***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Son Of Coco]

Hopefully we see a bit of this when the test starts:

http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/content/image/393138.html

 

[Son Of Coco]

Cricinfo - 'Mitchell Johnson is a one-man band'

Before getting carried away at the headline I'll have to first say I haven't been able to listen to this yet and so it may well be taken completely out of context...I'll have a go later when I remember headphones. Just thought I'd post it for other's interest and maybe someone can tell me what it's all about!

 

[Burgey]

Hopefully we see a bit of this when the test starts:

Cricinfo - Peter Siddle is fired up after accounting for Paul Harris

Spot on. Love the aggro frown Sid Farcus gets when fired up.

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

Cricinfo - 'Mitchell Johnson is a one-man band'

Before getting carried away at the headline I'll have to first say I haven't been able to listen to this yet and so it may well be taken completely out of context...I'll have a go later when I remember headphones. Just thought I'd post it for other's interest and maybe someone can tell me what it's all about!

Yeah I saw the title so I had to listen. The headline hardly sums up the nature of the conversation, and I think from memory (listened this morning) was refering to the spell of bowling in Perth. The commentators involved were neither over pumping Johnson, or dissing the other members of the team.

cheers

 

[Son Of Coco]

Yeah I saw the title so I had to listen. The headline hardly sums up the nature of the conversation, and I think from memory (listened this morning) was refering to the spell of bowling in Perth. The commentators involved were neither over pumping Johnson, or dissing the other members of the team.

cheers

I thought that might be the case...I still haven't had a chance to listen to it but hopefully I will tonight.

 

[pup11]

Have a bad feeling about this match, hopefully we can win the toss, bat for a long time, secure a draw at least which means we can't lose the series and then go for the win. Can't wait.

Yeah, expecting a strong comeback from the Proteas, the lose at Jo'Burg seems to have stung them pretty badly, so one can be rest assured they would come hard at the Aussies.

The worrying thing for me from an Aussie POV is that, both Siddle and Hilfenhaus are likely to come into this game carrying slight niggles, but still Australia seem pretty keen to stick to the same XI from the last game, now last thing Australia would want, in a such a scenario would be either Hilfenhaus, Siddle or Johnson going down with a injury during the game, due to excessive workload.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Oh god... someone please tell me that McDonald hasn't retained his position for the 2nd Test?

 

[pup11]

Toss: Australia have won the toss and they will bat first, both teams are unchanged.

Having just looked at the pitch, seems like the right decision to bat first, not too chuffed about McGain not playing, the pitch already has some cracks on it and as the game progresses, it probably might help the spinners.

 

[pup11]

Oh god... someone please tell me that McDonald hasn't retained his position for the 2nd Test?

Sorry to break it to you mate, but he has been retained for this game..

 

[pasag]

What was the point of taking two spinners and then not playing either of them? I mean the logic would have been take McGain and if that doesn't work out, play Hauritz. Yet McGain had a bad match and now they've decided to select neither of them, so what was the point of Hauritz coming on tour in the first place?

 

[Briony]

Have a bad feeling about this match, hopefully we can win the toss, bat for a long time, secure a draw at least which means we can't lose the series and then go for the win. Can't wait.

First wish granted.

 

[pup11]

What was the point of taking two spinners and then not playing either of them? I mean the logic would have been take McGain and if that doesn't work out, play Hauritz. Yet McGain had a bad match and now they've decided to select neither of them, so what was the point of Hauritz coming on tour in the first place?

So true this, just shows how much faith they selectors have in the players they are picking, one bad game for Krezja in India and now McGain in here, and that's good enough to convince the selectors that, they are not good enough to be selected for the test team.

 

[Briony]

So true this, just shows how much faith they selectors have in the players they are picking, one bad game for Krezja in India and now McGain in here, and that's good enough to convince the selectors that, they are not good enough to be selected for the test team.

Or maybe it's back to horses for courses. The thought seems to have been for both tests that the pitches are more conducive to seam, than spin bowling due to all the rain they've had.

 

[Matt79]

batting - awesome, give our sore bowlers an extra day of recovery...

 

[Burgey]

Or maybe it's back to horses for courses. The thought seems to have been for both tests that the pitches are more conducive to seam, than spin bowling due to all the rain they've had.

I think that's precisely their thinking.

Curious the cracks in the deck given recent rain. They just said on the tv the groundsman said it's drier than he'd like it. Maybe McGain would have been handy, though accepted CW wisdom seems to be a quick will do better on such a deck than a slowie, despite 132 years of evidence to the contrary.

But hey, we on CW know best apparently.

 

[Evermind]

When Steyn doesn't get a wicket in his first spell, I get real nervous.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hughes looks so good today. Set for a big'un.

 

[Sylvester]

It simple really unless it is going to be overcast throughout the whole test the pitch will always dry out which means it will take spin later in the piece. Now I was one that wanted 4 seamers in the 1st test but after seeing what happened as the match wore on it was clear the pitch was taking turn.

 

[inbox24]

Welcome aussie1st

 

[Matt79]

Steyn is no match for Dogscratch's mad skilluz...