The decline of the Aussie cricket team

Ok, I have to say that cricket on TV was a huge part of my childhood. The last 23 years of my life, I have always remembered any cricket channel, telecasting every Tom, Dick and Harry match, continuously running in my household for most part of the day. My unusual craze of cricket is attributed to my old man who I must mention has sort of shifted his allegiance to club football the past few years. My loyalty has remained with cricket and its players. My active memories of following this sport start from the 1999 World Cup where I clearly recall Australia trouncing the living daylights of a very strong Pakistan team. For the next decade or so, that was what Australia was about - they were invincible. I remember beginning to harbour this deep hatred for this team that just kept on winning. I suppose I hated the fact that they were so arrogant and had truckloads of attitude. The truth was that they were really good and they knew it. They didn't really give a rat's fart about being a likable team. They just cared about making a mincemeat of their opposition. I remember almost being in tears when Mathew Hayden would just tear though mercilessly and blow apart my all time favourite cricketer  Shaun Pollock. I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when Michael Bevan would successfully complete just any sort of run chase anywhere and at anytime. I hated the guts of Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne. To my chagrin, I saw these guys lift 3 consecutive world cups, 2 champion trophies in the 2000's decade despite my constant prayers that any team win but those arrogant Aussies. That team was so fiercely competitive, so intimidating and were so proud. There was such thrill and pleasure in those rare occasions when those 'invincibles' got beaten whether the 2001 series in India, 2005 Ashes in England or that 438 runs match vs SA.When  look back now, I realize that its difficult not to have a grudging admiration for that team cause though I hate to admit it - they  were something else....from a different planet....really really special. Today as I saw Australia being eliminated from a global tournament without  winning a SINGLE match and as a team which cannot remotely boast of a single world class player, a realization has hit hard that an era has truly passed. I don't even agree when people say that the current Australian team is a shadow of its former self. At least a shadow retains the shape of the original element. Their predecessor was genuinely feared  the world over . I don't think this team could even scare a fly. At the way things are looking now, I will probably talk about that great Australian team to my future generation the same way my dad has so passionately talked about the famous West Indies team of the 1970's all these years. Funnily enough though, despite all the hatred, all the anger, all the abusing, the frustration I have felt all these years about the Australian cricket team, their humiliating deterioration has left an empty feeling in my heart.