So what's the moral of the story? That you have to be a prick to win, that being nice always means you are on the losing side?
Well it's not so much being a 'prick' in terms of abuse (as I never did that and don't strictly agree with it as a tactic) but it's more about not extending any niceties towards your opponent. Play the game hard etc. but also, don't just accept failure and try to be nice about it. Acknowledge the fact your opponent was better on the day but aim to beat them comprehensively the next time. The current teams don't seriously think they can challenge Australia right now and it fuels the arrogance we've seen from the Aussies recently.
Cricketing history has shown that you don't have to be a team of trash-talking pricks to dominate the game or even to be a tough and hardnosed team. You need to believe in your abilities and have the will and commitment to win.
I dispute that, I really do. Not the part about the pricks but the part about being tough. Having the will to win is not just about believing in your own abilities at all. Winning is about not allowing your opposition to play as well as they can as much as it is about playing well yourself.
An example; you're a fast bowler and you're up against a player who is suspect against short-pitched stuff. If you merely believed in yoru abilities, you'd just bowl outside off-stump and try to get him the usual way. The advantage to that is that you might get him that once or you might not.
The other approach to the situation would be to bounce the crap out of him. The advantage is that not only could you get them out then, you might effectively get future wickets for yourself as he's going to be apprehansive trying to play you.
That's the tough approach which successful teams the world over have had to adopt, even if they think something like that isn't sportsman-like. The WI team of the late 70's and 80's did it, the current Aussie team do it and have been doing so for a while and the best teams have all done it.
If you're nice and never try the less fun tactics, well you might take the occasional win off the best teams but most times, you'll be wiped off the park. In my opinion, you have to not just play well yourself but impose your will on the opposition and let them know that not only do you want to win but that you want them to LOSE.
Talent and will to win are what have propelled the Aussies to the forefront of cricket, not trash-talking and sledging rivals.
Well not so much trash-talking but the tough tactics have also done it. The courage to do what's required to win, regardless of how bad you may feel about it, are what separates a good team from a dynasty.
So, in conclusion, being a prick doesn't ensure that you become a champion, have the ability, will, commitment and maybe some luck on the way, does.
I disagree. Being a prick will not win you matches on it's own (of course) but ALL Test teams have will to win, commitment etc. or they wouldn't even be Test sides. So there must be something else which separates the wheat from the chaff and that must be attitude.
And I reckon guys like Mark Butcher, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick are going to be the architects of that revival. Nasser has started it but those are the guys who will take it to the next level I believe.
