The best Test side ever?

Australia crush South Africa in the first Test in Johannesburg, beating the home side by an innings and 360 runs.

Are they the best Test side ever to play the game?

Adam Gilchrist scored the fastest double century in Test history, and Shane Warne became the second highest Test wicket taker as the Aussies romped to victory against South Africa.

The series has been billed as the 'clash of the Titans', but the manner of South Africa's defeat has caused some to question their standing as the world's second best Test side.

Australia's brilliance is not in doubt, but where does the current side rank in the pantheon of all-time great teams?

Can South Africa recover from their embarrassing defeat?

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Pray tell me what is the rush by their public relations agents to promote this team as the best ever. Don't you think you should wait until they have beaten all the other Test teams on a home and away basis. You can't be the best ever unless you achieve success in all conditions. If one is truly the best ever, that should be easy to do.

How can they be the best ever, when they could not beat India in India?

Marc Denny, Barbados

Observe the West Indies team of the eighties. We in the West Indies have a saying for what the propagandists are doing. We call it 'placing the cart before the horse'. After all, they are yet to beat India in India and this particular team still has to play Pakistan in Pakistan. You are making them great before they achieved greatness. Suppose they lost in Pakistan, have you got your excuses at hand, like you had for the loss to India?
Stephen, Trinidad

How can they be the best ever, when they could not beat India in India? The apologists have to stop making execuses for that loss. It's as simple as that. The actual best ever team, the West Indies of the 1980's, defeated India in India, also Pakistan away from home. Test teams in our era were also of a much higher standard.
Marc Denny, Barbados

They are one of the greatest, if not the greatest teams in Test cricket history, well done Bruce.
Stephen Adamson, UK

No contest. Frankly I think it's time for the pedants, old-timers and jingoists to hold their hands up and admit it - this Australian side is the greatest the world has ever seen, by a margin of clear daylight. They're perhaps not the greatest 11 individuals ever to take the field together, but that's only a fraction of what a great team is about.

It's about being greater than the sum of your parts, and Aus under Steve Waugh have done that. They are a case study in team cohesion, group motivation, commitment, self-discipline and self-belief.

These Australians have proved they can deal with any attack

David Whitely, UK

That's what truly impresses me - not whether they have batsmen that people will pay to watch, or flamboyant bowlers. As for historic rivals to the title, a couple of the Windies sides were brilliant - as good on paper, and very successful, but they just didn't perform with the same astonishing consistency and longevity at the summit of the game.
Al, England

Jules, if you think South Africa would have beaten Australia if Shaun Pollock and Donald were fit, you're deluding yourself. It would have been closer, perhaps, but these Australians have proved they can deal with any attack. I would have loved to have seen Gilchrist and Langer versus the West Indies big four of the 1970's and 1980's. They love that kind of bowling and it would have been a real contest.
David Whitely, UK

Yes the current Australian test side are the best, and Steve Waugh epitomises the best in captaincy!
Liz Heatley, New Zealand

Australia are the best, they'll destroy any opposition anywhere.
Taha Imam, USA

Of course South Africa can bounce back from this huge thrashing by Australia. I mean they just won the VB Series and made a huge upset by not allowing Australia (the number one one-day team) in to the finals. I reckon this Test series will be very close. These are two high class teams competing!
Kristin, Australia

I'd pick everyone in Clive Lloyd's team any day

Siddhartha Shivshankar, India

Not a chance! A very good side beating up a mediocre side hardly constitutes the title "greatest team ever". I think Ian and Greg Chappell's teams were better than the current one and the Australian invincibles with Bradman as well - and that's just the Australian teams!
Ian, NZ via USA

No they're not. I'm sick of answering this question. They are at the moment, playing a South Africa that refuses to enjoy the game, plays without flair, and tries to be too disciplined. Indeed, as someone else mentions, they are almost afraid. I'd pick everyone in Clive Lloyd's team any day. They would have beaten this side and had champagne over it too, with a smile.
Siddhartha Shivshankar, India

This team is up there with the greats - they have so much talent. No less than six Aussies were in the top ten run scorers in English County Cricket last year and they can't even get a run in the side. There is so much depth, and with Australia just winning the World U-19 Test Series there is a lot more to come. Well done boys - you make me very proud to be Australian.
Benno, Oz

I think they are very close to getting the title the best team ever. Even in India results could have been 3-0 in Australia's favor but for heroics from Harbajan and Laxman. If Test cricket still survives, that is because of Australia. I salute them for their entertaining and stylish cricket. I sincerely wish England would learn from them what positive cricket is all about.
Uthams, USA

Why are people still questioning whether or not Australia are the best ever Test side? Apart from some individual brilliance in India, they have steamrolled every other Test playing nation. This team is pound for pound the best Test side of all time.

