Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Fin de regime(?)

Rupert Murdoch! Bob Hawke! John Howard! Ricky Ponting! Madge Bishop! Kevin Rudd - can you hear me Kevin Rudd? Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating! Excuse me... just releasing some pent up emotion. Now, where was I?

Ah yes. Perhaps we should hold back from proclaiming a new world order, but, after victory as sweet as South Africa's was (adding 180 for the ninth wicket; JP Duminy's breathtaking 166; 10 wickets for Dale Steyn), it's tempting to get all flustered, if only for a bit.

To recap, the notion that Australia's cricketing empire is contracting - just as the West Indies' did almost 15 years ago - has already be tossed around; but a first home series defeat since the early nineties looks to have provided further evidence for the prosecution. An Aussie side with passengers? Game-winning opportunities declined with increasing regularity? Internecine bitching? All sounds familiar to this Pom...

Australia's case of subsidence may give KP and the gang heart ahead of the summer's Ashes dust-up, but it doesn't preclude England making a pig's ear of what looks right now a golden opportunity. Last time, it took a leonine effort to wrest back the Ashes. This year, maybe just calculated competency will be enough. For now, lads, keep Lance-Corporal Jones' advice in mind... Don't panic!

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