***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[pasag]

Don't mind the selectors not playing McGain per se, given the hype was a bit over the top and it's a bit much to ask someone to come back and bowl at one of the best sides at home after a long injury, but for Hilfenhaus? Meh.

 

[Langeveldt]

Well, lack of funds but a stupid passion for handing it to the Aussies in a test match has dictated that I've just booked a seventeen hour each way bus journey to watch the first test.. Look out for me on the Saturday and Sunday on the grass banks.. I can't wait, so excited.. So very stupid though!

 

[Uppercut]

Wish i was there. This series starts tomorrow, wow. It's really sneaked (snoke?) up on me after the one in Australia had me excited weeks beforehand.

 

[Langeveldt]

Wish i was there. This series starts tomorrow, wow. It's really sneaked (snoke?) up on me after the one in Australia had me excited weeks beforehand.

Ive just bought tickets for the Saturday. 30 bucks.. Thats about 1 pound ninety, or five aussie dollars.. Incredible

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Wish i was there. This series starts tomorrow, wow. It's really sneaked (snoke?) up on me after the one in Australia had me excited weeks beforehand.

Snuck.

 

[IndGunner]

Wish i was there. This series starts tomorrow, wow. It's really sneaked (snoke?) up on me after the one in Australia had me excited weeks beforehand.

snuck*

bugger i should reeally read to end b4 posting aye?

 

[Top_Cat]

So true.

Ridiculous that he was so underused in the India series.

Not at all. Barely bowled for NSW this season or last and he was the captain last season so had plenty of opportunity to bowl himself, concentrating more on his batting. When he was getting a regular bowl for Aus, he was also taking wickets for NSW and getting plenty of the ball so to bowl him in recent series' with so few match overs under his belt would be stupid.

As far as the Tests go, he's just not an option right now and that Rick Ponting hasn't bowled him very much for a while says a lot about where his bowling is at.

 

[Precambrian]

Not at all. Barely bowled for NSW this season or last and he was the captain last season so had plenty of opportunity to bowl himself, concentrating more on his batting. When he was getting a regular bowl for Aus, he was also taking wickets for NSW and getting plenty of the ball so to bowl him in recent series' with so few match overs under his belt would be stupid.

As far as the Tests go, he's just not an option right now and that Rick Ponting hasn't bowled him very much for a while says a lot about where his bowling is at.

So Ponting's assessment is end of everything? DWTA.

Katich underbowling himself in Shield Competition has merits, as he wants to prove himself worthy of test selection and batting is his specialisation. But the legend has his bowling merits, and is better used for say 10-12 overs, instead of Clarke doing the spinner's duties wholly. He's miles better than "Me too can roll me arms" Hussey.

 

[Langeveldt]

It's hardly a Warne v Macgill argument this

 

[Steulen]

It's hardly a Warne v Macgill argument this

With Australia going for all-out pace attack and SA expected to put the boot, "Who will spin it for Australia?" actually becomes a valid question. As a Katfan, I'm all for seeing him take 6 for 9 tbh.

 

[Top_Cat]

So Ponting's assessment is end of everything? DWTA.

For one, he's the captain so yeah actually, he's the one who decides who to bowl.

For two, that's not what I said anyway. I said Ponting's not bowling him which could, for example, come about because between Katich and Ponting, they could have decided he's not to bowl for various reasons, one of which is the fact he's not getting any damn overs for NSW and is under-done.

Katich underbowling himself in Shield Competition has merits, as he wants to prove himself worthy of test selection and batting is his specialisation. But the legend has his bowling merits, and is better used for say 10-12 overs, instead of Clarke doing the spinner's duties wholly. He's miles better than "Me too can roll me arms" Hussey.

Hussey bowling seam-up is a better option right now than a left-arm wristie who has bowled about 10 overs in two seasons for his state and used to spray them when he was bowling double that per game years ago. If either of them get the ball, Aus are in real trouble anyway.

And using him for any serious overs would probably impact on his batting and with the batting line-up Aus have for this series, even if he sneaks a wicket or two by some miracle, it won't have been worth it if he scores less runs.

 

[Precambrian]

For one, he's the captain so yeah actually, he's the one who decides who to bowl.

For two, that's not what I said anyway. I said Ponting's not bowling him which could, for example, come about because between Katich and Ponting, they could have decided he's not to bowl for various reasons, one of which is the fact he's not getting any damn overs for NSW and is under-done.

