***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[heathrf1974]

I thought Dean Jones innings in Madras during the 80s was very gutsy due to massive dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Aus Test XI for SA

Jaques
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Klinger
Haddin
Johnson
McGain
Clark
Siddle

Reserves on tour: Bollinger, Hauritz, Hughes

I think that team is pretty good. I think nowadays handy tailenders with the bat can develop into allrounders (i.e. Johnson). I agree with Klinger's inclusion as I don't like Aus of late having a weak number six batsman. I think a specialist is a more stable choice.
However, I would have McDonald on the tour. I was impressed with his composure.

 

[Top_Cat]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24886242-23212,00.html

My report card for Australian sports journalism: E-

Does it really need to be re-iterated that Dorries is a tool?

 

[aussie]

Symonds should be nowhere near the Test XI unless he turns in some stellar performances for Qld in the Weet Bix Cup prior to the SA tour.

I have no issue with that. But isn't Symonds going to come straight back into the ODI team. So he isn't going to play for QLD. Solid ODI batting from him (given he has proven his credentials as a test batsman) is good enough.

Anyway, I really think it's time to move past Lee, Symonds and Hayden.

I can understand Hayden.

Symonds well as i just said good ODI form is all he needs to secure a first test place

Why Lee??. Surely any solid stance on his future position cannot be made until he returns from the test side for the Ashes.

SA Test XI

Jaques
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Klinger
Haddin
Johnson
McGain
Clark
Siddle

Reserves on tour: Bollinger, Hauritz, Hughes

Klinger - Yea i know he has been the leading run-scoring in the shield to date. But he's been batting @ 3, so why pick him @ 6?.

McGain - Have not seen him bowl yet of course, no doubt i'd have him on tour, but is he really good enough to play as a main-spinner in a 4-man attack? Too much of a risk that..

Hughes - Looking a talent, but i'd feel much safer going for a Hodge or D Hussey.

Bollinger - Definately very much in the future plans, but once Noffke comes back & retains his form of last season he should be ahead of Bollinger.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Geez the attack looked better balanced this Test match. Wish McDonald was a slightly better bat though, would work out very well. With the attack the way it is at the moment, and his ability to move the ball both ways, he plays a great foil to the rest of the bowling, and allows us to play a specialist spinner.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I have no issue with that. But isn't Symonds going to come straight back into the ODI team. So he isn't going to play for QLD. Solid ODI batting from him (given he has proven his credentials as a test batsman) is good enough.



I can understand Hayden.

Symonds well as i just said good ODI form is all he needs to secure a first test place

Why Lee??. Surely any solid stance on his future position cannot be made until he returns from the test side for the Ashes.





Klinger - Yea i know he has been the leading run-scoring in the shield to date. But he's been batting @ 3, so why pick him @ 6?.

McGain - Have not seen him bowl yet of course, no doubt i'd have him on tour, but is he really good enough to play as a main-spinner in a 4-man attack? Too much of a risk that..

Hughes - Looking a talent, but i'd feel much safer going for a Hodge or D Hussey.

Bollinger - Definately very much in the future plans, but once Noffke comes back & retains his form of last season he should be ahead of Bollinger.

Bollinger is well ahead of Noffke in the pecking order; I've been through it before and I shan't go through it again.

 

[pasag]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24886242-23212,00.html

My report card for Australian sports journalism: E-

84k until Rogue Traders played, dropped to 14 people iirc.

 

[pup11]

Geez the attack looked better balanced this Test match. Wish McDonald was a slightly better bat though, would work out very well. With the attack the way it is at the moment, and his ability to move the ball both ways, he plays a great foil to the rest of the bowling, and allows us to play a specialist spinner.

Symmo would be back for the tests in South Africa and if he fires, then really that's all that we need for now, i think Symmo' seam-up is as good as McDonald', he isn't as accurate as McDonald but still he is handy, and then Symmo is a much better batsman than McDonald, but ideally Watto is the man who i would like to see seal that all-rounder' slot.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I was hoping my choice of words was precise enough to avoid a return rant. "Image" and "average" being key words here.

I have met a lot of Aussies who obviously enjoy the fact their country is one of the best in a number of sports but refrain from England-style gloating, but I've also met some who were basically Nazis without the funny accent.

But in no way was my post meant as a sweeping statement on Australians in general.

