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Summer of 16/17

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PaarlBok

Rod McCall (65)
South Africa may struggle without ABdV and Steyn.
We have enough depth to survive without them. Abbott or Morkel for Steyn and we wont lose to much. There is life after AB. Rilee and Shamsi can walk in and in form players.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
7/203 - we're on the ropes here. Fairly disappointing from the middle order - especially with Steyn not bowling.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Fucking hopeless. Every time our bowlers put us in a strong position, our useless middle order fucks it up (apart from Smith). Every. Single. Time.

We'll be lucky to be leading on the first innings at this rate. Still, cracking test match now. I was thinking of going on Sunday, if it lasts that long!
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Wow, what a test we have in store now. It's effectively a one innings shoot out. The first hour of RSA's innings this afternoon is going to be key.
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Just catching up with the carnage at the WACA. Smith's lbw would have to be one of the bravest I've ever seen an ump call, I can fully understand him blowing up about it. That said, gotta give big ups to the SA bowlers for not folding the way, say, NZ probably would've at 158/0 defending 242 & their main strike bowler at the hospital getting scans..........
 

PaarlBok

Rod McCall (65)
Cricket as a sport in SA just show the positive spin for transformation. This team have 6 players of colour and we probably wont have seen the likes of Bavuma and Rabada if it wasn't force on us.
 

The torpedo

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Death, taxes, Australian middle order collapse

Jesus can't we find a number 3, 4, 5 and 6 who don't give up their wickets every time they come out onto the crease?
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Neither the pitch or the ball were doing that much, but doing enough apparently to render our batting order incapable of scoring 300 after being 1/158.

Warner threw his wicket away, but at least he managed to score 97 before he did so. Smith a little unlucky, but in the end even DRS had the ball hitting the stumps - so thems the breaks. As for the rest, there seems little appetite for building an innings and/or even getting set before trying to hit bowlers out of the attack. Voges reduced to a 1st class journeyman once the ball is doing anything.

EDIT: And I should give credit to SA for a gutsy comeback with 240 on the board and their main strike bowler out of the game.
 

The torpedo

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Seriously, these guys can't be depended on unless the pitch is flat and lifeless.

The T20 mentality of hammering the ball to all parts is infected in the majority of test players. We should have completely separate squads for all forms of the game. Test squad focuses only on tests, ODIs only on ODIs, and T20s on only T20s. The 1st innings of the 3rd SL test (and 5th ashes test in England) is how our batsmen should approach lively pitches. Patient, wait for the bad balls to come and punish them for those and build your score.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Yeah when Warner or Smith don't fire we're lucky to score 200. These blokes can't do it by themselves. And I don't care what anyone says: you can't pick an allrounder to bat at 6 if his first class average is under 30. We are constantly putting ourselves under pressure by being effectively four out, all out. Voges coming back to the pack isn't helping either. That middle order is seriously brittle.
 

PaarlBok

Rod McCall (65)
The test is far from over. There is still a lot of cricket to be played. Look like the pitch eased up.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
The problem is Paarl, I don't think our batsmen have the application necessary to chase down a total that should be well north of 300. The Saffers are in the box seat here.
 

The torpedo

Peter Fenwicke (45)
After this inevitable loss, we should drop Mitch Marsh and maybe replace him with Joe Burns. Use Smith, Warner and a couple of others as part-timers. Khawaja and Voges on their last chances next test.
 
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