New-look team rises to challenge

THE final legacy of cricket’s great ball tampering scandal could be something few expected – a stronger Australian Test team.

The year without Steve Smith and David Warner will be a hard but potentially good one for Australia with not as much heartache as initially expected.

Smith and Warner were so dominant in Australia’s batting line-up it became a case of them or bust.

It was great when it worked but a true Test match engine needs more than two pumping pistons.

Now the team will grow without them. The green shoots are there already.

When Smith and Warner return they may find they don’t always have to be The Man or The Men.