***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[vic_orthdox]

Botha annoys me to no end, a talentless, ugly and possibly illegal actioned slow 'bowler' unable to bat or field, captains a team to a win.

Australia should take a good hard look at themselves, because if at least Smith was captaining we could say that the better side won, but not this time.

Need to take an axe and cut out bits and pieces players and put specialists up instead. If Hopes isn't bowling, then he has virtually no role in the team with the bat. Cam White, does he command a position as a specialist? Surely we can use that position to maybe blood a youngster like Warner or Hughes. Also you can't have Hussey as a specialist bowler, he deserves maybe 2-3 overs per game.

Would love to see Hughes coming in at no. 6 or 7, would really suit him... *cough*

Geez, it's like I stopped reading CW and was reading comments on Herald Sun blogs.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, because White's renowned for keeping it tight in ODIs. If Ponting had bowled him and he'd been smashed for 15 off an over, people would be on here bashing him. Ponting captained pretty well tonight, but the team was definitely a bowler short.

Most of us probably would have been happy with only 15.

 

[Uppercut]

Is Hilfenhaus in the team as a specialist death bowler?

Also it was odd to see how dismissive the Aussie commentators were of Johan Botha's batting.

 

[TT Boy]

The jury is out on Albie. We keep hearing about his big hitting but he holes out early in his innings. Is he smart enough to realise that everyone has to get their eye in to some extent? The Morkels don't appear to be the brightest bulbs in the chandeliers.

Well you saw it tonight. So you can put that in your pipe....

Off topic but what the **** is up with this forum? I couldn't get on here at all this afternoon.

Back to the game, top knock by Neil Mac, loved the slog sweep. He was only kept on tour so he could help in the background but he may have just got another shot in ODI's. VB will now be the man to make way once AB is fit.

Both teams are currently one bowler short.

 

[Speersy]

Does anyone else get the feeling that Ponting was just cut that White was picked as an allrounder type player and just didnt bowl him in spite?

 

[Spikey]

Both teams are currently one bowler short.

You'd think Hopes will go out for MJ when he comes back so that fixes that.

 

[Craig]

Makhaya Ntini play in Hobart?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Or didn't bowl him because everyone, including White, knows that he isn't bowling well over the past few years? I mean, the guy always bowls Hussey before himself in his own Twenty20 cricket.

 

[TT Boy]

Is Hilfenhaus in the team as a specialist death bowler?

Also it was odd to see how dismissive the Aussie commentators were of Johan Botha's batting.

Particularly when he has opened the innings in first class cricket but like **** the C9 boys would know that.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Is Hilfenhaus in the team as a specialist death bowler?

Also it was odd to see how dismissive the Aussie commentators were of Johan Botha's batting.

Not as a specialist death bowler, but he's been talked up for his death bowling. Mind you, that third last over wasn't the worst ever death bowling you'll see, just some poor fielding and good strokes meant that it was made to look worse than it was.

 

[Ernest]

No Ponting is just plain inept with that bowling firepower we should have won after 4/6

Who knows what new way Ponting will construct a defeat. I say time for him to retire as one day captain so we only have to endure his test captaincy for a few more years

 

[TT Boy]

You'd think Hopes will go out for MJ when he comes back so that fixes that.

Yeah the Aussies can fix the problem far easier than South Africa can for if they bring in an extra bowler inevitably like in the English series they will then be one batsman light. Boucher is posing a real problematic and if Kallis doesn’t bowl 10 overs then the problem gets far worse. Although, credit to him he bowled superbly today.

 

[vic_orthdox]

If someone can name one thing Ponting did wrong, outside of not bowling a player with a career ODI economy rate of 6.34, in a captaincy sense, then I might bother listening to them.

 

[TT Boy]

Makhaya Ntini play in Hobart?

Hope not. Tsotsobe or Parnell should be given a go.

 

[Ernest]

If someone can name one thing Ponting did wrong, outside of not bowling a player with a career ODI economy rate of 6.34, in a captaincy sense, then I might bother listening to them.

Yep.. he changed the bowling too frequently and didn't set attacking enough fields..

ie: Business as per bloody usual.

 

[duffer]

Just got back, went to the second sesh. So much love for JP and McKenzie was a cracking partnership.

I loved Albie when he was playing for Chennai and am glad to see him do something of value in a game like this. Anyone know when the next ODI at the MCG is? Gutted I didn't chuck a sickie and head down to the whole thing.

 

[Spikey]

Yep.. he changed the bowling too frequently and didn't set attacking enough fields..

ie: Business as per bloody usual.

Well I thought he did a good job with that, especially with Tait.

 

[pasag]

Just got back, went to the second sesh. So much love for JP and McKenzie was a cracking partnership.

I loved Albie when he was playing for Chennai and am glad to see him do something of value in a game like this. Anyone know when the next ODI at the MCG is? Gutted I didn't chuck a sickie and head down to the whole thing.

Feb 6 vs NZ. Disappointed I missed today but was way too sick to go, haven't been to work for a few days either. What was the atmosphere like?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Would counter-argue that he made sure that the game wasn't left to drift. Even when there was the good partnership going, he brought back some pace bowlers, seeking for that wicket, whilst not letting the spinning combination bowl too many in a row, which is often dangerous because they get used to the bowling.

And as soon as they got the breakthrough, he tightened up fields to the new batsmen, and that helped to bring about the 4/6.

 

[duffer]

Feb 6 vs NZ. Disappointed I missed today but was way too sick to go, haven't been to work for a few days either. What was the atmosphere like?

Had it's moments. Not the G at it's most electrifying but it was still quite good, went with a group from work so would've enjoyed myself regardless really.