Proteas vs Aus: Tests in SA

[mark_s]

Even 384 will be very tough getting on days 4 and 5 of this pitch. However I am far from comfotable yet, 450 will see me relax. A disappointing 2nd innings form Aus. I haven't seen the dismisals but it sounds like they are puching very hard to get a quick big lead and are taking too many risks.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yes, yes... 450 should do it ...

Hey, anyone else remember that Test (perhaps only last year) when this bunch of chaps called the Proteas ran down a record score of some variety to take the WACA Test? And then backed that effort up with a complete humiliation in Melbourne as their debutant star batsman and one of their fast bowlers smashed us to the fence in one of (if not THE) largest grounds in world cricket?

I'm sure once we rack up 500+ and have Graeme Smith's heart on a platter I'll be confident. Until then, I await the imminent collapse of our bowlers' cerebral functionality as their captain shits his pants upon JP Duminy looking the slightest bit aggressive, removes all the slips, and lets the flowers run rampant on a ground not much bigger than my outstretched scrotum ...

Johnson, who looks to have bowled well. Wonder if NTA was watching...

NTA was not watching.

NTA was busy mounting an offensive against his remaining brain cell on a boys' camping weekend1.

As a result, NTA was, quite frankly, too rat-arsed to give fifteen moderately-sized pieces of sheep shit that Johnson (and the world) managed to actually discover he is a batting allrounder with the help of what is, for all intents and purposes, a wicket suited ideally to his style and short attention span.


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1 And the little bugger got away again!

 

[cyclopath]

Even 384 will be very tough getting on days 4 and 5 of this pitch. However I am far from comfotable yet, 450 will see me relax. A disappointing 2nd innings form Aus. I haven't seen the dismisals but it sounds like they are puching very hard to get a quick big lead and are taking too many risks.

No, they're not. A few crap shots, some good bowling, and a pitch still doing a bit.
Clarke got a ripper, Hussey played a shocking shot, North got one that kept low, McDonald isn't a Test players arse...
We still SHOULD win comfortably, but with this bowling attack anything might happen. Wouldn't put my hard-earned on it.

 

[RugbyReg]

Bollinger injured with Tassie Brett Geeves called into the squad.

 

[Ash]

Ponting refers one early off a good Johnson delivery. Didn't hit in the line of stumps by the looks - just missed as the ball moved slightly away.

 

[PaarlBok]

BTW PB, the crowds for this test are diabolical in my view for such high quality cricket and given your team has just returned from beating us over here. Also, the reports here are still contradicting your pitch assessments with most predicting it will be a tricky deck right through to day 5.

Thought the crowd was fantastic today. SA is rugby country and Newlands your traditional cricket & rugby crowd.

Anyway great fight back by our players and specially Kallis. Think he start this plot and a important first session tomorrow morning. If he and Amla survive this session , our changes will be good to get that runs. Smith was also fantastic with the bat and leading from the front.

Myself think Australia would have won this test already if Pointing has force the follow on. Big mistake because our pitches never crack and the Wanderers always ease down as the test go on.

Anyway cricket taught me you never can tell before the last run has been score or wicket fall. Also like this TMO one in the test. Surely help the umps to not lift that finger quick and also give the players a say in decisions.

 

[mark_s]

Yep crowds have been better the last two days. A big tick to the SA administrators for letting the crowds enjoy themselves at the game. (You have to attend a match in Aus to understand why I think thats worthy of mention).

PB, I don't think we could enforce the follow on given we went into this test with only three specialist bowlers. To much of a risk that they would let the proteas get away and we would be forced to chase 150+ on the last day.

It was good to see Hughes stand up in the 2nd innings despite the verbal onslaught from the proteas, which I see is still continuing in the press today. It was also great to see the bouncers exchnaged between siddle and steyn, great stuff.

McDonald gets his chance to do something today to proove he deserves his place.

PS why would Ponting refer an LBW? I think the chances of the 3rd umpire overuling an onground not out call on an LBW are always going to be very very low.

 

[PaarlBok]

PB, I don't think we could enforce the follow on given we went into this test with only three specialist bowlers. To much of a risk that they would let the proteas get away and we would be forced to chase 150+ on the last day.


PS why would Ponting refer an LBW? I think the chances of the 3rd umpire overuling an onground not out call on an LBW are always going to be very very low.

So do they have the extra one a day later?

That LBW is all important. The rule is straight, dont give if you are not 100% sure. Saw to many given that nver should have been give.

 

[PaarlBok]

For some reason my small kid have find a liking in Hilfenhaus. Think its the surname maybe. :nta:

 

[cyclopath]

We'll lose this most likely. Few years ago would never, ever have contemplated it, but our bowling is just too iffy. Trouble is, no-one to put the pressure on, like Warne even when he wasn't taking wickets. Or McGrath in the same way. All of our "strike" bowlers throw too many pies.

 

[PaarlBok]

McDonald gets his chance to do something today to proove he deserves his place.

Just got AB LBW and Aus in the driving seat here ,4 down and the new ball due shortly.

 

[PaarlBok]

SA referred that descision and losing it anyway. Just showed that the system is right, if it would be a inside edge or something it could have been a turning point in the test. :thumb

 

[PaarlBok]

Now Kallis get the green light for a LBW after referal and not out. This can be a turning point. 226/4

 

[Biffo]

Now Kallis get the green light for a LBW after referal and not out. This can be a turning point. 226/4

"Turning point" came a little later.

 

[PaarlBok]

Ja sure :lmao: Well it will be a uphill battle to save it from here but you never know. :thumb

 

[Pfitzy]

Well I'm more relieved than anything I must say.

 

[cyclopath]

So my cunning plan to put the mocker on the SA team by saying they'll win it worked!
Actually, I'm with Nick, relieved.

 

[mark_s]

Well I am pleasently surprised, we should have won this match after our 1st innings performance but we let the Proteas back into the game on Day 4 and so I was concerned that we would let it slip away. Who would have thought that our bowling on day 5 would win us the match? It was also very nice to see us taking our chances, did we drop any catches at all in the SA 2nd innings?

All 3 of our new comers did well at times (although Hughes will have nightmares about his 1st innings dismisal for a long long time) and all should be retained for T2. With Bollinger injured, the only selection decision for test 2 will be whether McGain comes in for McDonald. It will obviously depend on the pitch in Durban, and I suspect it will be a close decision. While Ronald did a good job with the ball in the 1st test he is contributing nothing with the bat. I personally would bring in McGain as I think we need 4 specialist bowlers and McGain bowled very well in the Aus domestic season.

The video referral system has been interesting. Its certainly not a revolutionary change so far and, in general, seems as though it will only remedy really bad decisions. This is seems the right outcome to me.

For the SA's, they will be disappointed with letting Aus recover from 3 for 30 on a lively pitch on day 1. They are probably realising now that the tactics that won them the series in Aus may not work again in SA as we are showing alot more patience with bat and ball.

 

[Scotty]

I can see some benefits in McDonald over McGain, in that he is going to keep it tight and not let south africa get a roll on. McGain is more likely to get a bag of wickets, but he could also go for a ton of runs.

I wouldn't be surprised if they stuck with McDonald.

 

[RugbyReg]

thats a pretty ridiculous dominant performance for a team with 3 debutants, and a really rookie bowling lineup.

I didn't expect to win that easily, in fact probably didn't expect to win at all.