Australian era to end soon: Donald

Published November 16, 2007

MELBOURNE, Nov 15: South African cricket legend Allan Donald has made a prediction which will make faces of Australian opponents glow.

Donald believes the end of Australian domination is just round the corner as Ricky Ponting’s team, without the firepower of Glenn McGrath and guile of Shane Warne, will be vulnerable and other teams would catch up with them in a year or two.

“We all knew McGrath and Warne, once they were gone, Aussies would become a little more fragile, there is no question about that,” he was quoted in the Daily Telegraph. “They (Australia) will definitely, in time, become a bit more vulnerable with those two blokes out.

“I think it’s coming, that gap will be narrowed down in the next few years. There is no doubt about it. Australia’s dominance will at some stage come to an end,” he added.

The former pacer has picked England and South Africa as two teams who will challenge the Australian supremacy, saying: “England are starting to develop very slowly again. South Africa are going through basically a restructuring.”

Donald, who recently finished a brief spell as England’s bowling coach, said the new-look England side would be ready by time the 2009 Ashes series is staged in England.—Agencies

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