Unfortunately the team is a symptom of where the country is heading
As an ex saffer living in Oz, I am baffled by that comment. Not sure what you mean by "where the country is heading"?
Are you referring to the economy...the one that was the least affected of all by the GFC?
The stable political arena? The free and first class healthcare? The education that is envied by thousands of foreigners paying to do their degrees here? Perhaps the sunshine and beaches? The multi-culturalism and 'fair go'.
Sure, in the 12 yrs of Howard the country shifted a bit to the right...not more so than UK or USA..with that 'relaxed and comfortableness', but conservatism here is still very much the equivalent of the left elsewhere.
Not trying to start a political issue, just confused by your ignorant comment.
As for the team being a symptom of anything...the point made in that article is that it is more a "team of Cricket Australia than the nation", and that is on the money.
With some very talented players around, CA have tried to design their own team. Where does Smith fit into the picture? A specialist number 7??? Why the persistence with the impetuous Hughes? Why annoint the glamour boy Clarke years before he has shown any sense of maturity or leadership?
The thing to remember is that there is a huge amount of talent in a sport that is still by the national sport and played by almost every schoolboy, and when the team has undergone a proper evolution/revolution they will surely be back to their winning ways.