How would you rate year 2019 as an Aussie fan?

[KP From India]

Started with a series defeat vs India, comeback of Smith and Warner.
Defeated India after lagging 2-0 in India, whitewashed Pakistan, WC semifinalist, defeated Sl in home series, absolutely thrashed Pak in home tests, thrashed Nz at home.
Overall IMO 8.5/10
Discussion.

 

[hadi123]

Started the year in disarray, possibly at the lowest point it's been. But with the return of Warner and Smith, it has rejuvenated the entire team. Starc and Cummins are looking unplayable

 

[Aman]

7/10.

Retained the Ashes but they missed out on winning a series in England and they were knocked out of the WC by the English.

 

[Ahmed4472]

Much better year compared to 2018. From to

 

[Hasan123]

Had a decent WC. They have started to get some consistency in tests in terms of results and team selection. Langer has done a excellent job.

 

[Junaids]

The question made me laugh.

It reminded me of the aprocryphal quote attributed to Winston Churchill:

Question: "If you weren't British, what nationality would you most like to be?'
Answer: "British."

I am not an Aussie fan - how could I be, I'm English - but I am a fan of several Aussie players.

Here's my summary:

1. The batting has actually barely developed. Labuschagne is a great gain, and his improvement is 100% down to his county stint with Glamorgan. But Smith and Warner have returned, only for glaring Achilles Heels to become obvious.

2. Tim Paine is an excellent wicketkeeper and stopgap captain, but he is the exact same age as Azhar Ali, and he is always one bad series away from permanent retirement.

3. Nathan Lyon is the same as ever, he hasn't improved a bit. He will always be a 30+ average spinner.

4. As I wrote in another thread, the first choice bowling attack is all from New South Wales, and even before Pakistan arrived it was clear that for some reason they were getting the ball to do things in the Sheffield Shield that it didn't do last year after the sandpaper scam was terminated.

I would summarise the situation as "Back to 2017".

And I would add that the white ball wheels have come off totally. I was in the crowd for the World Cup defeats to South Africa and then the massacre by England in the semi-final. This is the Aussie white ball team's lowest point since 1992.

 

[Junaids]

I would add that the Aussie authorities have finally learned what they need to do to make it all but impossible for visiting teams other than South Africa to win in Australia:

1. Prepare pitches which retain additional bounce compared with England or New Zealand tracks, but not excessively so.

2. Prepare pitches with minimal live grass to ensure that skilled opposition seam bowlers do not obtain lateral movement.

3. Use 2019 Kookaburra balls which have a tiny seam and allow almost no seam or swing, including reverse swing.

This formula basically means that innings of 400+ are always possible, and any touring team unfamiliar with the conditions will struggle to take wickets using normal seam, swing or spin.

The main weapons which work for bowlers are extreme pace and extreme height, because Cricket Australia knows that those are the areas in 2019-20 in which Australia is ahead of everyone else. It wasn't enough to win the series in England 4 months ago, but at home that combination of height and pace is all that gets people out.