The Australians, excepting for a solitary hiccup, have played ferocious cricket through out this ODI series. They have reminded everybody that they are the Champions and the best team barring none by winning the series.
However, what exactly are they trying to achieve by this constant harping about firstly India’s Twenty20 championship celebrations, secondly by the aggrieved tone they have taken about the ‘lip’ they are getting from some of the Indian players and now thirdly by ‘monkey chants’ claims.
The most charitable conclusion seems to be that they are trying to get to the mind of the Indian team ahead of the upcoming series.
The less charitable conclusion seems to be to create a diplomatic row between the two nations. We all know how the Australian government got involved during the ‘bodyline’ series. By- the –way, they also have a Prime Minister who is not above calling Muralitharan a chucker.
It is easy to conclude that this systematic ratcheting up of the rhetoric is a tool or should we say a license to behave boorishly. They are preparing the background to do so by claiming all this happened to them in India and Indians better lump it if the same happens to them in Australia.
Unfortunately for Australia, the truth lies somewhere between.
It is apparent that with the retirement of Warne and McGrath they are finding themselves matched man to man in all the cricketing areas and it will not be long before other countries will start beating them regularly. They also know that their bowlers are only good ‘on their day’. In turn this has made their team vulnerable to strong batting lineups.
The seniors in the team know that the Australian dominance is surely a thing of the past. It is this conviction that has them feeling of being under siege. No wonder, Ponting and Symonds are talking about respect and making a song and dance over mere trifles.
However, what exactly are they trying to achieve by this constant harping about firstly India’s Twenty20 championship celebrations, secondly by the aggrieved tone they have taken about the ‘lip’ they are getting from some of the Indian players and now thirdly by ‘monkey chants’ claims.
The most charitable conclusion seems to be that they are trying to get to the mind of the Indian team ahead of the upcoming series.
The less charitable conclusion seems to be to create a diplomatic row between the two nations. We all know how the Australian government got involved during the ‘bodyline’ series. By- the –way, they also have a Prime Minister who is not above calling Muralitharan a chucker.
It is easy to conclude that this systematic ratcheting up of the rhetoric is a tool or should we say a license to behave boorishly. They are preparing the background to do so by claiming all this happened to them in India and Indians better lump it if the same happens to them in Australia.
Unfortunately for Australia, the truth lies somewhere between.
It is apparent that with the retirement of Warne and McGrath they are finding themselves matched man to man in all the cricketing areas and it will not be long before other countries will start beating them regularly. They also know that their bowlers are only good ‘on their day’. In turn this has made their team vulnerable to strong batting lineups.
The seniors in the team know that the Australian dominance is surely a thing of the past. It is this conviction that has them feeling of being under siege. No wonder, Ponting and Symonds are talking about respect and making a song and dance over mere trifles.
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