Print

[Vic Nicholas]

Vic - did a Pom give you an absolute slapping or bully you in the past?
I'm wonderig as you are showing so much bitterness that it's really showing through? 

Just on here Pete, just on here.

In fact, nearly a third of my cricket club consists of expat Englishmen and we also get 3-4 young English lads who come over each summer to play for us.

All champion blokes who are much loved at our club.

My wife and I were in England at the end of May...which is the third time for both of us. My wife even lived for a little while in Northampton when she was 13 years old.

Both of us would love to one day buy a country house in the Home Counties so we can spend three - four months a year in England as we love it there.

So, no, I cannot say I have any personal beef with any Englishmen.

I think it centres on the roasting I got on here a year ago when I had the temerity to suggest that Australia would not remain #5 in the world for long (like we were at that stage) and we certainly were not going into some kind of a West Indies death loop.

I was mocked, lampooned and criticised.

I was told in no uncertain terms that Australia was in a West Indies style recession that would take 20 years to recover from...and that England would remain #1 for decades.

Yet Australia a year later is #2 in the world and this summers test series between South Africa and Australia will be a battle between #1 SA and #2 Australia.

Despite all the (No Swearing Please) I have copped on here and continue to cop, I have proven to be remarkably prescient.

I apologize to all the fair minded English fans I have offended, for this was never my intention.

For the rest of you, karma will deal with you.

[Alvaro]

I like your posts Vic.

[Vic Nicholas]

I like your posts Vic.

Thanks mate.

I am the first to admit that I have behaved like an internet warrior here as those that know me in the transvision world would attest that I am not so forthright with my opinions on cricket and I certainly would never bait anybody.

I DO enjoy reading posts on this forum and I apologize for upsetting the equilibrium.

Let's face it, on a forum that is 95% English, I am not going to get a whole lotta love for my contrary views!

[Kieron_BT]

My personal opinion is that England will probably (as much at it kills me to say it!) loose this series

I think the difference is that SA will have the Australian problem of loosing world class players at the same time (in Graeme Smith and Jaques Kallis) which we sevearly deplete their batting line up

The good thing about England is that they have quite a young side which has still many many years ahead of them


It wouldn't surpise me at all that in 5 year time the top 4 teams will be

England
Australia
West Indies
Pakistan

The above are not in any order

The teams mentioned just seem to have the most youthful talent in the world

However... I hope England do prove me wrong in this series!

[trypewriter]

TBH Vic you took some of the words out of my mouth. There is no such thing as a dynasty in any sport. Players age - some are impossible to replace like for like (Warne?) so you have to enjoy the good times when you can. It's the same in football. Ferguson criticised for not replacing Roy Keane - but with who? The best you can hope for is a decent infrastructure, which Australia appear to have, the Windies obviously not. I think England have learned from Australia in this, which is why they are usually tough to beat these days. The heartening aspect of England in recent years is that like Aus teams for as long as I can remember, just when you think you have them on the ropes they are capable of proving otherwise.

[charlie15]

Vic I take your point, but I think the way some of your posts are worded cause other members on here to bite, as they come across as Pommy bashing (and let's face it we've taken a fair amount of that over the last 25 years)!

So while some of your points are quite valid, there are others that seem to be aimed at just making us English bite.  TBH I have never expected Australia to stay down and out of it for long, it's not in your national physche in any sport, I wrote during your India series that explains my thoughts below

http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=13565.msg265528#msg265528

[stevat]

It wouldn't surpise me at all that in 5 year time the top 4 teams will be

England
Australia
West Indies
Pakistan

South Africa have some gifted young bats coming through, and years left in their bowling attack too.  Granted replacing Kallis would be nigh on impossible, flawless technique like that is so rare.  The likes of Miller, Levi could step up from limited overs cricket, and there are some quality young bats coming through like Rossouw and the Smuts brothers.

[Alvaro]

I do hope the Smuts make it - think of the headlines!

