The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Donald predicts end of Aussie domination

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Friday, Nov 16, 2007
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Donald predicts end of Aussie domination

Picks England and South Africa as possible challengers

Melbourne: South African pace legend Allan Donald has made a prediction which will make the faces of Australian opponents glow.

Donald believes the end of Australian domination is just round the corner as Ricky Ponting’s team, without the firepower of Glenn McGrath and guile of Shane Warne, will be vulnerable and other teams would catch up with it in a year or two.

“We all knew that McGrath and Warne, once they were gone, the Aussies would become a little more fragile, there is no question about that,” Donald was quoted in Daily Telegraph.

“They (Australia) will definitely, in time, become a bit more vulnerable with those two blokes out.

“I think it’s coming, that gap will be narrowed down in the next few years. There is no doubt about it. Australia’s dominance will at some stage come to an end.”

The former pacer has picked England and South Africa as the two teams who will challenge the Australian supremacy. “England are starting to develop very slowly again. South Africa are basically going through a restructuring.

Donald, who recently finished a brief spell as England bowling coach, said the new-look England side would be ready by the time the 2009 Ashes series is held in England.

Donald was full of praise for new Aussie spearhead Brett Lee but said other players need to prove themselves. “Mitchell Johnson — it’s too early for me to make a judgement. He looks a good talent. Stuart Clark is quite a skilful bowler. Clark is quite old, he is in his 30s and you don’t know how long he has got to play for yet” Donald said.— PTI

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