No bounceback for Aussies

Betting tips / Frank Gregan / 15 November 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

The scorecard has been downloaded and set as background on my laptop, it's a work of art, much easier on the eye than a Picasso or LS Lowry, the nine single digit scores, including four ducks, mature and look better every time they are viewed.

Australia's 'all-out' for 47 brought more than a smile to Frank Gegan's face and he can't see it going away in the second test against South Africa.

My generation has grown up in a couple of cricket eras during which there have been two dominant forces. Initially there was the West Indies and more recently and for a lot longer period we had Australia.

When the Windies ruled the world they did it with a smile on their face whilst playing aggressive cricket and accepting the plaudits with great modesty.

When Australia were at the top they ruled with an iron fist, they battered sides, had no hesitation in twisting the knife and their supporters were never short of a cruel quip as they basked in the reflected glory.

Once in a while sport throws up one of those lovely moments, something that cheers and gladdens. The norm is that it's something exceptional that happens to your team but every now and then it's something unsavoury, really embarrassing, that happens to an old foe.

Banter and bragging rights are no different in cricket than in any other sport. Australians love winning and ribbing those that they've defeated and things have gone their way for what seems like an eternity. There are Aussies that up until recently had seldom experienced back to back defeats. Those people have enjoyed the good times, laughed in the faces of those they've just hammered and never had to cope with embarrassment...until now!

There's been some inept performances this year, India in England and England in India being the two most obvious examples. But last week Australia produced one of the most embarrassing displays ever witnessed. Beginning their second innings with a healthy lead after scuttling out the South Africans for under a ton they looked nailed on to win the first Test in Cape Town.

But they didn't, wickets fell like trees at a lumberjack convention as Michael Clarke's men went back and forth to the crease with increasing frequency. Australia made a paltry 47, a score that would have been even more pathetic had the final pairing, who came together at 21 for nine, followed the example of their top order.

Australians all over the world, from Earls Court to East Geelong are diving for cover. It's amazing how many phones were turned off in the Southern Hemisphere last week. As a Pom that has endured decades of taunts from Australian buddies about the state of English cricket, 47 all out was a beautiful thing.

The scorecard has been downloaded and set as background on my laptop, it's a work of art, much easier on the eye than a Picasso or LS Lowry, the nine single digit scores, including four ducks, mature and look better every time they are viewed.

But let's not think this is unusual because despite Australia's recent dominance, historically they know how to capitulate. Five of the ten biggest first innings leads that have been wiped out and resulted in defeat have been surrendered by the Aussies. That's a record you don't hearing their fans banging on about.

As has been bemoaned in this column before, cricket moves on and results and performances like last week's are quickly forgotten. Cricket thinks it's a shark, believing that if it doesn't keep moving it will die. Not so, some things have to be savoured and that 47 all out is one of them. A monument should be erected, cast in glass (bottlers) of the Aussie team with the skipper Michael Clarke in the middle holding the number 47, which coincidently is thought to be the quintessential random number of the universe - as well as a pathetic innings total.

While the rest of the world does the conga chanting "let's all laugh at Australia" Clarke and his men will be licking their wounds and desperate to get back into action. The second Test gets underway on Thursday with South Africa favourites at [2.6] the Aussies [3.4] and the draw [3.05].

Will Australia bounce back? If India and England's recent tours are a yardstick the answer is probably not. Back South Africa is the recommendation while the cruel among you might fancy a lay of Australia at [1.01] not to make 75 in their second innings.