The Ashes 2013: Looking at the Aussies' chances

The current Australian squad for the Ashes

Not many are aware, but cricket’s history is a vividly colourful one. Of course, as is the case with almost all of histories, the myths and legends associated with it make the past all the more entertaining, the most popular one probably of a woman in an uncomfortably tight petticoat bowling the first ever over-arm ball. But the reason we believe in such things is because cricket’s history is indeed very strange and funny.

Not until their eighth meeting did Australia defeat England, way back on a sunny day in August 1882. The shock of the defeat was so massive, that it was reported that a man died of a severe heart-attack in the stands. Papers across England ran mock obituaries flagging off the ‘end of English cricket as we know it’. But one of the most popular pieces of cricket journalism was published a week after the loss in The Sporting Times.

An affectionate remembrance – Detail from a page of the issue dated September 2nd, referring to the ‘death ‘of English cricket as a result of the match between England and Australia at the Oval on the 29th August, 1882

The English were made out to be a group of babbling buffoons, losing to their colonists (even after having to chase a measly 85 runs) leaving a strange, and forgive me for saying this, Lagaan-like atmosphere in the Australian dressing room.

The next time the two met, it was widely publicized that England were going to recover the aforementioned ashes. And that’s how the name came about.

Since then, contests between the two sides have proven to be the most thrilling and gut-busting Test cricket has ever seen. Right from the famous first loss, to the Bodyline series, to the ‘ball of the century’, the Ashes has seen far more than any other bilateral series ever has. And the rivalry between the two leaves players frothing in the mouth and often resorting to nasty verbal duels, though adds to the flavour, isn’t as entertaining as the cricket on display.

The 90s was a period of Aussie’s dominance. Between 1989 and 2003, England won just eight matches of the 43 that were played, leaving people to question if it even was a competition anymore. The English seemed only to appear to bear their whipping and leave in a sorry state. There seemed to be no hunger to win like the Australians who constantly found new ways of tearing apart their opponents. Where England were hapless, Australia were relentless.

In 2003, Australia once again trampled all over the English, winning 4-1, before losing in an amazing series in 2004-05 after 18 years, but then recovered rather well when they took back the Ashes with a 5-0 drubbing in 2006-07. Yet, as we draw closer to the first Test in Nottingham, the odds heavily favour Alistair Cook’s men and fans are already preparing for an Australian breakdown at this year’s tourney.

It’s funny what six years can do to a team. During the 2006-07 series, the Australian team was widely regarded as one of the most dangerous teams in the history of the game. Bowling to their batting line-up was the ultimate test for any cricketer and very rarely did one emerge unscathed. And the extent of their dominance on world cricket was very apparent, with three consecutive World Cup wins under their belt and a place on top of the rankings for what seemed like an eternity. They were aggressive, ruthless, grandiose, destructive, and everybody hated them. But the fact remained that they were the best in the business.

The Australian side which decimated England 5-0 in 2006-07

The last few years have been a period of demise for Australia. The sudden surge of retirements of their golden boys has led to an almost West Indies-like downfall. Heroes one day, zeroes the next.

After the announcement of the squad for the Ashes this year, legend Ian Botham went as far as to say that this was the worst Australian squad he had seen in recent memory. Harsh words once ascribed only to Australia, who thrived on psychological warfare. With no retaliation to that statement, somewhere maybe the Aussies themselves know there is truth tinged in Botham’s words.

Their recent failures in India and in the Champions Trophy have probably started off a herculean downfall for the Aussies, a period of lull maybe. And poetically, ironically, anyway you look at it, it’s the Australians who will now have to work to regain the ashes they held onto for so, so long.

But what does a batting line-up consisting of Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan and Brad Haddin backed by bowlers like Robert Pattinson and Peter Siddle, compare to one with Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, with bowling duties handed to Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne?

The Ashes seem a far-fetched dream to the ordinary Aussie fan. And even the evidently ordinary Australian cricketer.