Australian tour of SA

[PaarlBok]

Nice one, good riposte.

It was awfully quiet from The Republic after the first test though...

we were deafening from all the noise building steadily since the Ashes started.

Expect another slow wicket from Newlands. Will be the same as the PE pitch.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

This was the perfect time for the middle order to stand up. Rogers and Warner had laid out decent platforms and seen off the fresh attack with the new ball.

<snip>.

Nail on the head. With bad weather forecast for day 5, then where was our Geoff Boycott resolve to just block everything for a day until the Weather Gods sent down some liquid sunshine?

Test Cricket is not just about playing what is in front of you, it is about planning for and winning a 5 day game.

 

[Aussie D]

Watson back for the 3rd test according to today's paper. I would say that the player most in doubt is Marsh. Clarke is dropping back to 5 with Steve Smith in at 4.

 

[Baldric]

Clarke is dropping back to 5

I fail to see the wisdom of this. There is a risk of him running out of batting partners.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Clarke plays his best cricket at 5, his average proves it (62 at 5 vs 28 at 4), so he's best playing there IMHO.

 

[No4918]

Clarke has been at 5 so far this series.

It appears the side will be:

Warner
Rogers
Doolan
Smith
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Harris/Pattinson
Siddle
Lyon

Looks good to me. Aus to win.

 

[Lindommer]

Journo Peter Lalor compared Watson to a Leyland P76 in The Australian today. How accurate, looks good but bloody unreliable.....

 

[Sully]

Journo Peter Lalor compared Watson to a Leyland P76 in The Australian today. How accurate, looks good but bloody unreliable...

You think the P76 looked good!!!!!!

 

[whatty]

He'll that is one ugly looking car. Maybe it matches his personality.

 

[tranquility]

Waugh on Watson.

"He cops more criticism because he’s got such talent. We know he can be as good as any batsman in the side, and on his day he can probably be as good as any bowler in the side too.

We probably expect huge things from him, perhaps unrealistically ... But he could be the difference between the two sides in this last Test."

 

[Train Without a Station]

Anybody would know that I consider Watson one of our best XI. I think Waugh is a little kind on him though.

I think his talent is overstated and overestimated. What I do think is that he definitely could be/could have been a low 40s average test batsman, whilst also be a first choice quality yet part time bowler. He is close to that now. I think he may have really missed the opportunity to maximise his talent though by not (whether it be fault of CA or his own) focussing on his batting as his main attribute and bowling only part time, earlier in his career.

 

[Pfitzy]

I'd just like for the quaffed idiot not to break down once in a while. If he spent less time in the gym and got a haircut he might be a hard bastard like Siddle.

 

[light]

Warner you little ripper.

Steyn injured and unlikely to bowl again this test.

Aussies well on top.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

At least in this innings. That's a relief! Going OK at the minute.

 

[light]

What a first day for the Aussies and what a great toss to win on what is a very, very flat wicket.

3/331 and well on top. Interesting that the average first day total at Newlands is 7/270ish so well above par. Still have Watson, Haddin and Johnson to come so I'd be thinking minimum 400 total.

Warner was just superb and is really maturing into a fantastic opening batsman. Our run rate was over 4 for much of the first two sessions before his departure and he really put us on top despite losing Doolan and Rogers cheaply.

Clarke looked to be having a tough time against Morkel and the bouncer barrage was genuinely scary to watch. He looked ridiculously uncomfortable but dug in and didn't give his wicket away. If he can reach his ton tomorrow it will be probably the most rewarding of his career considering the circumstances.

Steve Smith was his fidgety self and always looking to score. He looked solid and I would back him to make triple figures on day two as well. Rarely troubled by any of the bowlers.

Worrying signs for the Proteas are mainly the injury to Steyn and lack of genuine spin option.. There's no reverse swing going and Philander and Abbott look fairly pedestrian. New ball late in the day didn't seem to help them either. Morkel has been hostile but unlucky and by far their best bowler after Steyn departed. This pitch will start to turn on day 3 and 4 so I think they will really struggle and their bowlers may be paddling up shit creek.

Johnson is going to love the bounce and pace of the wicket and Lyon is going to be a handful on day 5. Can't wait to see Pattinson back in action.

Quietly hoping these two stay at the crease all morning and Watson comes in at 4/450 and blasts a quickfire 50 off 30 balls to really put the result beyond doubt.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

We're really going to need 500 plus on this track I think. Hopefully Clarke and Smith can get us through to lunch with over 400 on the board and without too much damage in the wickets column. With that job done you'd think the run rate will be lifted and we'd be looking to get the Saffers in some time after tea. If there is some variable bounce then you'd think MJ could be a bit of a handful.

 

[qwerty51]

Warner is awesome. Talks so much shit but actually backs it up.

 

[No4918]

Warner is awesome. Talks so much shit but actually backs it up.

Pretty amazing, the more pressure he puts himself under the better he does. Good to see it in the first innings which is one of the things most here wanted him to improve.

Steve Smith is great to watch. Would prefer to watch him make a century over Warner any day. The 3 lofted boundaries he hit were amazing shots. Warner bludgeons, Smith caresses.

Well done Clarke.

 

[Pfitzy]

Phatlander's entire career has been carried by Morkel and Steyn it seems. Not once has the fat bastard actually done anything threatening.

Morkel must be shitty that he can't take a wicket despite laying them on for everyone else.

Not as filthy as Smith though. Getting out to Elgar must be the suckiest feeling in the world.

 

[Pfitzy]

Fuck its worse than I thought for Mornezilla - averaging 62.80 for the series!

Poor bastard. He's nearly killed a few pricks but has forgotten to aim for the stumps. Not much oxygen up there eh bru?

But back to picking on overrated fat fucks: Phatlander this series has bowled 90 overs for 7 wickets @ 44.14. That's a strike rate of 77.1 for those keeping score at home.