***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Furball]

Bet you weren't thinking that while you were there.

You're not actually that far off the mark; that part of Glasgow is an absolute hole.

 

[miscer]

who else is rooting for steyn to get the record next match? 6 more wickets!

edit: and the fast bowlers record for fastest to 250 wickets is donald i think with 89 or 90 innings not sure, so that's up for grabs too!

 

[TT Boy]

who else is rooting for steyn to get the record next match? 6 more wickets!

edit: and the fast bowlers record for fastest to 250 wickets is donald i think with 89 or 90 innings not sure, so that's up for grabs too!

Think DK holds the record going by test matches (48) and that includes spinners. AD is second. Steyn would be level with DK if he takes 6 at the Wanderers but he would have done it is considerably less time.

Fancy Steyn will get the 6 he needs. He averages 5.7 wickets a game against the Australians and he likes The Wanderers. Philander hasn't played a FC game there since 2005 apparently, so I wouldn't expect him to do as well there as he did in the Cape.

Gauteng has been experiencing a heat wave recently, so the wicket maybe slower and flatter than usual. Doubt it will be as quick as this beaut - 4th Test: South Africa v England at Johannesburg, Jan 14-17, 2010 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[nexxus]

Gauteng has been experiencing a heat wave recently, so the wicket maybe slower and flatter than usual. Doubt it will be as quick as this beaut - 4th Test: South Africa v England at Johannesburg, Jan 14-17, 2010 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

It would suck if we went from this Newlands beauty to a slab of Gauteng highway. I dare say, after drumming up a good deal of positive vibes from the last test, SA Cricket as a whole needs to follow it up with another one. A 600+ @ 3rpo wicket in not what's needed. A bore draw would massively deflate things.

As a SA fan, I would love the Proteas to go out and win like bomb, but as a Cricket fan, one of the ways to make this 2 test series a positive is if we had a tense final session draw (I'd never suggest an Aus win, that's just heresy. ), leaving everyone to moan about how crap it is that there isn't a 3rd test.

Then with that done, a good series against Sri Lanka could possibly fire up some interest. If it reverts to old boring form, then SL will play in the usual near empty cauldrons of white seats.

 

[SeamUp]

Joburg weather has been very hot of late but with Chris Scott (curator) he will love to keep as much spice as possible in the wicket. But in saying that, atmospheric conditions on the highveld normally allows persistent swing initially.

If the pitch is rock hard like it normally is, expect some traditional huge cracks and plates being formed and late day 4 and day 5 won't be easy to face when it hits one of them.

 

[Jayzamann]

Steyn is the type of opposition player that you'd gladly watch steamroll through your batting lineup, then thank him for the opportunity. luvthaguy

 

[Howe_zat]

Watching Steyn running through your top order is like watching Casanova shag your wife.

 

[Jayzamann]

Just take notes and hope not to embarrass yourself in the future.

 

[Cabinet96]

who else is rooting for steyn to get the record next match? 6 more wickets!

edit: and the fast bowlers record for fastest to 250 wickets is donald i think with 89 or 90 innings not sure, so that's up for grabs too!

http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/cricket-chat/53415-can-dale-steyn-become-fastest-bowler-300-test-wickets.html

Hope the pitch at the Wanderers is lively. As others have said hopefully it's not a road to kill the series after the lively one in Cape Town.

 

[Burgey]

Reports here this morning saying Johnson under pressure, but from Cummins, not Copes.

 

[Redbacks]

and hopefully under pressure also from 'common sense'

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Reports here this morning saying Johnson under pressure, but from Cummins, not Copes.

Anything will do won't it?

Johnson has, like Harmison did for us, had more than enough chances to find his former form and not done it. Time to move on.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeh, drop Johnson. He's the problem.

As has been said many times, Johnson's form is obviously pretty awful right now (despite some recent good showings in FC cricket) but the biggest problems continue to be further up the order. Why are the selectors determined to change absolutely everything and everyone else in the Aussie set-up but the bats? The level of denial about this problem is staggering.

 

[Spark]

The key to batting is partnerships, no matter who is scoring. Even if someone is finding it difficult to score and isn't getting runs, it doesn't matter as long as the partnership is building.

Need to listen to this guy.

 

[Furball]

Yeh, drop Johnson. He's the problem.

As has been said many times, Johnson's form is obviously pretty awful right now (despite some recent good showings in FC cricket) but the biggest problems continue to be further up the order. Why are the selectors determined to change absolutely everything and everyone else in the Aussie set-up but the bats? The level of denial about this problem is staggering.

But the bowlers only took 2 wickets in the 4th innings, they're obviously the problem.

 

[Redbacks]

We don't want to drop Ponting so who else could realistically go:

Hughes - nope, made a big series winning hundred the test before
Watson - nope, but maybe down to 6
Ponting - yes/no
Marsh - no
Clarke - no way
Hussey - no
Haddin - yes

 

[Burgey]

We don't want to drop Ponting so who else could realistically go:

Hughes - nope, made a big series winning hundred the test before
Watson - nope, but maybe down to 6
Ponting - yes/no
Marsh - no
Clarke - no way
Hussey - no
Haddin - yes

It's unlikely Marsh will be fit anyway.

I know Khawaja is the reserve, but it must be tempting to open with Warner and move Watson down the order.

 

[Spark]

Big public pressure on Hughes itbt. Though that may not be particularly meaningful, especially Clarke is a selector (read: doesn't give a toss what the public thinks).

EDIT: Marsh has already been confirmed ruled out.

 

[Redbacks]

Crocked back right?

At least unlike the 2000's he wont be sweating on possibly not getting another chance for 2 years due to solid performances (reverse jinx)

 

[andyc]

Yeh, drop Johnson. He's the problem.

As has been said many times, Johnson's form is obviously pretty awful right now (despite some recent good showings in FC cricket) but the biggest problems continue to be further up the order. Why are the selectors determined to change absolutely everything and everyone else in the Aussie set-up but the bats? The level of denial about this problem is staggering.

This. Can't believe the only change we're looking like making willingly is to the bowling, having been bowled out for 47. Surely that camel's back has been well and truly broken by now.