Australia's tour of United Arab Emirates v Pakistan - October 2014

[Slowcoach]

That's why SA are clearly THE NUMBER ONE test side on the planet and the first true number one since the dominance of Australia some 7 years ago.

Have been saying this for years, the only other team that can win away from "home" atm is Pakistan.

 

[sami ullah khan]

I must have died and gone to heaven. Pakistan beat Australia two nill with dominance, this is the best result I have witnessed for Pakistan. I have never felt better than today for our test cricket.[DOUBLEPOST=1415006253][/DOUBLEPOST]And Indians here can thank us for softening up the Aussies for them.

 

[Umair7]

Have been saying this for years, the only other team that can win away from "home" atm is Pakistan.

No even they cant (UAE is like a home now,Pakistan Crowd,Pakistan Pitches) and your away record isn't so awesome !

 

[abhi_jacko]

And Indians here can thank us for softening up the Aussies for them.

You guys have most probably pi$$ed them off even more for us

 

[sami ullah khan]

Lol well you could take it that way. Nothing like some indians to vent this frustration off for the mighty Aussies. They will be quite another bunch of players on home grounds. Indians can expect some real nasty pitches.

 

[Rehan_24]

Fantastic performance by Pakistan Cricket Team!!! Aussies were no where near, Not much surprized, because since the legends gone, The team is still in re-building process. My pick is Ahmed Shahzad from this series. It would be interesting to see his performance in the upcoming World Cup in Aus/NZ. I am sure lush green outfields will enjoy welcome his batting

 

[Yuvi.]

Feeling pity for the Indian Batsmen! That lefty with the beard...!

 

[War]

I`m silently enjoying Pakistan pound this Aussie side. I think a lot of us jumped the gun calling this Australian side right up there with the best when they were yet to be tested anywhere outside of Autralia or Australia like conditions. This side would struggle to win tests anywhere in Asia and have lost 9 tests against India, England and Pakistan in the last year or so. Its as bad as India`s continued struggle in England and Australia.

If these wickets are so easy to bat on, why do non-Asian batsmen struggle so much in these conditions? Its one of the reasons we must start treating runs scored in Asia with some respect.

Over-exaggeration my friend. If anyone has jumped the gun its people's assessment of AUS after this series defeat.

I will remind people that the Great AUS team of 95-2006/07, did not conquer the sub continent (India & SRI specifically) until 2004, despite winning everywhere else. They didn't tour PAK after 98 because of 9/11 & PAK pitches in 98 series were roads & not turners. Lost in India twice plus one-off 96 test & in SRI 99 before 2004. So that's almost a decade into their dynasty and I don't think anyone was making over the top statements saying "AUS are only good in AUS like conditions". They were universally acclaimed as one of the greatest teams of all time long before 2004.

Of course Clarke teams is no where near that AUS side ATM, however they are still a very good side. Its obvious they are bad in Asia right now, ridiculously and disappointingly bad. As Ricky Ponting mentioned in his debut cricinfo piece - Ricky Ponting: Australia need to learn the Asian tempo | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo & i've mentioned before here when AUS lost 4-0 in India last year & crashed out of T20 W-cup to spin earlier this year, all the hard work that 95-2006 era team put it to move AUS batsman past the point where they don't look to vulnerable vs spin has been destroyed by this team in the last 3 years. Urgent work is needed here cause, even if Clarke's AUS team continue to win in AUS/ENG/SA/WI/NZ conditions but struggle to deal with SC conditions, they will just be regarded as a good team with a major black mark.

However comparing India or any SC teams failures overseas to AUS struggles in SC doesn't fly.

Their is no example in cricket history of any Asian team or player (batsman or bowler) being successful by just doing well on home wickets tailor made for spinners, then continously struggling when they leave Asia. All such Asian teams are generally remembers as lions @ home pussy cats abroad.

But they are man non Asian teams/players who struggled vs spin/asian conditions but still were regarded favourably because they did well in other non Asia countries - which meant they still had a higher success rate overseas than a negative one.

Plus why mention that in ENG Ashes series defeat? It is well known this "new era" Clarke AUS side began its rise during the 5-0 Ashes win. And, wherever it goes in the future, that will always be the starting point.

The 2013 Ashes ENG belongs to period that began during the 2009 Ashes lost, which is regarded as AUS worst period of test cricket since the late 1980s.

 

[War]

That's why SA are clearly THE NUMBER ONE test side on the planet and the first true number one since the dominance of Australia some 7 years ago.

Indeed. But to be clear AUS never claimed or boasted to be # 1, even after they won in SA this year. It was the faulty ranking system who stated they were # 1, and AUS coach Lehmann didn't even take the ranking seriously.