[Vic Nicholas]

TBH Vic you took some of the words out of my mouth. There is no such thing as a dynasty in any sport. Players age - some are impossible to replace like for like (Warne?) so you have to enjoy the good times when you can. It's the same in football. Ferguson criticised for not replacing Roy Keane - but with who? The best you can hope for is a decent infrastructure, which Australia appear to have, the Windies obviously not. I think England have learned from Australia in this, which is why they are usually tough to beat these days. The heartening aspect of England in recent years is that like Aus teams for as long as I can remember, just when you think you have them on the ropes they are capable of proving otherwise.

It is harder than ever in cricket to maintain a lengthy period of dominance.

The West Indian and Australian eras both had a lot of luck in that some unbelievable players all came along at once and were then replenished by others, even towards the end (Lara/Hussey) to keep the dominance going for a little longer.

The only thing the 1993 Ashes winning team and the 2006/7 team had in common was Shane Warne. No one else.

If you step back to the 1989 and 1991/92 teams, there was no one in common with 2006/07 at all.

Unless something drastic happens to upset the balance, I can see that the next five years are going to be fairly even with no team holding sway for any length of time.

[Vic Nicholas]

South Africa have some gifted young bats coming through, and years left in their bowling attack too.  Granted replacing Kallis would be nigh on impossible, flawless technique like that is so rare.  The likes of Miller, Levi could step up from limited overs cricket, and there are some quality young bats coming through like Rossouw and the Smuts brothers.

Throw in Marchant De Lange who will be a monster pacemen.

SA are genetically predisposed to producing good cricketers - it is in their DNA.

[Tumo]

South Africa have some gifted young bats coming through, and years left in their bowling attack too.  Granted replacing Kallis would be nigh on impossible, flawless technique like that is so rare.  The likes of Miller, Levi could step up from limited overs cricket, and there are some quality young bats coming through like Rossouw and the Smuts brothers.

And the rest, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan Van Zyl, Reeza Hendricks to name a few decent bats!

[Vic Nicholas]

And the rest, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan Van Zyl, Reeza Hendricks to name a few decent bats!

Fleet Street will go into meltdown if Smuts and De Kock put on a big stand!

[stevat]

Fleet Street will go into meltdown if Smuts and De Kock put on a big stand!

Also, if ever there was a South African who should be playing for England, it is one named Elgar.

Smith is only 31 as well remember, some good years left in him.

[Kieron_BT]

Must confess to not knowing much about SA doemstic cricket so seems like it could be SA dominating for quite a few years to come

As an English fan even we are 2nd best (which i think we can still compete with SA), its much better than where we have been for the last 20 years you would think!

[Sam to the C]

As a die hard cricket fan and a passionate Australian spporter I do get frustrated with comments coming from frustrated Australians clinging to once dominance, when truth be told we've got the worst stocks and team on par with say, th English Team of the 90s, we need new effetive players in all honesty.
As a cricket fan I do think the English teamis hyped up a lot, there is truth when saying Broad is rubbish, Finn who is taller and faster could play and intimadory role much better, sand frankly looking at Bresnan you can see the smart variotions he puts ona ball. Simply when you look at a bowlers you can tell how effrective and how serious a threat they are, sort of how i feel about HILFY likewise. However bashing comments about Anderson are unwarranted, you don't need averages to look at a bowler and say "WOW, the batsmen are in trouble here". I think he was av eraging 40 at one stage, anyone who knows how averages work will know it's going to take a long time for them to gradually go down.
All said and done, this English teamis Organised, do they have talent? Yes, but truth be told they have many weaknesses, mainly for me, both Styruass and Cooks problem of driving the full ball, they're not particualrly strong drivers, more of the cutting or pulling type, other than that the rest of the batsmens problems, Pietersen especially are lacking temprement and that's all, coupled with Swann and Bresnan wit the bat they're a formidable prospect, not to mention Anderson being a thorn to remove
Are they the best side in the past 3 years? Well they're pretty close, and this series should answer this, so sit back and enjoy, there's no doubt England will put up a fight in the nex test, intresting to see if they stick with Bopara who could do with how the Australian selectors have approached young, very capable batsmen, communication and faith