Sir, you are playing Captain Obvious with the bold line. But a discussion in a cricket forum involves analysis of "What ifs" and "Why nots" and not just treading the captain's toe. So your argument that "Ricky does it, so it must be right" is not acceptable for me.

Hussey bowling seam-up is a better option right now than a left-arm wristie who has bowled about 10 overs in two seasons for his state and used to spray them when he was bowling double that per game years ago. If either of them get the ball, Aus are in real trouble anyway.

And using him for any serious overs would probably impact on his batting and with the batting line-up Aus have for this series, even if he sneaks a wicket or two by some miracle, it won't have been worth it if he scores less runs.

And Micheal Hussey is bowling 20 overs every Shield Game? I find Katich more dangerous than Hussey any day, and he showed it albeit briefly in the Delhi (?) game last year. The whole argument of he's hardly bowled in Shield Games is of really no merit as far as part time bowling in tests are concerned. Essentially because they are inherently parttime, and used as 1. Shock option 2. To relieve the others. So to have bowled a truckload in FC games is hardly the prerequisite. And Katich has proved he can more than roll his arm over previously.

 

[pasag]

Not at all. Barely bowled for NSW this season or last and he was the captain last season so had plenty of opportunity to bowl himself, concentrating more on his batting. When he was getting a regular bowl for Aus, he was also taking wickets for NSW and getting plenty of the ball so to bowl him in recent series' with so few match overs under his belt would be stupid.

As far as the Tests go, he's just not an option right now and that Rick Ponting hasn't bowled him very much for a while says a lot about where his bowling is at.

The weird thing is on the WI tour, in the practice match he took 2/51 and 4/15 but didn't get a bowl for the rest of the series. When we were in trouble in the second Test and just couldn't make any breakthroughs and we had no options left, they still refused to give him a bowl. Even Hussey got a bowl before him!

 

[aussie]

Brilliant stuff from the selectors, it has taken them a while to realise "bowling strenght" is the pace-attack. So this is not only good signs for future, but its is the most sensible option for this 1st test.

 

[Precambrian]

Prediction: Australia to be max 5 down tomorrow for around 300.

If SA bats (10% chance) to be around 270-4

 

[Evermind]

Well, lack of funds but a stupid passion for handing it to the Aussies in a test match has dictated that I've just booked a seventeen hour each way bus journey to watch the first test.. Look out for me on the Saturday and Sunday on the grass banks.. I can't wait, so excited.. So very stupid though!

If the Pre-Packer XI were playing the Post-Packer XI - Jesus having come again, resurrected the dead among both teams, and agreed to umpire the match - I still wouldn't travel 17 hours on a ****ing bus to watch it.

That's dedication.

 

[Precambrian]

 

[Woodster]

As a neutral it's disappointing that Australia won't have the chance to add Stuart Clark and Brett Lee to their line-up, to really test the strong SA top order. Lee testing out SA with pace and away swing, while Clark cleverly tests each batsmens technique with his impeccable probing line, patience and bit of nip here and there.

However, should still be a decent contest, the idea that Australia may play North and Mcdonald really puzzles me. Ok I appreciate an all pace attack given the expected conditions, and using North as a spinning option, makes sense. But to then suggest dropping a specialist bowler for Mcdonald's medium pace offerings simply cannot and I don't believe will happen.

The top 7 for Australia should be strong enough to pose a few problems for Steyn and co. and the added benefit of Mcdonald at 8, with either bat or ball, is questionable. Personally I see both batting sides as very strong, but the bowling department of SA currently looks stronger and may be the difference.

Will be interested to see how Australia play Harris. I said before the series in England and the one in Australia, that the batsmen will surely look to dominate him, and it's never really happened, which is credit to Harris, and I'm not one of his biggest fans.

 

[Langeveldt]

If the Pre-Packer XI were playing the Post-Packer XI - Jesus having come again, resurrected the dead among both teams, and agreed to umpire the match - I still wouldn't travel 17 hours on a ****ing bus to watch it.

That's dedication.

And 17 hours back

 

[Burgey]

And 17 hours back

That is dedication mate. Hope you regret it and we win .

Clarke's back improving while Yoko Ono is back in Sydney. Coincidence? I think not!