***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[Zinzan]

Its amazing to think that Daniel Vettori would probably romp into the Aussie team now, certainly wouldn't have even contemplated that thought a few years ago.

 

[Ikki]

Not playing a spinner at the SCG is a really dumb move.

I like Krejza but Hauritz should be the guy they stick with now for a long while. I also think that Siddle should never have been picked over Bollinger either. But we have to stick with him now.

EDIT: The point of picking Hilfenhaus was to try him against Siddle, but I think you really have to go with Bollinger now. He's got the form on the board for a lot longer and is more likely to win us our test match.

Not really IMO. I know this would hurt St. Warne, but I just think Australia will be much better served getting on top with the depth of pace bowlers they have and build a genuine pace attack. Once we are on top with the kind of attack that can carry a spinner THEN bring one. Right now we have our pacers still finding their feet, and you want to add a spinner on top of that? Sounds nuts to me.

 

[Prince EWS]

Sydney is hardly a square turner. It may turn a little bit more than the Australian pitches but that really isn't saying much; it certainly doens't turn enough to demand playing a specialist spinner if you don't have one who is Test standard. Krejza's worth a run in really spin-friendly conditions but Sydney doesn't even come close to being that despite what some people seem to think of it.

Hauritz bowled well in Melbourne and he did his job but I think his position could be better used by someone with the potential to bowl a potent spell. Watson and Symonds being injured offered a real opportunity to play Marcus North as the allrounder and then have four quicks but the selectors have passed up on that.

 

[Chimpdaddy]

Not really IMO. I know this would hurt St. Warne, but I just think Australia will be much better served getting on top with the depth of pace bowlers they have and build a genuine pace attack. Once we are on top with the kind of attack that can carry a spinner THEN bring one. Right now we have our pacers still finding their feet, and you want to add a spinner on top of that? Sounds nuts to me.

As much as it pains me to say (being an avid Warne fan), I have to agree with you. At the moment we don't have the spin quality for the international scene. We are better off going the South Africa route, playing 4 quicks, and then use Clarke or Katich as part-time spin. With Lee injured, and nothing to lose, it is an excellent opportunity to try out some fresh faces in the side. Lets get our pace attack up to quality international standards and then start thinking about carrying a specialist spinner.

-Chimpdaddy-

 

[honestbharani]

Congrats RSA and all their supporters!!!



Amazing play from them in the past two years leading upto this and this is a terrific way to cap it all off...



Australia have tried hard but their captain is not great tactically, the selectors "seem" inept and their talent cupboard is not what it was a few years ago. The fact that they were in winnable positions in both tests inspite of all this should show that they are going to be there and thereabouts in the top rankings of cricket irrespective of the talent erosion that they are going through at the moment with all these greats going out at the same time..

 

[R_D]

Yeah Congrats to South African team, they've played very well in the series.

 

[pasag]

Fantastic stuff from SA! I'll personally wait to call them world number one till after the return leg but they have confirmed what everyone already knew, they are a quality side with great balance and truly deserve this victory. The thing I like most about them is the unity and togetherness amongst the players, something you don't see in the more egotistic Australian side.

For the record, if this test doesn't confirm that Ponting is an absolute champion batsman of the highest order, I don't know what will. I'm still gutted from yesterday.

For Australia, I'd personally wait axe Hayden but it's starting to bother me less that others are calling for it. If you're not making runs and your replacements are then it doesn't really matter what you did in the past. Horrible news with regard to Watson, I really thought he was out of the woods wrt to injuries. I wouldn't mind seeing Dave Hussey get a go.

If Bollinger doesn't play in Sydney I'm boycotting the Test.

 

[pasag]

Congratulations to the South African team on a comprehensive and dominant performance. Comfortably better than Australia, especially at crucial moments in the series. Deserve to be called the no. 1 test side in the world. Hopefully they can kick on from here and get better and better.

Commiserations to the Australian fans. But its been a wonderful run and had to end sometime, and no shame in being outclassed by better opponents. I think, however, that Australia will be better in Sydney, and in South Africa too. I expect that return series to be more competitive than this one, and the perfect build up to the Ashes.

I wouldn't say 'comprehensive and dominant performance' really, it's been a very even contest for the most part with both sides winning sessions here and there. SA have been better and they deserve the win, but they haven't been miles ahead, IMO. It took pretty much two historic performances/ comebacks to grasp unlikely victories in both cases which tells you a lot. Not to mention that to expect a series to be more competitive than this one is asking quite a bit when you look at how back and forth these two have been.

 

[Goughy]

Im happy for SA. It is a lndmark victory. TBH, I dont think it is a special SA team but it is certainly decent.

It does beg the question though, this is the worst Australia team since when?

 

[mikeW]

What do people make of Andrew Mcdonald's selection?

 

[andyc]

The ****? McDonald???

 

[inbox24]

What do people make of Andrew Mcdonald's selection?

He makes good hamburgers IMO.

 

[pup11]

What do people make of Andrew Mcdonald's selection?

