da lvbet： LONDON – Viv Richards reckons the current crop of Australian cricketershave adopted a similar approach to the game which made the West Indiessuch a force towards the end of the last century.
PA03-Dec-2002LONDON – Viv Richards reckons the current crop of Australian cricketershave adopted a similar approach to the game which made the West Indiessuch a force towards the end of the last century.”They have shown in three Test matches that they are a great team, ateam which has basically set the standards,” the Windies batting greattold BBC Radio 5 Live.”They are highly professional and when you play teams like this you haveto be on the same par and the same mental toughness.”If you do not have all the factors and be able to play as well, you aregoing to struggle because they are such a great team.”Richards, 50, who was an integral part of the all-conquering Windiesside of the late 1970s and early 1980s, believes Australia has everyright to revel in its Ashes glory and status as the best Test side inthe world.Steve Waugh’s men barely broke sweat as they romped to an unassailable3-0 series lead to retain the Ashes.”People (are) writing articles saying how arrogant this Australia sidehave become, well if they are arrogant we have seen why – they have beenjust totally professional on the field,” Richards said.”When you have people talking like that, saying how arrogant you are,you get out on the field and try to prove that.”It is no use talking the talk without having the walk.”Richards, so often the tormentor of England during his time at thecrease, led by example during his 17-year Test match career which sawhim average more than 50 runs.England has not won an Ashes series for 15 years and there have beencalls for the famous urn, which dates from 1883, to be taken back DownUnder.Former England skipper Graham Gooch believes it is time the trophyreturned to Australia, but admits the logistics of transporting such adelicate artefact could be a stumbling block.”You can’t argue with the fact the winner should hold the Ashes,” saidGooch.”But you don`t know all the facts about the state and condition of theurn.”It is very old and is probably very fragile, whether it can be takenbackwards and forwards between England and Australia is a differentthing, but at the moment it would only be staying in one place – and itwould not be in this country.”Gooch, who captained England’s Ashes campaigns in 1990 and 1993, alsofelt coach Duncan Fletcher and skipper Nasser Hussain were not helped bycrippling injury problems to their original squad.”I don`t think there will be any doubt the England management will beasking some serious questions about the medical advice they were givenon such players,” he said.