***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Top_Cat]

Sure Kepler was speaking as a disconsolate former Australian cricketer hence the focus on the Aussies.

heh, poor, bitter Kepler. All he wanted was for AB to love him.

I dunno how the selectors will go with the rest of the line-up but, as far as I'm concerned, Haddin's spot is for sale. Perhaps because of how close this Test is to the next one he'll get a go but post-tour, he's garn for mine. I can see why he might have wanted to force the pace in the second dig but boy did he pick the wrong ball.

Would definitely be looking to re-shuffle the order too. How, tbh, without being in and around the group, it's too hard to know how to get the balance right but, personally, I honestly don't think this selection panel has the balls to make a tough call or two on the batting.

 

[Top_Cat]

Aus simply cannot afford to play both Siddle and Johnson. Should probably bring in Copeland for Johnson.

Ferguson also deserves a chance in near future IMO

You're kidding. Ferg is barely justifying his spot in the SA side right now.

 

[Cabinet96]

Smith and Amla leading the team to victory after a superb recovery. Just like the MCG in 2008

 

[centurymaker]

While I do think Ponting is very much a team man in a match situation, I also think for his career as a whole he has a lot of personal pride to the point of obstinance sometimes:

"I've never put a finish date on my career," he said yesterday. "I don't see a finish line yet and I think it's really important for me that I don't look at it that way.

"Things haven't been as I would have liked for the last 12 months. I haven't scored a Test hundred in that period of time. I want to make sure that I'm getting back to playing somewhere near my best cricket.

"If I can do that, who knows, the (2013) Ashes might not be out of the question. My destiny lies in my hands, really."

The fact that he is saying he doesn't see a finish line yet, and clearly has ambitions to play in the 2013 Ashes tells me he is at least partly playing for pride.

In any case, the problem is he might legitmately believe he is still an asset to the team, without that being true. He might have confidence in himself hitting form again, yet could continue to fail (for whatever reason) despite that belief. The bottom line is, beliefs and expectations don't always come to fruition. At the end of the day all that matters is the results. He is an ATG and deserves a lot of leeway to allow for a recovery in form - he has been given that without any success, so his time should truly be running out.

I'd give Ponting 1 more test. If he fails in the next test too, he has to go.
If it's a low scoring game then he needs to get a 40+ score and show that he's not past it, otherwise 70+.
If a great, who is near the end of his career, isn't going to perform overseas, then he's of little use to the team IMO. You can almost always find young domestic guys who'll do reasonably ok at home with the added bonus of having potential that they can work with and help the team in years to come.

I have finally come to the realization that Johnson has been found out and shouldn't be picked for the next test. I'd bring in Copeland.
Perhaps Siddle needs to go as well since he extracts little from the wicket.

 

[centurymaker]

heh, poor, bitter Kepler. All he wanted was for AB to love him.

I dunno how the selectors will go with the rest of the line-up but, as far as I'm concerned, Haddin's spot is for sale. Perhaps because of how close this Test is to the next one he'll get a go but post-tour, he's garn for mine. I can see why he might have wanted to force the pace in the second dig but boy did he pick the wrong ball.

Would definitely be looking to re-shuffle the order too. How, tbh, without being in and around the group, it's too hard to know how to get the balance right but, personally, I honestly don't think this selection panel has the balls to make a tough call or two on the batting.

Hughes / (replacement)
Ponting
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Hussey

?

 

[honestbharani]

My favourite bit was when he just repeated exactly what Rob Key (who is actually pretty good) just said pretty much word for word.

There are worse though (Steve Harmison)

Harmison? He is commentating these days? Is he a proper commentator or just a studio analyst?

 

[honestbharani]

Oh yes - but not only after Ashes defeats.

Endless permutations of selection interspaced with reviews of the fundamental structure of cricket in this country. In hindsight not that many of our players should have been on the international stage or had the raw talent to do so. Too many players selected.

Oh, and add a bit of gallows humour of the 'we're **** and we know we are'. Remember the barmy army stuff all started when we were crap.

