The Worlds Best Test Side: Australia

Right, I've wanted to write this for a pretty long time. Ever since the retirement of the great Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Matty Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, international cricket has become a much more competitive place to be. There are now genuinely five sides who can lay claim to being the worlds best, and if Pakistan played more cricket and didn't court controversy as much as they did, then maybe that number would be 6. Test cricket, despite the advent of Twenty20, has not been this competitive in a long time.



So who exactly are the best in the world? Well, I don't have stats to back all of this up, so its going to be on a purely on paper basis. But I'll evaluate the sides, and come to a decent conclusion as to who the best test team in the world are. I look at strengths and weaknesses, areas for improvements and the players who can fill any gaps. So who are the worlds best test team? Today, I'll look at the previous incumbents, Australia.



AUSTRALIA

As anyone who is watching the current Ashes series can see, Australia are not the side they once were. Recent results attest to this, with just 2 wins in their last 7 test matches. They have been outclassed at times by England during the Ashes, and the demolition job at the WACA aside have been distinctly second best. The current test at the MCG is not an abherration, it is how the majority of the series has gone. However, any discussion on the worlds best side would not be relevant without looking at the side that dominated the previous 15 years.



Opening Batsmen
The current opening batsmen in the Australia side are Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes, although Simon Katich would certainly be in the side in place of Hughes if he was not injured. Katich has been one of Australias most consistent batsmen of recent times, and is their 4th highest run scorer in 2010 despite playing 3 games less than the men above him. Watson is the 2nd highest run scorer for the side this year, and has been something of a revelation since moving to the top of the order in the middle of the 09 Ashes series. He has scored more 50s than any other Australian batsman in 2010, but there in lies the biggest criticism there is of Watson, his poor conversion rate. Hughes has fallen dramatically since he announced his arrival so emphatically against South Africa a few years back. England gave him a torrid time in the 09 Ashes, exposing the flaws in his technique and giving his confidence a bit of a bruising, and he hasn't really recovered entirely. He is a player who doesn't fill you with total confidence, in that he could be on 90 and the opposite side would still feel they have a chance to get him. He is explosive, and could develop into something special with time and work. The selectors definitely seem to have good faith in him either way.



Middle Order
Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey. On paper, that is as good a 3, 4, 5 as there is in the world. Ponting is without question one of the all time greats, and he is up there with Tendulkar, Lara and Kallis in terms of great batsmen since I started watching the game in the early 90s. He is Australias highest ever run scorer in tests, and that is a record that can't be argued with. On his day, he is as good as anyone in the world, if not better. However, he is definitely struggling at the moment, and many voices say that this Ashes series will be his last test series. In 2010 he is Australia's 3rd highest run scorer and has a highest of 209. However, only Mitchell Johnson has scored more ducks in the current side this year, and an average of 36.95 is not what is expected of the teams leader. His deputy and heir apparent is in a similar rut at the moment, with Michael Clarke averaging 36.71 for the year. Ever since his high profile relationship problems Clarke seems to have struggled, and a few niggling injuries have not helped his cause at all. Once a shoe in to follow Ponting as captain, doubts about his own game have now made this less of a certainty. He is a class player though, and is just one lucky break away from a big score. Coming into this series, major questions were being asked about Michael Hussey in the way they are now being asked about Clarke, and Hussey has responded brilliantly. His hundred in Perth was every bit as important to that victory as Johnsons first innings swing bowling masterclass, and he has been the standout batsman for the Aussies in this series. His 2010 record is good as well, as he is the sides highest run scorer with an average of 50.89, the only player in the side averaging over 50 for the year. He is not getting any younger though, although age is not an issue if you are playing well.



The number 6 position in the side is less clear. Marcus North was the number 6 coming into this series, and he was on borrowed time coming in. North had the opposite problem to Shane Watson. Where Watson seems incapable of converting his 50s into 100s, North struggled to get to 50, but his conversion when he got there was fantastic. This doesn't lead to a good run in the side though, as a test side does not a middle order batsman whos form runs so inconsistently. He averages 29.37 for the year, and that is with 2 hundreds. Steve Smith has since come into the side, and without being harsh he just is not a test number 6. Not yet. He is definitely an exciting young cricketer, but he is nowhere near the finished article, and his results prove this, as he averages 23.37 for this year. His position in the side shows that the selectors are a bit unsure as to what they are trying to do. He is playing as a batsman who will bowl you a few overs of spin, but this is a job that North did. Its a job that Clarke and Katich could do.



So what is ahead for Australias batsmen? Katich, Ponting and Hussey can't be far off finishing, so there are spots to be filled. Usman Khawaja is the next in line, and his domestic form is good. Cameron White deserves a test run, his development into a frontline batsman as opposed to an all rounder should be capitalised on by the selectors. David Hussey continues to pile on the domestic runs, and the selectors also seem keen on Cameron Ferguson. Shaun Marsh has performed well at the top of the order in one dayers, so he could come in for Katich at the top if Watson were to move down the order. By my estimation, that would balance the side considerably.