I think the same can be said of nearly every country. I've met people in every country I've been to who are exactly as you describe in both ways. And you're right...it's very annoying.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Wouldn't be much fun at all, but wouldn't a broken jaw be slightly easier to play cricket with than a broken hand?

Honest question.

I think a hand would be less scary.

Dean Jones in Mumbai (!?) when he scored 200-odd while vomiting and ****ting his pants before being raced to hospital once he was out would be up there too.

I think Smith's effort to go out to bat has been blown out of all proportions...massively! It was a tough effort and should be recognised...but he didn't drag 4 mates back into the trenches with his teeth after having both arms blown off.

 

[Evermind]

I think a hand would be less scary.

Dean Jones in Mumbai (!?) when he scored 200-odd while vomiting and ****ting his pants before being raced to hospital once he was out would be up there too.

I think Smith's effort to go out to bat has been blown out of all proportions...massively! It was a tough effort and should be recognised...but he didn't drag 4 mates back into the trenches with his teeth after having both arms blown off.

Right on - agreed 100%. Everyone's kinda getting carried away, but a broken nose or a jaw's gotta be a lot worse than a little finger, and it sure ain't the "brAVeSt ThiNG" ever done on the cricket field.

 

[pup11]

I think a hand would be less scary.

Dean Jones in Mumbai (!?) when he scored 200-odd while vomiting and ****ting his pants before being raced to hospital once he was out would be up there too.

I think Smith's effort to go out to bat has been blown out of all proportions...massively! It was a tough effort and should be recognised...but he didn't drag 4 mates back into the trenches with his teeth after having both arms blown off.

I think you are talking about the tied Chennai test (iirc, that the game where Deano went through all that, and still somehow managed to score as double ton), i think Smith showed great courage yeaterday by coming out to bat, but its far from the most bravest thing i have ever seen on the cricket field.

 

[Prince EWS]

i think Symmo' seam-up is as good as McDonald'

It isn't. I'd pick him ahead of McDonald for the position if he was fully fit and Ponting was actually going to bowl him, based on his batting, but he's not in McDonald's class with the ball.

 

[Athlai]

It isn't. I'd pick him ahead of McDonald for the position if he was fully fit and Ponting was actually going to bowl him, based on his batting, but he's not in McDonald's class with the ball.

And fielding.

 

[Prince EWS]

And fielding.

DWTA.

 

[Athlai]

DWTA.

Symo is sooooooooooooo much better than the ginger McNinja.
@ fielding

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Symo is sooooooooooooo much better than the ginger McNinja.
@ fielding

I think he's disagreeing with you saying that it would come into the selection process, and he's right IMO. McDonald isn't a Stuey MacGill in the field, he's good enough and Symonds' exceptional skill in the field shouldn't keep him in the team if his other skills are no longer up to task.

 

[Prince EWS]

Symo is sooooooooooooo much better than the ginger McNinja.
@ fielding

Yeah, I don't disagree with that; what I disagree with is that I'd pick him based on that. I'd never pick someone for a Test team based on fielding in any capacity unless doing otherwise meant I had no-one to field in slips or the alternative dropped absolutely everything that came his way. One day cricket is obviously different but someone's ability field at cover or point doesn't come into my Test-selecting considerations.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Yeah, I don't disagree with that; what I disagree with is that I'd pick him based on that. I'd never pick someone for a Test team based on fielding in any capacity unless doing otherwise meant I had no-one to field in slips or the alternative dropped absolutely everything that came his way. One day cricket is obviously different but someone's ability field at cover or point doesn't come into my Test-selecting considerations.

Down low....

too slow, baby.

 

[Prince EWS]

Down low....

too slow, baby.

Haha, fair play.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

McDonald's definitely a better seam bowler than Symonds, but it is true that Symonds has done a job in tests before with his seamers, tying up an end and picking up the odd wicket, much like McDonald did in the last test. I don't think the loss in bowling would be that big, if Symonds got fit enough to bowl his seam-ups like he was a couple of years ago. Not anything which would go close to making up for the loss in batting, anyway.

If Watson was fit he'd be the obvious choice but I think Symonds is still the way to go for #6 if he's fit and can bowl. If not, pick a specialist bat, or McDonald if it's felt that the bowling support is really needed. I don't think Symonds really justifies a spot as a batsman alone though, any more than McDonald does as a bowler.