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[kban1]

Era isn't over, says Buck, but Kumble begs to differ

Chloe Saltau

January 21, 2008

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THE man who guided Australia to 12 of their 16 consecutive Test victories, John Buchanan, sensed the team lost its edge at the WACA Ground because of distractions created by the world record pursuit and the fallout from the acrimonious Sydney Test, but he does not believe the golden era is over.

Having watched India storm the fortress in Perth, where no visiting team had emerged victorious for 11 years, the former coach drew parallels with the epic defeat in Kolkata in 2001, which also deprived Australia of a 17th consecutive victory.

When Steve Waugh enforced the follow-on in that Test, Australia were expected to cruise to victory and a historic series win in a country regarded as Waugh's "final frontier". Instead, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman carried their country to a famous comeback victory and India went on to win the series.

"It took me back to Kolkata, when after India's first innings we were expected to win. In that situation, sometimes the way forward is not as clear as it should be," Buchanan said.

"Having been involved when there are records on, and with all the distractions occurring between the second and third Tests, that's all part of it.

"It [the record] is what everybody expected. People were talking up the wicket, that it was likely to be over in three days. All of those things can play a part in the end."

Australia have won four of their five Tests since Buchanan handed over to Tim Nielsen, trouncing Sri Lanka, beating India comfortably in Melbourne and winning with eight minutes to spare in the emotion-charged contest soured by the Harbhajan Singh racism row in Sydney.

Not until this week has the absence of retired champions Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Justin Langer hit home. Australia suffered, too, from the injury to Matthew Hayden, exposing an inexperienced opening combination and a batting order unable to effortlessly produce the 500-plus totals with which Australia have a habit of crushing touring sides. Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, who have played eight Tests between them, could not maintain the pressure built by the more senior pacemen.

Buchanan is adamant the Perth defeat would galvanise the team, and said the players would go to Adelaide with "clearer minds" for the fourth Test, starting on Thursday.

He dismissed the notion that Australia's dominance was waning, and said their greatness should be judged over a 10-year-period, not by the length of their winning streak.

"Australia are not invincible but over the movie length they are an incredible side, so let's not get caught up in the snapshot of 16 wins or anything like that," he said.

Buchanan admitted, though, that the simultaneous departures of the retired champions would continue to embolden opposition teams to believe they could topple the Australians.

Indian captain Anil Kumble hinted as much after the 72-run win on Saturday night.

"It has already happened, when McGrath and Warne left," Buchanan said. "It is not so much how it affects Australia, because it gives some very good players an opportunity to come in, but it makes other teams believe they are a bit closer and they walk on the field with a bit more confidence."

That confidence was sucked out of Sri Lanka within a few sessions, but in this series Australia have encountered a well-captained, well-balanced team with an experienced core and youthful flair embodied by teenage paceman Ishant Sharma and gutsy all-rounder Irfan Pathan. Cracks were exposed.

While Australia have already done enough to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India can level the series in Adelaide, where Sourav Ganguly's ambitious team won by four wickets in 2003-04.


This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/01/20/1200764081758.html

[ganavk]

Symo GONE !!!!! LBW , but Big inside edge.

HAHA - Symo's luck finally ran out.

We got one back from the Umpires 

SMG was very very sarcastic..he said

"Don't blame the umpires...blame the bat...it is a silent bat...the umpires do not hear anything when the ball hits the bat"

They replayed the Sydney dismissal that was not given and then this and SMG went on..."See...the umpire did not hear anything there...and the umpire did not hear anything here...so it is the bat..blame the bat"

 

What a childish commentary as worse as Ian Healy if not worser!

Sarcasm and jingoism are different... and i suppose you are capable of differentiating and understanding who said what 

Actually sarcasm coming from SMG ( holding two positions one that of head of ICC technical committee and one that of commentator) is worse than jingoism. I would not have cared if that's something Harsha has uttered.

[kban1]

Actually sarcasm coming from SMG ( holding two positions one that of head of ICC technical committee and one that of commentator) is worse than jingoism. I would not have cared if that's something Harsha has uttered. 

Why is that ganavk ?

You must surely be aware that he is head of the committee --not the sole committee member. There are other influential members, whose vote counts. What also counts are the opinions of the international captains, whose inputs are sought. Finally, some issues come to vote and member countries have the ability to either back or oppose the motions. In the most recent case regarding umpiring, Aus and Pak opposed reforms to the system along with several other countries.

A technical committee can only offer suggestions, that is assuming it passes muster of a majority of the members, not just SMG. After that the ICC votes on the suggestions.

I find your castigation of SMG in light of all this untenable.

[broadbat]

is this like the best victory EVER ?

if you look at the context -

1. Coming back so strongly after Sydney fiasco
2. Winning in Perth- Aussie Fortress
3. Stopping Aussie juggernaut in their own home-turf
4. Working as a team without a designated coach

To me this is the  greatest

If it is Best Ever Overseas win I would agree simply because of the arena, however in the All Time list I would still have the Eden Gardens triumph as No1 because it was a win from a losing (lost) position.