Wicket Keeper
This is an area that Australia have no problems in. When Adam Gilchrist retired, there was talk of how difficult it would be to follow him as the sides man behind the stumps, and whilst Gilchrist is impossible to follow, Brad Haddin could not have done a better job. He is as good a wicket keeper batsman as there is in the world right now, and would walk into any other team. Tim Paine also did well deputising for Haddin in the series against Pakistan this past summer, and has performed well in the 50 over side. Australia have got a knack of producing fine keepers, and their cupboard is full, with each domestic side boasting a keeper who could hold their own on the big stage.



Pace Bowlers.
This is another area where Australia have a number of players vying for a few spots. As of the MCG test that is currently ongoing, they are employing a 4 man pace attack consisting of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus. Johnson was the ICC cricketer of the year not so long ago, but similar to Hughes his stock has fallen since having a torrid tour of England in 2009. He is a hit or miss type of bowler, and he seems to miss more often than hit these days. Despite his apparent bad form however, he is by far Australias leading wicket taker this year, 10 ahead of the next best. If he can return to something approaching his best, he will be one of the worlds leading pace bowlers going into this decade. There is a lot to like about the rest of the attack as well. Peter Siddle reminds me of Craig McDermott, all attitude and snarl. Ben Hilfenhaus is one of the unluckiest bowlers around at the moment, his stats (18 wickets at 41.38 in 2010) do not do justice to the work he does. Ryan Harris looks like a fine bowler as well, with 20 wickets in 5 matches this year at the sides lowest average (24.40). His fitness is an issue however, but if he can stay fit he looks like he should be a fixture in the side. On the sidelines is Doug Bollinger, the sides 2nd leading wicket taker for the year. Similair attitude to Siddle, he is a very crafty bowler.

The problem with the attack though, especially with Johnson being so inconsistent, is that it does not strike fear into the hearts of opposition batsmen. 10 years ago, the pace line up for the side was Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie. One of the finest all time pace bowlers, the leading hostile wicket taker of the time and one of the most underrated players ever to play test cricket. A team would see those names in the line up and struggle to see where the runs would come from. However, as with any great sporting generation, the follow up is an impossible task. No disrespect, but I don't think any English batsmen had feelings of trepidation when faced with an attack of Johnson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus. They are all honest bowlers, who do a job, but the fear factor has definitely gone.

Spin Bowlers
Stuart MacGill, Brad Hogg, Beau Casson, Daniel Cullen, Cameron White, Jason Krejza, Cullen Bailey, Bryce McGain, Nathan Hauritz, Xavier Doherty, Steve Smith. All spin bowlers who have been given the challenge of filling the boots of Shane Warne. All have failed. Smith is the current incumbunt, and the rest have been discarded. MacGill was unlucky in that he played in the shadow of Warne for years, and actually outbowled him in the tests they played together. Casson had a promising debut, got injured and then had a serious confidence problem. Krejza took 12 wickets on debut in India, got injured and disappeared. McGain was carted around by Ashwell Prince on debut and never seen again. Hauritz was an unpopular selection who many claimed should be dropped, only to have the same people lambast the decision when it was made. Xavier Doherty was given 2 tests on the strength of an impressive ODI debut and Kevin Pietersen's mythical weakness against left armers. Now he has been discarded.

The spin cupboard is bare in Australia right now. Well, this isn't entirely true, Smith is promising, Hauritz is steady, Steve O'Keefe has been impressive domestically. The problem is obvious though. None of these bowlers are Shane Warne, and as much as the Australian public says they dont expect them to be, deep down they all do. They need to stick to a spinner, and put their faith in them for a long time. This man seemed to be Hauritz, but he was discarded at the beginning of the series and probably won't be seen again. Don't even get me started on Michael Beer.

In conclusion, Australia are not the best test side in the world. On paper their top order looks strong, but the game is not played on paper and they are struggling. The number 6 position is anyones guess, and I think the side would benefit from Shane Watson dropping down. Whilst he might not be the pure all rounder he once was, he provides options and balance. Brad Haddin is one of their finest players right now, and would also be a decent choice as Pontings successor. The pace bowling department is adequate, but without help from the conditions it can be toothless. Mitchell Johnson regaining form is of optimal importance to the attack. The spin bowling situation is a mess, and does not seem to be clearing up any time soon. The selectors need to stick with an option, maybe it will be Steve Smith, and give him time. Warne didn't start off like a train after all.

The worlds best side as recently as 2007, the current Australia line up are distinctly ordinary.