No more invincible. But, still the numero uno team by miles

I guess just reading the title would have given you an idea about what this post is about. Its about the australian cricket team and its position in the pecking order of the worlds cricketing team, post ashes 2005.

First a few sentences on the current ashes tour. I opine that most players of both teams have been playing in what I would like to call 'God mode'. 'God mode' is NOT playing like Bradman. Playing like Bradman is actually quite boring. The result is all too obvious and this is the exact opposite of what makes sports such a sensation. It is the brand of cricket that you get to see when highly talented players play very good cricket with lots of grit, determination and endurance against an opposition that is hell bent on preventing what the player has set out to do. Some examples would be:

a.) Steve Waughs innings against South Africa in the 1999 world cup.

b.) Laxmans innings against Australia in the all too famous Calcutta test match

c.) Sachins innings against Australia in the Sharjah ODIs

and so on...

The list is endless. Now in this ashes series we have seen some sterling performances by both the teams. Really riveting cricket played on good sporting conditions by highly motivated players. This is as good as it gets. This is certainly the best series that I have ever watched, even better than the famous Aussie tour of India. This is what I call cricket in 'God mode'.

Coming to the point. Though the aussies are 2-1 down they still are the best team in the world by miles. Yes, England are playing great cricket and are leading the series but they came perilously close to being 3-0 down and remember this is their home ground. Just 2 runs in the second test and just 3 tail enders in the fourth separated victory from defeat. As one commentator had put it, 'England have learned how not to loose'. True, but what makes champions is knowing how to win. That is what this Australian team specializes in. They will not and will never ever give up without a fight, without giving thier opponents a real scare. The fight that they put up on the fourth day is probably the stuff cricketing legends are made of. Shane Warne and Brett Lee were spitting fire. If only McGrath were around, England would have needed another 2 years to get a sniff of ashes. Such fighting spirit, a total refusal to accept defeat is what makes champions. That is what makes them the numero uno team in world cricket.

Obviously they are no more the invincibles. No more the unbeatable team. No more the team that every captain feared to play against. They are no more the undispute number one. No more the unparalleled warriors under the ruthless captianship of Waugh. But, they are still the worlds best team. On current form, Sri Lanka and England are good challengers to them. But they are still miles away from dethroning the aussies from the post of the worlds best cirketing team. As for the ashes, let England beware. They are not safe and let them not rejoice. For the aussies will probably need only one session to turn Englands ecstasy into agony. This australian team is dangerous. They are at their destructive best when they are cornered. Beware England.

As a cricket enthusiast, I am not exactly an ardent fan of the australian team. I did root for England to win. The aussies hardly have any supporters outside of australia. But as an individual, I love the way they go about their business. The passion they have for their work is worth emulating by anyone and in any business. Just like champions eveywhere.

In my formative years in school, I used to learn chess from one Mr.Murali Mohan. The phrase that he repeated often to us,

"Nee thothalum parava illa, opponent jaikarthukulla avan kannu, mooku, kathulernthu ratham varanum".

Now, that resembles the spirit of this australian cricket team. I am gonna attempt to imbibe that spirit in me. Lesseee...