When Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich got together on 67/5 chasing 152 for a West Indies win against Pakistan in the 3rd Test at Sharjah on November 3, there was hope for the die-hard Caribbean fans like me. Hope of a revival of sorts, of the years when Test Cricket was ruled by the West Indies, eclipsing the Australian domination – the dream return of the lethal domination.
While the series was lost, Jason Holder's team won the Test with 5 wickets. It is quite premature to call that win as the beginning of the end of the Calypso slide, it sure does brighten up things for a beleaquered team, and fans across the World.
Australia meanwhile lost 3 Tests on the trot in Sri Lanka and their Test supremacy already on the wane looked to make up on home turf against South Africa minus AB de Villiers.
The Perth Test ended early for Dale Steyn, but the Proteas beat the hosts comprehensively with just the 3 frontline bowlers - Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander and the debutant Keshav Maharaj.
Much was expected of the Aussie response in the Hobart Test - well - 16 of the 20 Aussie wickets to fall in the Test were single digit scores. That sums up the disastrous performance, South Africa could win by an innings and 80 runs despite scoring just 326 is testimony of their bowlers' domination.
Barring David Warner, in the midst of mixed form, the rest of the batsmen are woefully out of their wits in facing the SA attack. Their bowling too seems pedestrian in spite of Mitchell Starc's occasional brilliance.
The Aussie team of the 70s terrorised the world with Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson before the West Indies unleashed the pace quartet and a superlative batting line-up. The brilliance of Clive Lloyd with Viv Richards, Greenidge, Haynes and co meant sheer domination for over a decade and half - best captured in the documentary film - Fire in the Babylon. The following two decades had the Aussies led by Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and to an extent Michael Clarke create an aura of invincibilty.
The South Africans have been quite unpredictable over the years, no I'm not referring to the 3rd letter of the Alphabet for their Limited Over performances, but their Test match cricket has seen quite some ups and downs. The team has slowly evolved from the shadows of Wessels, Cronje, Kirsten, Pollock, Greame Smith and Kallis era. However, without the mercurial ABD and the injury ridden Steyn ruled out, the expectation from the inconsistent Faf du Plessis led team has not been too high. The series has been decided ahead of the day-night Test, the hosts have a lot at stake.
Steve Smith, the skipper, just months ago was considered among the best Test batsmen in the World along with Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson. He has to put the five match losing streak behind and regroup the team at the Adelaide Oval, for ahead of them is another grueling visit to the sub-continent.
India, while a tough opponent at home, also flatter to deceive. After cleaning up the Kiwis, the hosts were pushed to the brink by England, who arrived licking their wounds from a Bangla Tigers’ inflicted humiliation. The Aussies, sure will take note of the English journey, for the chinks in the Indian armour is starting to get exposed.
I am not sure if the Windies will ever regain their lost glory, but the Aussies cannot be written off, their resilience is commendable - for now they are down - but they will rise again.
Pic Courtesy: Internet
