I have watched the Australian cricket team with joy for much of my 38 years. It seems to my eyes that they have always played with great zeal and varying levels of talent but we seem to be at the bottom of curve again. I find it difficult to believe that South Africa can hit more than 400 in the final innings and the Australian bowlers be the only ones to blame.
Certainly Matthew Hayden got a rough decision but he should have been out earlier, leg before wicket.
As for Ricky Ponting, it is time we have a captain who knows how to be a captain. What he did in India and how he has spoken at the press conferences since the Perth Test has left me rather bemused.
If any players should go, it should be these two men. Make Michael Hussey or Michael Clarke captain and bring in some batsmen who are young and will not throw away their wickets and let us build again. The Australian team carried Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh through form slumps because they were outstanding captains. It is clear that without Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist, Ponting has very little idea. It is time for him to go.
Craig Mansour, Kings Point Sins of omission
The world's greatest cricket writer is playing from memory and suffering from amnesia. A form slump to rival Matthew Hayden's.
What, no Virender Sehwag? Are you kidding me?
He's the one batsman in the world most bowlers dread bowling to, now that Gilly is gone. Go on - just ask any of the Aussies, the Poms or the Proteas. This is a fair dinkum howler.
And no Ishant Sharma? He's 20, has played 15 Tests, 12 of them on placid, sub-continental heart-breakers and still he has a most impressive strike rate. Besides, he is that rarity - an exciting fast bowler who empties the bar at cricket grounds by making things "happen". And crusty Aussie cricketers - always economical with praise - are tripping over themselves to herald the new Sultan of Pace (and Swing and Cut).
The best batsman in the world is undoubtedly Mr Cricket, aka Mr Consistency. And you don't as much as even mention Michael Hussey? Were he to retire now, he would be fifth on the list of Test averages and already he is the one with the best current average. Again, a blunder of Himalayan proportions.
And, worse still, are you actually rating mere mortals such as AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla ahead of the son of God?
Everyone knows that Sachin Tendulkar was kissed by the gods and sent on earth to do just one thing: Bat. And, he's still averaging more than 50, year in and year out, after nearly 20 years of Test cricket (and more than 400 one-day internationals), carrying more than a billion people to the crease with him every time he goes out to bat.
Darshak Mehta, Mosman Letters letters@smh.com.au Fax: 9282 3492 GPO Box 3771, Sydney 2001
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