they might have been they have always had the better of India.
The side that lost to pakistan was pretty similar to the current team .
Who is thd new addition that makes them.stronger ??
Also while we are predicting the future . Heres a prediction . I expect pakistan to win more matches than india/srilanka over their round of overseas tours .
The mark to beat is 1 . Currently they have 1 win . Lets see.

I can't say anything more if you believe the kiwi side 6 years back are the same now. They drew with Pakistan at the UAE and you're expecting to beat them at home comfortably?

Anyway Pakistan got whitewashed in south africa, so that's one gone. Pakistan have a chance to better India or Lanka's performance in England in the remaining two tests. But I don't see Pakistan raising their performance in Australia. Most probably will struggle there as they always do.

[ethan hunt]

I can't say anything more if you believe the kiwi side 6 years back are the same now. They drew with Pakistan at the UAE and you're expecting to beat them at home comfortably?

Anyway Pakistan got whitewashed in south africa, so that's one gone. Pakistan have a chance to better India or Lanka's performance in England in the remaining two tests. But I don't see Pakistan raising their performance in Australia. Most probably will struggle there as they always do.

Well you are the one who thinks they are invincible so the onus is on you to tell me what has changed .
Yes thats around 7 more test matches and i think i am justified in expecting Pakistan to win a match or two out of the 7 . in comparison india played around 13 and won 1 .
Lets see how it goes.