We have base for a great team -- Waugh

We have base for a great team -- Waugh
AGENCIES

SYDNEY, JANUARY 5: Fresh from a clean sweep of home Tests this summer, Australian skipper Steve Waugh has predicted Australia will dominate world cricket for the next decade.

Waugh said the Australians had set a goal of winning all six home Tests this summer, so it was no surprise to finish with an emphatic win against India. ``I didn't think we should lose a Test,'' he said on Tuesday. ``For me as captain, the highlight was watching the players mature and become battle-hardened, tough Test match cricketers capable of taking Australia over in the next 10 years and remaining the top cricket nation.

``Once the older guys depart, whenever that is, it's going to be a team that can take over and continue the mantle of being the No 1 cricket side in the world.''

Langer dropped: Meanwhile, Justin Langer was left out of the Australian limited-overs team for the upcoming series with India and Pakistan just hours after scoring a record-breaking double-century in Australia's third Test victory over India.Langer lost his spot in the 13-member squad in keeping with Australia's ``horses for courses'' policy. Test openers Michael Slater and Greg Blewett were also left out as Michael Bevan, Adam Dale and Shane Lee returned to the side.
Australian squad: Steve Waugh (captain), Shane Warne, Michael Bevan, Adam Dale, Damien Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Shane Lee, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Mark Waugh.

SOUR GRAPES: Australia reacted strongly on Wednesday to growing accusations of racial bias against Asian cricket nations, saying it was more a case of sour grapes. "Most of the problems result from cultural clashes. There is an ugly split in world cricket which takes attention from Australia's performances," a newspaper said.