Today morning, I woke up momentarily at 05:00 AM to check out the score at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. I had put the computer to sleep last night for precisely the same reason. I watched the score. It was 135/4. Khawaja and Voges were the batsmen dismissed today. I said to myself, "They will be okay. Smithy is still there. Let us sleep for now, and watch the game in the last session after waking up." I dozed off to sleep again. While going to sleep, I was thinking, "Can Australia do it? Can they save this one? Can they get away with being blown away for 85? Will rain save them this time? Can they give Proteas a challenging total?". Then I answered myself cautiously, "Of course, they can. Because that's what they do." They are supposed to take away the happiness of opposition and they are known as "The Invincibles" for no other reason.
Except there was no last session. I woke up again at 08:00 AM. Even the post-match presentation was over. Abbott and Rabada scythed through the Australian middle order. I watched the scoreboard. It was all over a long back. Australia had last last 8 wickets for 32 runs. Another batting collapse. These batting collapses are becoming more common in Australian cricket than the lurking seagulls. 16 Australian batsmen were dismissed in single digit score in this match. Last time it happened was against England at the Oval in 1912. So long for more than 100 year record. Australian faces were forlorn, while South African dressing room was effervescent and they were chuffed. Now-a-days, the whole Australian batting lasts shorter than the length of a T20 game. They are struggling against pace, spin, swing and what-nots. The defensive technique of a lot of Australian batsmen is questionable. They seem to find more demons in the pitch than a horror movie.
They have now lost 5 tests in a row. They got whitewashed against Sri Lanka 3-0. Then, the response which from the Australian dressing room was "poor technique against spin". Now, they have lost in their own den against Rabada and co. It was certainly not a minefield. De Kock and Bavuma showed how to bat on the very same track one day ago. Had rain not intervened, Australia would have lost the test in 2.5 days. (Knowing this fact would send a shiver down the spine of Australian dressing room).
They surely passed (or call it Anti-surpass, to be fair) a lot of records in this humiliating loss. This was their first loss by innings at home since 2010-11. (That was against England in Ashes). They made sub-100 score in the first innings. This had not happened since 1984. (Breaking a 32 year old barricade). They have now lost three consecutive home series against South Africa. This was the first innings win by South Africa against Australia in Australia. They lasted a total of 558 balls during this entire test match, which is their second least in a test at home in last 100 years. Losing 8 wicket for 32 runs in their joint worst collapse in history. Total runs scored by Australia was 246 in this Test match, which is their sixth lowest at home in tests.
Before this series began, there was a lot of talk about the ability of South Africa to challenge Australia on their own turf without their star batsman AB Devilliers and star bowler Dale Steyn. South Africa have shut every one up by blowing Australia away even without them. They seem to have found their test match rhythm and look like a serious force to reckon with. They seem to have left behind the absence of legends like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher etc. They don't even seem to be missing AB and Dale at this moment. Everything seems to be working for them. First white-washing Australia 5-0 in ODI series at home and then clinching the test series without breaking much sweat in Australia.
I have grown up watching Australian Cricket as relentless hounds, who give you nightmares if you ever come in their way. They used to have so many match-winners. The pride of Baggy Green was enormous. I secretly wished I had one "Baggy Green" under my pillow while sleeping. I have never seen a Australian Cricket team in so much turmoil and self-doubt. It seems as if they have forgotten how to win games of cricket. The legacy of great "Australian Cricket" is fading, that is for sure. A cancer seems to be have spread in it. It remains to be seen how long it lasts. They seem to be trying everything within their power to turn it around. It just isn't working. World cricket needs a strong Australian side. They have set the standard so high for the beautiful game we love. Their dominance during 1990s and 2000s was one of the breakthrough period for any team in any kind of sports. Gone are those days.
Fun Fact: One biggest anomaly in world of cricket is Australia have not beaten South Africa in Australia since 2005, while South Africa have not beaten Australia in South Africa since 1970. These are the things, which make cricket the most romantic game in the whole world and bring smile to my face.
