Welcome the new # 2 ODI team

I check a few websites very often, and Cricinfo is one of them.

While catching upto the stories from the cricket world, something caught my eye.. Look at the current ratings table.

Team	Matches	Points	Rating
South Africa	36	4595	128
Australia	45	5692	126
Pakistan	34	3780	111
New Zealand	36	3996	111
India	48	5243	109
Sri Lanka	44	4733	108
England	36	3806	106
West Indies	39	3956	101
Bangladesh	35	1454	42
Zimbabwe	34	755	22
Kenya	9	0	0

Did I see this right?? Australia is the # 2 ODI team now. If you've followed what has been happening in the cricket world recently, you'd know that this is more of Australia's undoing than South Africa's blazing success. Lets look at the score cards of the last 4 matches.

Just a week ago Australia had lost the Commonwealth bank tri-series against England.

Feb 11 Sydney - 2nd CB final
Eng 246/8 (50 ov, Collingwood 70, Flintoff 42) beat Aus 152/8 (27 ov - target 187, Hodge 49, Plunkett 3-43) (D/L method)
surprising to see new faces rejoicing after a final against australia

Feb 9 Melbourne - 1st CB final
Aus 252/10 (48.3 ov Hayden 82, Ponting 75, Flintoff 3/41) lost to Eng 254/6 (49.3 ov Collingwood 120, Bell 64, Lee 3/41)

Thanks heavens - I can go back home now

At the end of the second final Ponting had made comments like
"I don't really have any explanation as to why we have played the way we have in the last couple of games. I'm really angry and disappointed with the way we let the game slip away on Friday and even today I thought that total was really gettable. Maybe this is the kick up the backside we needed."

And now the Chappell - Hadlee trophy against New Zeland.

Feb 16 Wellington - 1st ODI
Aus 148/10 (49.3 ov, Hussey 42, Bond 5/23) lost to New Zeland 149/0 (Vincent 73, Fleming 70) - 10 wicket loss!

Shane bond taking a beautiful C&B

Feb 17 Aukland - 2nd ODI
Aus 336/4 (50 ov, Hussey 105, Hodge 97) lost to New Zeland 337/5 (48.4 ov, Taylor 117, Fulton 76).. McGrath's last 4 balls went for 11 runs!

Note: Ponting and Glichrist were rested for this series. That's why you'd say.. But wasn't Australia a team with the strongest bench, and look at the losses!

On top of all this, there's injury concerns as well. Lee is 50-50, and so is Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds

This is not the Australia we're used to seeing. 4 losses in a row?! Looks like the 2007 Cricket world cup just became competitive. Lets see how this goes.