The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Why the Australians dominate

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Monday, Sep 27, 2004

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Why the Australians dominate

By S. Dinakar

DEADLY DUO: Legends Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell would be proud of the current crop for its fitness level and mental toughness. — Photo: V. Ganesan

Greg Chappell looked straight in the eye and said - "The mind holds the key."

Cricket is a test of skills, but whether a side conquered the demon of self-doubt, or wilted under the pressure, was decided by factor X - the Strength of Mind.

All things equal, it was the mind that provided the winning edge to a side. If a team was in the dumps, it was the mind that decided whether the odds could be surmounted. And if a side had the opposition down, it was the mind that ensured it stayed that way.

As the former Australian captain, and a batsman of tall, upright elegance, Chappell certainly knew that cricket was similar to a game of chess, where the mind ruled. The opposition had to be broken down psychologically.

Extraordinary cricketers

Australia has produced some extraordinary cricketers over the years, players blessed with loads of talent. These have also been men, with oodles of self-belief and confidence, that are the logical off-shoots of the mental strength.

Someone like Ian Chappell would thrive during times of crisis, with positive, attacking batsmanship and aggressive leadership. Dennis Lillee would thunder in with greater vigour when the opposition had its nose in front. And a Rodney Marsh would travel a yard further in his dive, if a critical breakthrough had to be achieved.

The tradition has continued with men like Steve Waugh and Ian Healy proving tough as nails; when the adversary held the upper hand, their competitive juices would be flowing.

If the Australians, despite India's rather considerable home advantage, have to be given a reasonable chance in the up-coming four-Test series, it is due to the talent-strength of mind combination.

In hot, humid, dusty conditions, in front of a huge audience, and on wearing surfaces, you would expect the Aussies to handle the conditions better that most non-subcontinental outfits. After all, only two tail-end wickets stood between them and the final frontier in 2001.

Traditionally Australia has never been lacking in cricketers who put their hand up when the side needed them. When pace spearhead Craig McDermott suffered a freak injury ahead of the Caribbean campaign in 1995, Glenn McGrath stepped into his role effortlessly; the Aussies breached the West Indian bastion on that significant tour, leading to a major shift in the balance of power.

If the side consistently tops the 300-run mark for the day in Tests these days — the pace of the Aussie run-getting sets up the victories — it is due to this urge to dominate and control the rhythm, and tempo of the match. This reflects the side's positive mind-set.

Fitness factor

The Aussie fitness levels are high — there is a school of thought which believes that the strength of the body and the toughness of the mind are related — and the Australians train hard, enabling them to adapt to the different conditions in a hurry.

They are also willing to walk that extra yard. If Matthew Hayden was an outstanding success on turning pitches during the 2001 tour, it was because he had volunteered to travel with the Australian Cricket Academy team to India earlier.

Indeed, the fire within has enabled these magnificent men in the baggy green to set new benchmarks. Not for nothing has Australia been the most dominant outfit in world cricket for the last six years.

Chappell would say, "It's all in the mind."

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