Cricket: Weak test opposition flattering Waugh's champions says Hughes

By RICHARD BOOCK

Former Australian captain Kim Hughes has slammed the standard of test cricket, saying weak and deteriorating opposition is flattering Steve Waugh's record-breaking side.

The man who led the Baggy Greens into a near war-zone when he toured the West Indies in 1984 believes Waugh's deeds as captain have as much to do with the standard of the opposition as the ability of the Australian team.

Waugh, who has already led his side to a world-record 16 consecutive test wins, is on the cusp of another milestone as Australia continue to dominate the third test against the West Indies at Bridgetown. If his team win, the 37-year-old will equal the record of 36 victories set by former West Indian captain Clive Lloyd, who led his team in 74 tests between 1974 and 1985.

Hughes said the fact that Waugh was on the brink of equalling Lloyd's record in less than 50 tests raised serious questions about the health of the international game, and the ability of those who administered it.

"It's an indictment on the standard of world cricket, to be honest," said Hughes, who captained Australia in 20 tests between 1978 and 1985.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the overall standard has fallen away. In particular, the standard of bowling around the world is genuinely second-rate. We could send our second or third sides to most of these countries and still have them for breakfast."

Hughes' concern has been prompted by the decline in form of some of cricket's traditional heavyweights, leaving Australia so far ahead of the bunch that they are seldom tested.

India have not won a series outside the sub-continent since 1986, Pakistan have churned through nine captains in the past 10 years, the West Indies can now beat only Bangladesh or Zimbabwe, and England are a shadow of their former selves.

Even South Africa, who were expected to add some steel to the test circuit, have consistently fallen at the final hurdle, proving too good for most other rivals, but not strong enough for Waugh's mob.

Hughes, who was supported in his comments by another former Australian test captain, Greg Chappell, said the test circuit was nowhere near as tough or as competitive as it was 20 years ago.

"I would back Clive's side to beat the present Australian team; in fact, I'd back it to beat any other team that's played the game," Hughes said in Perth.

"They had four great quicks and a batting lineup to die for, and they came to prominence at a time when England and Australia were pretty strong."

Lloyd's side changed dramatically in his 11-year reign, but was always star-studded, including fast bowlers such as Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Andy Roberts, and batsmen of the calibre of Lloyd himself, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Alvin Kallicharran, Viv Richards and Richie Richardson.

Hughes said that, in comparison, the present Australian side were having everything their own way in the Caribbean, scoring at a run rate of four to four-and-a-half runs an over against an attack that was "superior only to that of Bangladesh."

"Our guys are scoring 300 to 350 runs in a day and that tells us more about the standard of the bowling than the standard of the batting.

"There's no doubt that this is a very good Australian side, a great one even - their record is fantastic and they deserve all the praise and kudos they receive. But there's also no doubt their competition is weaker than ever."

Chappell, one of the world's greatest batsmen and the sixth-most successful captain, agreed that the standard of the test game had fallen, and said that had been counter-productive for the Australians.

Speaking in Adelaide, Chappell said the success of the present side had the potential to cost Australia a generation of elite, potentially test-class players.

"We're seeing international-standard players getting very little chance to prove themselves because they haven't a hope of breaking into the present side."

Chappell suggested the success of Waugh's team was partly due to the declining standard of the competition.

"I don't think we've got three strong test sides in the world now, as we did 15 or 20 years ago."