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| Tuesday, 15 February 2005 |
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by Elmo Rodrigopulle Awesome Aussies Awesome Aussies. That is how best the Australian cricketers have been described for a near decade or more after their resounding victories where they have brushed aside all their opponents with consummate ease. From Allan Border to Mark Taylor to Stephen Waugh and now Ricky Ponting, the Australian cricketing juggernauts have bemused and bamboozled all their opponents, so much so that they are now the envy of all other cricketing nations. And if the manner in which they are continuing, the indications are that they would be kings of the game for a long, long time to come. The secret of their success, is first and foremost that whoever the captain, each and every member contributes 100 per cent and more. That is what is most important for success. Each member of the team has been told what is expected of him. When out in the middle they perform their tasks dedicatedly for self and country and success is not long in coming. Another important factor is that the Australian selectors pick their teams on merit. Performance is what matters to them. They have no favourites. It is not easy to win and wear the baggy green cap. Once a player is picked and awarded the baggy green cap, he sports it with pride and aplomb and performs as if his whole life depends on it. No Aussie player could be faulted for want of trying. They have their game plan well taped out. The weakness of every opponent has been closely studied and they hammer at that weakness and get the opponent or opponents to succumb. It is every Test nation's hope to beat the Aussies. All have been trying and have failed miserably. One country that has been straining every nerve and sinew to beat the Kangaroos has been England who gave this wonderful game to the world. Over the years the Ashes have been the proud preserve of the Aussies. How to win it back has been the dilemma of the Englishmen. Be it at home or away, the Aussies have beaten the English in their own game and continued to mince beef all other teams. All Aussie opponents have levelled baseless allegations on them. But the Aussie juggernaut rolls on unconcerned, winning because it is not the only thing, it is the thing for them. Recently they bashed the Kiwis, the Pakistanis and the West Indies. They won Test series against the Kiwis and the Pakistanis and then won the VB triangular series beating the Pakistanis and the West Indies. As usual it was sour grapes for Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer who is struggling to hold his post. Woolmer is trying to make scapegoats of the umpires for his team's defeat. Woolmer's playing an old tune. He must be told to be determined in defeat and not offer lame excuses. ICC will soon show Woolmer how to keep his trap shut, until he knows what he is talking about Warne's doosra. Shane Warne who has suddenly become the darling of all Sri Lankans for donating a million US dollars for the tsunami affected, bowled a leg spinner's doosara the other night at the Charity dinner when he said that Muralitheran was no chucker. Warne said this after the ICC allowed all bowlers the 15 degree tolerance level. That was a cleverly disguised delivery from Warne. Why did he not clear Murlaitheran earlier? Better late than never. |
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