Much breast beating and hair tearing over the state of the Australian cricket team. Fair enough, we expect a lot, but it's been clear to everyone bar the selectors that the team has been in decline for some time.
While Australia can potentially level the series in Sydney, the Ashes are gone. This should be seen as an opportunity to build towards the next Ashes series, as should have been done 12 months ago. No use worrying about what's happened, have to push forward towards the next iteration of the Australian team.
To that degree Beer and Khawaja have finally gotten a go. Clarke might have made way too had it not been for the injury to Ponting. When the dust settles the ACB have to settle on a re-building stage, much as what happened in the doldrums of the mid-eighties. There are greats in this team, but they're aging and have to move on sooner or later and let the next generation take their chance.
To that extent I believe Katich has played his last test match for Australia. At 35 it's time for someone younger to take his place, whether it be Hughes or someone else. Khawaja should be retained at three and given an extended run. He's got the goods, just needs time in the middle and the faith of the selectors.
Assuming Ponting remains in the team - and I think he should for now - that means he drops down the order. I reckon bat at 5, and though it'll hurt should move on from the captaincy. That leaves Clarke as the captain despite dodgy form and a dubious reputation.
The poor form of our two best batsmen - Ponting and Clarke - just about guaranteed a series win was beyond us, but you have to back them in. Clarke will recover his form, and I think is an astute tactician if not the leader that inspires the nation. There is no-one else.
Hussey had had a great series, but like Ponting I think must be gone by the next Ashes series. I'd like to see Watson bat down the order despite his relative success as an opener. He's a genuine all-rounder, but we lose some of that with him opening, and he can be valuable option batting in the middle-order.
That means a new opening combo, Hughes possibly, maybe with Marsh. The retirements of Ponting and Hussey will open up spots for the likes of White and Ferguson and maybe Mitch Marsh, with White targeted as the next Australian captain after Clark.
Haddin is good for a while, but has a great replacement in the wings in Tim Paine. If Steve Smith is to play - and I think he has great talent - then it must be as a bowling all-rounder. To that extent he needs to go off and develop that further. The other option is O'Keefe.
The bowlers? Well for all his erratic form Johnson will stay. On his day he is a prodigy. I like Hilfenhaus, but though he's a good partnership bowler he doesn't take enough wickets. I like the Rhino too, he's a whole-hearted performer who bowls a heavy ball. Siddle is willing, but lacks class. They have their qualities, but they're a notch or two beneath what we have been accustomed to. Bollinger I don't rate against good opposition.
All this means that we need to begin transitioning the next generation of Australian bowlers into the team. I'm not convinced by the batting, but I think our bowlers over the next 10 years should be pretty good.
They're raw still, but one or both of Pattinson and Hazlewood should be playing for the Australian test team within 12 months. Then there's Starc, Faulkner (who is developing into a potent all-rounder very quickly), Cameron who will be coming through. Fast bowling looks good, spin bowling not so flash.
Let's see how Beer goes this match. Steve Smith needs to improve, then there's O'Keefe as we've mentioned. Krezja might be worth another look as he is what we need in so many ways. He's a wicket taking spinner, and there's no point having any other sort in the team.
That's my 2c worth, and my gaze into the crystal ball. No-one can ever second guess the selectors, though I'm glad they now have a hard-nosed pragmatist like Greg Chappell guiding them. And there are bound to be players unmentioned who will surprise and press for selection, and others slip away. That's the nature of the game.
The team in 3 years might look something like this:
Marsh
Hughes/Maddinson
Khawaja
Ferguson/Marsh
Clark/White (c)
Watson/Faulkner/Keath
Paine
O'Keefe/Smith
Johnson
Pattinson
Hazlewood
Bottom line we need to build the next great Australian team, the team that will win back the Ashes. Kudos to the England team and organisation, they deserve this success. They've fought hard, are led well, and exhibited the resilience I doubted them for so long. We'll be coming back though.