The greatest side of all time was the West Indies of 1984 - they could destroy every other team

Robert Swaby, UK

Cricket has evolved over the years to a completely new standard of play. The pace Australia score their runs and the stifling affects of their bowlers has never been seen before.
David Stableford, UK

The greatest side of all time was the West Indies of 1984. They could destroy every other team. In fact, their level of opposition was good and they beat them all. The current Aussie team is very good, but they have no credible opposition as all the other teams are either inconsistent or weak.
Robert Swaby, UK

I guess the arrogant Aussies have done it again. I still believe the South Africans will bounce back -they will just have to. It just shows you that without Pollock and the ageing Donald SA play like a bunch of school boys.

Their batting was so disappointing - the experienced guys up the order failed to lead by example and this led to their downfall. Maybe Donald's collapse will remind the selectors once and for all that an ageing lion will never get it's youthful charm back!
Elvis, Namibia

While pundits from decades ago may think to the contrary, the evidence is strong. In the last Ashes series, the Aussies arrived having been (surprisingly) beaten in India, and a resurgent England were coming into the contest having 'not lost' their fourth series in a row. Most people agreed it was like watching men against boys as we were soundly thrashed.

To beat all of the other Test playing sides by such big margins surely indicates that, unfortunately, we must duly doff our caps to the greatest side in history.
Brendan Quigley, UK

I admire the current Australian team

Andy, Swindon, UK

This Australian team have recorded the greatest number of consecutive Test victories. Hayden and Langer are the most successful opening partnership ever, already recording four double century partnerships. Steve Waugh, Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist all average over 50 in Tests and Gilchrist has the fastest double century in Test cricket history. Only one player has taken more Test wickets than Shane Warne, and Glen McGrath has just reached 8th place in the all-time list.

Then look at their support players like Ponting, Mark Waugh, Jason Gillespie and the fastest current bowler in the world, Brett Lee. All you can say about this team is wow. They have no weaknesses and are the best current team by miles. As for best ever - it is impossible to say, but I they would definitely give any team from any era one hell of a match.
Martyn, England

Don Bradman's 1948 team is rated the greatest by most but they didn't have so many teams to play against. However it had Sir Donald in their ranks and that would make them the greatest ever.

Of the later day teams I would put the 1980s team of Clive Lloyd ahead of the current Aussie team as without a decent spinner they could beat India easily at home, something the current Aussies couldn't (they lost away to Sri Lanka as well). Potentially the South African team of 1969, which beat Australia 4-0, could well have become the greatest if they had been allowed to continue to play.
Mathew Zacharia, UAE

I admire the current Australian team. The hallmarks of a great team are the ability to dictate, and play the game on their terms regardless of any situation. It is fair to say the Australians do this. I do not think however, they can be considered as the greatest ever Test team purely for the reason that there is a dearth of good teams.

The West Indies of the early 80's used to flog England teams that contained the likes of Gower, Gooch, Lamb and Botham. That same West Indies team also walloped great sides of the same era such as Pakistan. If you look at current teams, there is a real lack of quality bowlers- who do England have outside Gough? And who do South Africa have outside Pollock?

Again the same is true about Sri Lanka and Pakistan- only Murali and Saqlain can be deemed as great players. I am sure Adam Gilchrist would never have smeared the likes of Holding, Roberts, Marshall and Garner around Kington or Sabrina Park.
Andy, Swindon, UK

India have been a thorn in the all-conquering Aussie flesh

Surya Pappu, India/USA

The Aussies are a great side, no mistaking that fact. But I wish teams would play their own game instead if seeming so frightened of the Aussies. I think the Pakistanis will test the Aussies to the limits in September.
Shazir Ayub, England

Waugh's men are playing perfect cricket at the moment. This speaks volumes Steve's leadership and is a tribute to the talent in their ranks. Having said that, it's fair to say they are the not the best team to have set foot on a cricket field. That credit should probably go to Clive Lloyd's West Indians who were true conquerors of the world.

India have been a thorn in the all-conquering Aussie flesh, and until they beat them in India their achievements won't be complete. Having said that, this Australian team is playing test cricket in all it's splendour and glory in all the departments of the game. A big "thank You" to Steve Waugh for changing the way Test cricket is played.
Surya Pappu, India/USA

No, they're not. It would be really nice to see the Aussies play a Test side (any Test side) that's not beset by injuries. South Africa could have done better, even though they're attack was seriously depleted.
Jules McWilliam, UK

I think the figures speak for themselves. This team is the one that has the most consecutive Test wins; they are top of all ranking systems and are beating all comers. There are seven or eight of this team that would find their way in to a current World XI.

The Waugh twins, Warne and McGrath are all time great cricketers, and several of the younger players such as Ponting and Gilchrist have the opportunity to become greats. In my humble opinion there is no doubting that this is the greatest ever Test team.
Chinny, Cornwall