With Symonds out of the SCG test now and Watson out injured too, MacDonald was the only decent all-rounder left and now he is certain to play in the SCG test, i think he is a solid batsman and a handy medium pacer, but he might just find the transition from playing in the shield to playing in a new year' test at SCG in front of packed house against a very good test side a bit too much to handle, but still i wish him luck.

 

[BoyBrumby]

For the record, if this test doesn't confirm that Ponting is an absolute champion batsman of the highest order, I don't know what will. I'm still gutted from yesterday.

For Australia, I'd personally wait axe Hayden but it's starting to bother me less that others are calling for it. If you're not making runs and your replacements are then it doesn't really matter what you did in the past. Horrible news with regard to Watson, I really thought he was out of the woods wrt to injuries. I wouldn't mind seeing Dave Hussey get a go.

Punter's an absolute champion batsman, I don't think anyone outside of the most hard-headed Aussie-bashers would ever deny it, but is he still the right man to be captain? Slater & Greig were saying yesterday that he should remain in charge because Australia "needed his batting", which struck me as an obvious case of the tail wagging the dog. There's nothing outside of what's become the Australian tradition of ditching their ex-captains to stop him playing on for another 2-3 years under Clarke, Katich or whoever.

WRT Hayden, I think his time looks up now. Has been immense (in every sense) over the past eight years or so, but unless he's still the best man for SA & the Ashes now would be the ideal time to bring someone else in. If he isn't it's starting to look like an extended lap of honour at a time Australia can ill afford it.

What do people make of Andrew Mcdonald's selection?

Was a case of "who?" when I first heard his name, I have to say. Can't remember seeing him advocated by anyone on here.

 

[The Sean]

Big congratulations to South Africa - a thoroughly deserved series victory. What struck me as most significant wasn't that they were dominant for session after session - they certainly weren't - it was that they were frequently behind "on points" and yet were able to keep coming at the Aussies and grind us down from losing positions. It's the kind of thing that Australia have done to South Africa countless times in the past and it must have been immensely satisfying to the likes of Smith, Kallis et al who've been on the receiving end of it previously to turn the tables like that. All credit to them.

And Dale Steyn - what a gun.

As for me, I'm going to start rolling my arm over again - I reckon I could get picked in this current Australian attack. Popgun doesn't even begin to describe it.

 

[pasag]

Punter's an absolute champion batsman, I don't think anyone outside of the most hard-headed Aussie-bashers would ever deny it, but is he still the right man to be captain?

You're asking the same guy who started this thread

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Can't say I can ever remember you predict anything other than an Aussie victory before a test tbh. Having said that, I'm the same with the All Blacks

Well I predicted a South African win yesterday.

In all seriousness if I was putting money on it I'd suggest South Africa would win in Sydney as well. Australia are struggling right now and there will be a ridiculously inexperienced bowling attack on show, three guys who have played four tests or less.

Just a feeling, that's all. Dead rubber syndrome for the South Africans, plus I expect Australia's batting has to click eventually.

 

[Top_Cat]

Punter's an absolute champion batsman, I don't think anyone outside of the most hard-headed Aussie-bashers would ever deny it, but is he still the right man to be captain? Slater & Greig were saying yesterday that he should remain in charge because Australia "needed his batting", which struck me as an obvious case of the tail wagging the dog. There's nothing outside of what's become the Australian tradition of ditching their ex-captains to stop him playing on for another 2-3 years under Clarke, Katich or whoever.

Can't see it happening. Shouldn't be off the table for mine but yeah, Aussie captains end to retire, not lose their captaincy. Mind you, it's been a while since we had a captain who had reached the end of their usefulness as captain and was still young enough to play on. They should at least be talking about it.

Was a case of "who?" when I first heard his name, I have to say. Can't remember seeing him advocated by anyone on here.

I'm at a loss as to why the bloody hell we need an allrounder. MacDonald is decent, a solid FC performer and I doubt he'd disgrace himself with bat or ball (especially bat) but we need guys who are going to be penetrative, not do a job. McDonald does his job so well for Vic because he has so many aggressive pace bowlers around him.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

If Symonds really doesn't play and they do pick McDonald, it would be a pretty amazing selection. I guess I can see why they are doing it, but there really isn't a reason why Johnson, Siddle, Bollinger and Hauritz can't take 10 wickets. I doubt McDonald's doing to do much more than Symonds has in the past with the ball, which is handy but not exactly game-changing, and I'd back a large numbers of batsmen to do more with the bat.

I wonder if they'll put Haddin up to 6?

I think the squad is okay other than that, I'd prefer a specialist bat in there to McDonald, but we'll see how he turns out.

 

[mikeW]

dont know if Mcdonanld will take any wickets but i trhink we could rely on him to tie up an end. With selectors considering the need for swing bowleers which is probably his strength, kinda explains his selection. His dour and grafty kind of batting coud be handy too. He probably wont win us a test match like your Flintoff's, Symond's etc. But could be more reliable if that makes sense?