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Australia has completely dominated Test cricket after taking first place in the Test Cricket Ratings in January 2000. Under the captaincy of Stephen Waugh, Australia increased their rating from a low point of 1124 points, after losing in Sri Lanka in October 1999, to a record highest rating of 1241 points in October 2003, after crushing Zimbabwe.
Waugh's Australians were only the fourth team in history to exceed 1200 rating points. In setting a record of 1241 points, they pushed (Sir) Vivian Richards' 1986 West Indians (1236 points) into second place on the all time rating records list.
By the time Ricky Ponting was appointed captain, the Australian rating had eased back to 1225 points. Ponting was able to take what was substantially Waugh's team and post a series of new record ratings, culminating in the current record rating of 1252 points, after defeating New Zealand in March 2005.
During the Waugh years, Australia developed an aura of invincibility. That aura intimidated opposition sides while increased their Australia's tendency to attempt the audacious, unlikely and seemingly impossible - they only failed occasionally. Whenever they got into trouble, someone stepped up and dug them out. During Ponting's first year as captain, the team remained largely unchanged and continued in the same manner.
However, Australia was ambushed by a vastly improved England in mid 2005.
England had moved up to second place in the ratings in early January 2005 after winning in South Africa for the first time since 1965. Australia arrived in England and looked under prepared. Australia's bowling attack of McGrath, Lee, Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Warne was unchanged in the four years since their last English tour. From early on, Gillespie and Kasprowicz struggled. Despite winning the first Test comprehensively, the rest of the Test tour began to fall apart.
Australia escaped England with a two Tests to one loss. In doing so, their aura of invincibility vanished overnight. A significant level of hubris evaporated overnight. The selectors and Ponting came under greater public pressure to fix the problems.
The selectors had been 'retiring' one team veteran per year for some years. As Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Steve Waugh 'retired', a replacement was brought in and usually settled in comfortably among an established batting order. However, after the 2005 Ashes, the controlled replacement strategy was no longer viable.
Australia had achieved an invincible status built around a middle order featuring the Waugh brothers. Various replacements were not as robust and have been returned to domestic competition. Once the backbone of the batting line up, Australia's middle order is now recognised as the weak link.
There is an important lesson for the Australian selectors at the end of the South African Test series. Against quality batting opposition, the once fearsome bowling attack lacked penetration. In the second innings in Perth and both innings in Sydney, they looked mostly toothless.
In Sydney, Australia would have lost the Test but for the rain interruptions shortening the match. Without the rain, South Africa would not have generously declared their second innings when they did. Australia would have batted Australia out of the match. The selectors need to remember that fact rather than the 'surprise win'. Only the continual rain interruptions in Sydney opened a door for an Australian victory - and it was the old firm of Hayden and Ponting who did the work, not the middle order.
South Africa gambled and lost in Sydney from a winning position. The gamble was Smith's credit as he looked for a series levelling win rather than bat through for a draw - a gambling spirit that characterised Waugh's captaincy. While South Africa's batsmen did the job, if somewhat slowly and laboriously, South Africa's bowling attack missed the injured Ntini at Sydney.
Due to the series loss, South Africa's rating has eased back to 1118 points. South Africa retains third place in the ratings, but now trails England by 20 rating points. South Africa's lead over a fast improving fourth placed India has dropped to 21 points.
South Africa set a national record highest rating of 1163 points in September 2003. Since that time, South Africa's rating has been trending downwards. South Africa will host Australia for a three Test series in March and will hope that their own pitches and crowd support lift them to a higher more competitive level.
Australia's series win against South Africa has seen them retain first place in the ratings with a rating of 1248 points. Australia's defeat of West Indies and South Africa during their domestic summer has allowed Australia to recover all but four of the ratings points they lost to England in 2005. Australia's lead over second placed England is now 110 points.
A five Test series against England will be the centrepiece of the next Australia summer. However, Australia needs to get itself into better shape to repel that English assault. Australia has less than twelve months to prepare and will benefit from what may be a very testing tour of South Africa in March 2006.
Ponting no longer has the luxury of having Waugh's personnel in his team. Over the next three years, the retirement of the remaining veterans will be complete - Ponting will be the only one left. Tough decisions and better focus need to be developed now or Australia may find itself losing its first home Test series since 1992-93, when Ritchie Richardson's West Indians defeated Allan Border's Australians by two Tests to one.
Once 'Fortress Australia' has been breached then Australia could really begin to haemorrhage rating points - just look at the example of the West Indians after their home series loss to Australia in 1995. The West Indians, already well off their peak rating, held a rating of 1176 points lost to Australia by two Tests to one. The West Indians went on to lose 327 rating points over the next decade.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1248); 2. England (1138); 3. South Africa (1118); 4. India (1097); 5. Pakistan (1081) ; 6. Sri Lanka (1041); 7. New Zealand (1036); 8. West Indies (949); 9. Zimbabwe (849); 10. Bangladesh (785).