A lot of the conversation was about raw talent that wasn't delivering on the Test stage - notably Ramprakash and Hick (maybe Lewis). Too much time spent attempted identifying the new Botham.

Think Aussies are doing that with their search to find a new Warney, tbh.. And perhaps a new McGrath?

 

[honestbharani]

Do you regret changing your name to Johnners?

what was his name before? Just out of curiosity..

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Said before the test that we all knew Siddle and Johnson together in the same side doesn't work as you can't rely on them to perform. You can perhaps carry one potential matchwinning bowler in a five man attack but not two. Australia need to make a decision which one goes, and soon or it will continue to harm the side.

As for Ponting, well it looks like he has gone. Sad way for such a good player to bow out really. Maybe he should have gone after the ashes.

As for replacements, well Khawaja probably deserves a run in the side but may have to replace Marsh next week anyway so Ponting may get a reprieve. Copeland should never have been dropped and should come in for Johnson/Siddle. Maybe even pick Cummins.

Australia's bowling would be ****ed if Harris breaks down again.

 

[centurymaker]

what injury did marsh pick up?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

what injury did marsh pick up?

Bad back.

With tests being back to back it would be a big risk playing him in the next game.

 

[Cabinet96]

what injury did marsh pick up?

Back.

 

[honestbharani]

Ponting's second innings dismissal in particular, has absolutely nothing whatsoever with age. And that type of dismissal is typical of how he has been getting out over the last 12 months.

If these people who you are speaking for had any idea of the technical aspects of batting, they would note that his problem is that he is no longer standing tall at the crease. Now, unless he has a degenerative back disorder caused by age, that is concerned with technique. Most of his dismissals over the past 12 months have been. He hasn't been late on balls at all, if anything he is pre meditating them in the persuit of early dominance.

His problems are form related which stems from a failing technique. Not age.

But don't you think it is easier to correct technique issues when you are 30 than 37? I am not sure why but I guess this is where the mental saturation comes in... After doing the same thing for so long, there comes a point when you definitely lose discipline in getting yourself ready for work and maybe that is happening with Ponting?


Just a thought though, I am not really insisting this is the case. To be honest, I have only followed his scores on cricinfo, not even seen him bat recently, but this is just a thought that popped up.

 

[honestbharani]

You're kidding. Ferg is barely justifying his spot in the SA side right now.

He has been that bad? Looks a very impressive player whenever I have seen him bat. Are his failures technique related or just temperamental, like being lazy with feet movement or not concentrating ( a la Rohit Sharma) ?

 

[Shri]

what was his name before? Just out of curiosity..

Clapo

 

[honestbharani]

Ah well.. I disabled avatars and sigs as I am at work and/or on mobile. So was not able to figure it out.. Thanks

 

[flibbertyjibber]

He has been that bad? Looks a very impressive player whenever I have seen him bat. Are his failures technique related or just temperamental, like being lazy with feet movement or not concentrating ( a la Rohit Sharma) ?

Doesn't seem anything like the same player since his injury. Sad when that happens to players.

 

[Prince EWS]

Doesn't seem anything like the same player since his injury. Sad when that happens to players.

He was never that good beforehand either though. He's always had immense amounts of potential but very little actual performance. I don't really think his injury had anything to do with it at all; he just had a little purple patch of performing somewhere near his ability and people got a little over-excited about it. He's since returned to the mean. I hold out hope for him with it's growing increasingly grimmer.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

He was never that good beforehand either though. He's always had immense amounts of potential but very little actual performance. I don't really think his injury had anything to do with it at all; he just had a little purple patch of performing somewhere near his ability and people got a little over-excited about it. He's since returned to the mean. I hold out hope for him with it's growing increasingly grimmer.

He looked an awesome player in the one day series in 09. Seems nothing like that when i seen him since. You will have seen far more of him than I have, just put it down to the injury. His chance has probably gone now anyway with Marsh looking like he may have it mentally to step up and Khawaja waiting as next cab on the rank. No doubt a youngster will do well this season and be pushing for a place soon too.

 

[howardj]

^ Dave Warner says hi