Before Warne who was Australia's last truly great spin bowler? You'd have to go back to Bill "Tiger" O'Reilly. Benaud was good but like Greg Matthews was more value as an allrounder. Basically it has always been about picking the guy in form as no-one other that Warne in my lifetime has commanded a spot. The saddest part of the last 15 years is Stuart MacGill. Any other era he would have been a superstar and would be talked of as one of the great spin bowlers this country has ever seen. Really great spin bowlers don't come around often and perhaps Australia has been unlucky that a guy like MacGill came around when he wasn't really required.
Can Australia continue to be successful without a really great spin bowler? I think we can but i don't think we can be as dominant. Glen McGrath is difficult to replace but Shane Warne is more difficult. In the short term we should be alright with MacGill but once he goes what do we have?? There really isn't an option that stands out. Cullen, Hauritz, Bailey, Heal..... anyone else?? Better off picking four quicks and using Symonds and Clarke as spin options. Bottom line is we are back to where we were before Warne except all other areas ie. batting, fielding and fast bowling, are so much better now we can cope. Having said that bring on another as good as SK Warne and i'll be happier.
