• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

***Official*** Australia in South Africa

adub

International Captain
So what's changed since last summer, then ?

change the spinner - check

drop the most promising young batsman for a not quite as young promising batsman - check

So what else has changed ?

All that talk and reviewing and reporting.....
Spinner, well the probably don't still have the right one, but this one at least looks likely.
Khawaja copped a raw deal, but runs had to be rewarded. Ponting's just about run out of "get out of jail free" and "chance" cards. He needs to make runs in these two tests or he may not even get the chance to face NZ
A new "leader of the attack" has been found and despite the injury worries he's a good un.
Johnson after SL was under real pressure, but he found form in Shield and Tour matches so deserves to hang on.
A new containing new ball bowler was found and tried with some success, but the guy he replaced has come back better and taken wickets with good full bowling to regain his spot.
Muss, Pup and Hughes made runs in SL, Haddin needs some runs, but isn't really under threat this summer (maybe by the end of it). Watson's bowling has come on heaps, although his runs are a little down.
The new skipper has shown some real tactical nouse and seems to get better performances out his side in the field.
We have good young quicks putting performances on the board and at least two batsmen in Khawaja and Warner ready to step up at a moment's notice.

All up that's not a bad improvement on where we were 12 months ago.
 

Noble One

International Vice-Captain
Expecting Steyn to look a completely different bowler from the ODI series. I find it odd how Steyn as a Test cricketer is on a different level to Steyn the ODI bowler.
 

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
So what's changed since last summer, then ?

change the spinner - check

drop the most promising young batsman for a not quite as young promising batsman - check

So what else has changed ?

All that talk and reviewing and reporting.....
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahah
 

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
can't think of many worst feelings than being the batsman on strike, steyn with the ball.....and play just not starting. my pants would be wrecked.
 

Woodster

International Captain
What on earth is going on with the delay here! We wait for conditions to be right, get the players out there and now we're hanging around for something that I presume is insignificant!
 

Flem274*

123/5
can't think of many worst feelings than being the batsman on strike, steyn with the ball.....and play just not starting. my pants would be wrecked.
Haha, this so much. I'd bring a bucket to the crease with me if I had to face him in a test.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Yes realised those two bowlers would miss out, it was just with Smith saying the team is pretty much the same as usual. I wouldn't say Rudolph was a regular, he hasn't played Test cricket since August 2006! Unless I've misunderstood what Smith was saying, or he's simply forgot to mention his return to the Test team.

Unless Smith was saying it was as expected except for the two debutants, as their inclusion was still in the air.
Yeah Rudolph was always going to play once Petersen wasn't picked in the squad.
 

Woodster

International Captain
Top start from Philander, will be hugely encouraged by the seam movement both ways in that over. Steyn getting a nice familiar shape also. Be a very testing first session for Aussies here, knowing that Morkel is to come too, presumably with the wind behind him.
 

Top