Answers needed as Australia stagger

[manoj_admlab]

Alex Brown in Kingston May 26, 2008 THE Sri Lankans whispered it in the corridors, the Indians shouted it from the rooftops. But only now, with Australia locked in a fearsome duel with a team they were expected to bulldoze, is the question truly beginning to resonate. Have recent retirements dimmed Australia's aura of invincibility? The party line, of course, is a resounding "no"; that Ricky Ponting's men are just three Tests removed from a 16-game winning streak. Other supporters of the Australian cause might also argue that the players who have replaced Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist have all served lengthy apprenticeships in the world's toughest domestic competition and are well capable of succeeding at the game's elite level. But the case against can no longer be ignored. In the last three matches of the domestic summer, Australia squeaked past India at the SCG, lost at the WACA Ground for the first time in 11 years and played out a tame draw at the Adelaide Oval. And their first Test outing in the Caribbean has proven similarly testing, with the eighth-ranked West Indian side more than holding their own against the world champions over the first three days in Kingston. Coinciding with this form trough has been an increased willingness of opposing captains to publicly challenge Australia's right to rule. Anil Kumble and Mahela Jayawardene made comments to that effect during the Australian summer, particularly during the one-day series. But perhaps more surprising was the brazen statement made by the Windies' stand-in captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, on the eve of the first Test at Sabina Park. Asked whether, in light of recent retirements, this was a good time to face the Australians, Sarwan did not hesitate. "It's a great time, actually," he said. "Obviously, they've got quite a lot of new faces as well. The players that are there are very good, and you obviously can't take anybody for granted. But it's a great opportunity for us." The message is clear: opposing teams view the current Australian side as a different entity to that which dominated world cricket with Warne and co at the helm. Youngsters can be leaned upon, rookies pressured. Expect to hear this refrain more often in the months and years to come, especially with Australia to tour India and host South Africa before 2008 is out. In a playing sense, the most obvious difference between the current Australian side and that which clinched the Ashes 5-0 two summers ago is the lack of a dominant spinner. Stuart MacGill struggled with injury in two Tests against Sri Lanka, and Brad Hogg was decoded by the Indians after the first Test in Melbourne. Now surgically-repaired and streamlined, MacGill will be heavily scrutinised in the second innings at Sabina Park, where conditions should suit. The veteran leg-spinner was harshly dealt with in the first innings in Kingston. Dwayne Bravo, in particular, was more than comfortable taking the attack to MacGill, and his two wickets were the result of batsmen looking to attack - his last victim, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, fell attempting to blast a chest-high full-toss out of the ground. With Warne's mooted comeback nothing more than a fanciful dream, the Australians need MacGill to fire like never before. But there have been other, more subtle, changes to the Australian side as well. As important as Stuart Clark, Phil Jaques and Brad Haddin are to the national cause, they cannot hope to inspire their teammates in the same manner as their immediate predecessors. Which is hardly their fault. McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist were widely regarded as the world's leading exponents of their respective crafts, but only after years of dominance. Still, opposing teams will take what they can get. After a decade of unsuccessfully probing Australia's armour for weaknesses, they sense they might be onto something now. And even if Australia claim victory in Kingston, don't expect the questions to ease. http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/answers-needed-as-australia-stagger/2008/05/25/1211653849188.html