Going into a tailspin is not a prerogative of flying machines. The Australian cricket team demonstrated enough competence to show the world a good exhibit of a downward spiral, albeit on dust bowls and not in the sky. The sense of panic that the Aussie batters (an honorable mention for Phil Hughes) displayed while facing the Indian tweakers is paralleled probably only by the proverbial rabbits in the headlights. Wonder if homework assignments done properly would have changed the course of the eventual fate. A golden generation with the likes of Ponting, Hussey and Hayden has left in its wake the feeling of haplessness. With Clarke being the only one who seems to have feet against spin (Smith may take a valid offence to that) and the rest getting trigger happy at the slightest option of playing a horizontal bat shot, the immediate future looks bleak. There are two Ashes to be played in quick succession and a betting man wouldn't put his money on this Australian performance. It would be trial by a different kind of fire at the old blighty and the antipodeans can only hope that seam would afford their profligate batsmen a little more leeway than spin did. The bowling looks at par with Pattinson, Siddle and Lyon bowling manfully. They would certainly find it easier in seaming conditions than on cracking surfaces. Unless the Aussie system throws up a few good men with the willow, this seems to be a long haul in mediocrity for the erstwhile giants.
NZ are known to punch above their weight (Jesse Ryder would vouch for that). That they would draw the series against the English with a points win in two of their three matches was beyond imagination. It was probably a touch of complacency on the part of the three lions after their glorious achievements in India but they never expected to be hanging by the ropes like that. The last day of the final test was a testimony to test cricket and the roller coaster of hope, despair, panic, resolution, comedy (take a bow Monty) and sheer skill was one to behold. Matt Prior has been the best wicket keeper for some time and his efforts to salvage a draw from near defeat is surely going to become part of folklore. The under weights from the trans Tasmanian rivalry performed with a heart that defies the turmoils in their establishment. May be it takes a spot of bother for them to rise and show what the black caps can do.
The IPL is upon us. The blokes who had no love lost between them on international duty will now don the same shirts and share a dressing room. Ponting and Harbhajan sharing thoughts about verbal strategies is a delightful thought. Money does bring the strongest of characters to dial down and run with the rank and file. If this T20 tourney is of any value to the connoisseur its the show of how currency turns a world divided by nationalities, ideologies and egos into a melting pot where there are no kings and certainly no subjects.