Australia will be crap now

Thank Christ for that. We were starting to think it would never end.

Every two years we think: 'Right. That's got to be it now. McGrath and Warne have GOT to be retired by the next Ashes and England will be able to cash in.' But they never did retire.

Well now they have and Australia have to somehow replace the top wicket-taker of all time, a man who can take wickets on the flattest of pitches in any situation. They also have to replace the most reliable new ball bowler of all time, a man who would never let them down who's the third-highest wicket-taker of all time.

Quite frankly, it can't be done.

There'll be some good bowlers coming through, without doubt. But they'll be a lot more hot and cold than McGrath and Warne and that will cost Australia matches.

Bowling's the key. Bowling's always the key. Australia have had two of the very best at the same time. The effects are greater than just their wickets as well.

Brett Lee averages 32.43 with the ball. How many times has he been saved from a well-set batsman further denting those figures by Warne or McGrath getting them out. He doesn't have that luxury any more. Next time Mohammad Yousuf coasts past 100, there'll be no: 'Right, enough of this - Shane!' from Ricky Ponting. Brett'll have to plod on. Either that or Shaun Tate can take a turn watching the ball disappear to the boundary.

The batsmen won't like it either. There's a profound psychological difference between chasing 200 and chasing 400. It's unquantifiable, but it's real. Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have indirectly inflated Aussie batsmen's averages for over a decade. Now they'll have to fend for themselves.

All in all, it's a great weight off our mind. If only there were more great bowlers elsewhere in the world.

The future of one-day cricket?

In a recent press conference, Ricky Ponting described Australia's batting line-up as a glimpse into the future of one-day cricket. What he meant was that since the inclusion of Cameron White, virtually all of Australia's batsmen were strong six-hitters.

Australians in particular seem to be convinced that this is the future of one-day cricket, ever since their startling defeat at the hands of South Africa when they'd set them 435 to win.

We disagree. In a one-day match today, England were bowled out for 155, Australia's big-hitters floundered and it was left to Mike Hussey to see them home for the loss of six wickets. There'll always be matches like this. Every side has to have room for a player who recognises when singles are a valuable commodity.

Ricky Ponting's 'future of one-day cricket' increasingly sounds like balls

A week or so ago, Ricky Ponting pronounced that a batting line-up of six-hitters was 'the future of one-day cricket'. Two days ago, we revealed that as being complete testicles.

Today we underline how right we are and how wrong Ricky Ponting is. Australia beat New Zealand. The top-scorers were Michael Clarke and entirely predictably, Mike Hussey - Australia's two least six-happy batsmen. Okay, Hussey managed one six, but still.

Don't think for a minute that you've heard the last of this. We'll still be boring the arse of you with it when Robo-Ponting 9000 lifts the six-hitting World Cup in 2050.