Hobart is empty now. Spectators have gone while talking about the batting collapse of Australia on their way home. Australian dressing room is silent. They are wandering around in the dressing room wondering what went wrong. Whole social media is buzzing with explanations of defeat and blaming selectors, coaches, staffs, captain and players. Not much need to mark this moment as these are the sights becoming increasingly common in Australian cricket.
Except there was no last session. I woke up again at 08:00 AM. Even the post-match presentation was over. Abbott and Rabada scythed through the Australian middle order. I watched the scoreboard. It was all over a long back. Australia had last last 8 wickets for 32 runs. Another batting collapse. These batting collapses are becoming more common in Australian cricket than the lurking seagulls. 16 Australian batsmen were dismissed in single digit score in this match. Last time it happened was against England at the Oval in 1912. So long for more than 100 year record. Australian faces were forlorn, while South African dressing room was effervescent and they were chuffed. Now-a-days, the whole Australian batting lasts shorter than the length of a T20 game. They are struggling against pace, spin, swing and what-nots. The defensive technique of a lot of Australian batsmen is questionable. They seem to find more demons in the pitch than a horror movie.
They have now lost 5 tests in a row. They got whitewashed against Sri Lanka 3-0. Then, the response which from the Australian dressing room was "poor technique against spin". Now, they have lost in their own den against Rabada and co. It was certainly not a minefield. De Kock and Bavuma showed how to bat on the very same track one day ago. Had rain not intervened, Australia would have lost the test in 2.5 days. (Knowing this fact would send a shiver down the spine of Australian dressing room).
They surely passed (or call it Anti-surpass, to be fair) a lot of records in this humiliating loss. This was their first loss by innings at home since 2010-11. (That was against England in Ashes). They made sub-100 score in the first innings. This had not happened since 1984. (Breaking a 32 year old barricade). They have now lost three consecutive home series against South Africa. This was the first innings win by South Africa against Australia in Australia. They lasted a total of 558 balls during this entire test match, which is their second least in a test at home in last 100 years. Losing 8 wicket for 32 runs in their joint worst collapse in history. Total runs scored by Australia was 246 in this Test match, which is their sixth lowest at home in tests.
Before this series began, there was a lot of talk about the ability of South Africa to challenge Australia on their own turf without their star batsman AB Devilliers and star bowler Dale Steyn. South Africa have shut every one up by blowing Australia away even without them. They seem to have found their test match rhythm and look like a serious force to reckon with. They seem to have left behind the absence of legends like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher etc. They don't even seem to be missing AB and Dale at this moment. Everything seems to be working for them. First white-washing Australia 5-0 in ODI series at home and then clinching the test series without breaking much sweat in Australia.
I have grown up watching Australian Cricket as relentless hounds, who give you nightmares if you ever come in their way. They used to have so many match-winners. The pride of Baggy Green was enormous. I secretly wished I had one "Baggy Green" under my pillow while sleeping. I have never seen a Australian Cricket team in so much turmoil and self-doubt. It seems as if they have forgotten how to win games of cricket. The legacy of great "Australian Cricket" is fading, that is for sure. A cancer seems to be have spread in it. It remains to be seen how long it lasts. They seem to be trying everything within their power to turn it around. It just isn't working. World cricket needs a strong Australian side. They have set the standard so high for the beautiful game we love. Their dominance during 1990s and 2000s was one of the breakthrough period for any team in any kind of sports. Gone are those days.
Fun Fact: One biggest anomaly in world of cricket is Australia have not beaten South Africa in Australia since 2005, while South Africa have not beaten Australia in South Africa since 1970. These are the things, which make cricket the most romantic game in the whole world and bring smile to my face.
Hobart is empty now. Spectators have gone while talking about the batting collapse of Australia on their way home. Australian dressing room is silent. They are wandering around in the dressing room wondering what went wrong. Whole social media is buzzing with explanations of defeat and blaming selectors, coaches, staffs, captain and players. Not much need to mark this moment as these are the sights becoming increasingly common in Australian cricket.
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