Aussies yet to ‘reach peak’

GROS ISLET – Australia coach John Buchanan, who is quitting at the end of the World Cup, believes that Ricky Ponting’s side has yet to fulfill its true potential.

The double defending world champions, who were due to take on South Africa in the semi-finals yesterday, are the top-ranked side in the world, they reclaimed the Ashes with a 5-0 drubbing of England and went into the last four clash with a record of nine wins in nine games in the Caribbean. “I was asked what more there was to achieve after the last World Cup and I said there was a lot more,” said Buchanan.”I don’t think we’d reached our potential and I still think that’s the case.”As soon as a team or an individual believes we’re at our peak then we’re at our most vulnerable.”I think all the players feel that and I think it’s part of us being sought to be challenged, coaches included – as soon as you feel you can’t be challenged then it’s time to move on.”Buchanan is moving on at the end of the World Cup to be succeeded by Tim Nielsen but Ponting shows no sign of flagging combining the pressures of captaincy with fluency at the crease.Ahead of yesterdayŽs match, Ponting had plundered 480 runs at an average of 80 and he said he has been stunned over how comfortably his team had reached the semi-finals.It was particularly pleasing after many critics had written off his team when they arrived in the West Indies having lost back-to-back series finals against England and New Zealand.”It has been a little different feel to it from the last World Cup,” said Ponting who also captained the 2003 title-winning team in South Africa.”At different times through 2003 we were really challenged and put under pressure.We got ourselves a fair way behind in some games but managed to claw our way back to a couple of tight wins.”This time around we’ve played a brand of cricket from the first ball of every game that hasn’t allowed our opposition into the game whatsoever.”We can get better, absolutely.”Nampa-AFP”I was asked what more there was to achieve after the last World Cup and I said there was a lot more,” said Buchanan.”I don’t think we’d reached our potential and I still think that’s the case.”As soon as a team or an individual believes we’re at our peak then we’re at our most vulnerable.”I think all the players feel that and I think it’s part of us being sought to be challenged, coaches included – as soon as you feel you can’t be challenged then it’s time to move on.”Buchanan is moving on at the end of the World Cup to be succeeded by Tim Nielsen but Ponting shows no sign of flagging combining the pressures of captaincy with fluency at the crease.Ahead of yesterdayŽs match, Ponting had plundered 480 runs at an average of 80 and he said he has been stunned over how comfortably his team had reached the semi-finals.It was particularly pleasing after many critics had written off his team when they arrived in the West Indies having lost back-to-back series finals against England and New Zealand.”It has been a little different feel to it from the last World Cup,” said Ponting who also captained the 2003 title-winning team in South Africa.”At different times through 2003 we were really challenged and put under pressure.We got ourselves a fair way behind in some games but managed to claw our way back to a couple of tight wins.”This time around we’ve played a brand of cricket from the first ball of every game that hasn’t allowed our opposition into the game whatsoever.”We can get better, absolutely.”Nampa-AFP