ICC news : Australia reclaim No. 1 Test ranking | Cricket News | Cricinfo ICC Site | ESPN Cricinfo

'We're not true No. 1 yet' - Lehmann

• Australia's coach Darren Lehmann does not believe Australia have yet earned the right to call themselves world No. 1 - even if the ICC rankings say so. In Adelaide to speak at a corporate function, Lehmann toldThe Advertiser he wanted the team to prove their quality by sustaining the success of the past six months. "I don't think we're No. 1 until we win a lot of series away from home and at home," he said. "Once we start doing that and spread the gap between No. 1 and No. 2, then you can start calling yourself the genuine No. 1. "We've got to win against Pakistan, the Ashes in England, win at home, win in the West Indies. If we tick off those, then you can pretty much say, 'Yeah, we're No. 1'. But until you do that we're No. 1 in rankings only, if that makes sense. The players understand that. They enjoy being No. 1 but now the challenge is to spread it from one to two. The way you do that is to not lose a game, for starters. Making sure that when we're under the pump in games that we fight hard to get out of it. Almost unbeatable -- that would be the ultimate goal."
• Lehmann's sentiments were echoed by Test opener Chris Rogers, who told Cricket Australia's website the team still had some "unfinished business".
• "I don't know, personally," Rogers said. "Obviously, there's still some unfinished business. Losing 4-0 in India - you can't do that if you're number one - but I think to beat South Africa in South Africa meant a lot. They were number one and to go beat them in their place; I think that is a big achievement."

 

[cricket_icon]

Indeed. But to be clear AUS never claimed or boasted to be # 1, even after they won in SA this year. It was the faulty ranking system who stated they were # 1, and AUS coach Lehmann didn't even take the ranking seriously.

ICC news : Australia reclaim No. 1 Test ranking | Cricket News | Cricinfo ICC Site | ESPN Cricinfo

'We're not true No. 1 yet' - Lehmann

• Australia's coach Darren Lehmann does not believe Australia have yet earned the right to call themselves world No. 1 - even if the ICC rankings say so. In Adelaide to speak at a corporate function, Lehmann toldThe Advertiser he wanted the team to prove their quality by sustaining the success of the past six months. "I don't think we're No. 1 until we win a lot of series away from home and at home," he said. "Once we start doing that and spread the gap between No. 1 and No. 2, then you can start calling yourself the genuine No. 1. "We've got to win against Pakistan, the Ashes in England, win at home, win in the West Indies. If we tick off those, then you can pretty much say, 'Yeah, we're No. 1'. But until you do that we're No. 1 in rankings only, if that makes sense. The players understand that. They enjoy being No. 1 but now the challenge is to spread it from one to two. The way you do that is to not lose a game, for starters. Making sure that when we're under the pump in games that we fight hard to get out of it. Almost unbeatable -- that would be the ultimate goal."
• Lehmann's sentiments were echoed by Test opener Chris Rogers, who told Cricket Australia's website the team still had some "unfinished business".
• "I don't know, personally," Rogers said. "Obviously, there's still some unfinished business. Losing 4-0 in India - you can't do that if you're number one - but I think to beat South Africa in South Africa meant a lot. They were number one and to go beat them in their place; I think that is a big achievement."

never said the aussies claimed that, I'm just stating there is a clear gap between SA and everyone else, I think the second tier may consist of Aus, Pak, Eng atm, maybe, maybeeeeee India and then the 3rd tier is the low quality of the Windies and NZ.

 

[War]

never said the aussies claimed that, I'm just stating there is a clear gap between SA and everyone else, I think the second tier may consist of Aus, Pak, Eng atm, maybe, maybeeeeee India and then the 3rd tier is the low quality of the Windies and NZ.

Nah you can't have NZ in a 3rd tier based on their form in last 15 months in tests. After SA & AUS, NZ has been the most stable performing test team during that period.

 

[abhi_jacko]

SL should score over NZ. They beat Eng in Eng. While NZ's last 2 wins have come against WI (home and away) and India (home)

 

[cricket_icon]

Nah you can't have NZ in a 3rd tier based on their form in last 15 months in tests. After SA & AUS, NZ has been the most stable performing test team during that period.

most of their test wins come at home and against the windies (crap) and india (terrible travelers). pakistan domination of australia has been far more impressive and the aussies destruction of england. sa have been better too.

 

[Aalay]

And when did Pakistan win their last test series overseas? They won it in 2010/11 against NZ. All their other wins after that have been at their new home (UAE) or against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.