***Official*** South Africa in Australia 2012

[NUFAN]

looking the weather map again, the rain should be clear of the Gabba in about an hour....how good is the gabba at mopping up all the puddles?

I'm prediciting (i.e. hoping for) a 1:30 start?

The supersopper and drainage is superb at the Gabba.

Reckon its a joke that they didn't at least show some sort of highlights package for like 20-30 minutes of yesterday's play. Heaps of people would have been at work yesterday and would have appreciated it, you would think. Better than Gilligan's Island anyway.

 

[robelinda]

any cricket highlights is better than the silly kids wildlife show on now.

 

[Spikey]

Ricky Ponting Starts Thinking Of The Future; Starts Selling CA Merchandise

 

[Spikey]

peter siddle just on the lookout for a steak

 

[Ruckus]

bowling short takes a number of dismissal modes out of the equation, so even if the pitch is doing nothing, and it is purely batsman error, the error to the full ball has a stronger chance of resulting in a wicket than to a short.

not necessarily bowling short though, what about just on a good length?

 

[Cabinet96]

any cricket highlights is better than the silly kids wildlife show on now.

They've already gone off the cricket coverage? Sky Sports chat for at least an hour during the home tests, and even after that go to highlights.

 

[Top_Cat]

It depends on the deck and the guys you're bowling to. Amla and Kallis were driving confidently on the up so even sitting on a 'good length' for other pitches means you're giving them a lot to work with. It's not as simple as 'bowl fuller and swing it' or 'bowl on a good length'. There's no One True Way to bowl on all pitches which works for all batters.

 

[robelinda]

They've already gone off the cricket coverage? Sky Sports chat for at least an hour during the home tests, and even after that go to highlights.

yeah but thats pay tv though, on foxsports here when it rains they never leave the cricket, just chat and show old stuff too, but ch 9 is different.

 

[grecian]

****ing ****e country get your climate sorted out

 

[Ruckus]

It depends on the deck and the guys you're bowling to. Amla and Kallis were driving confidently on the up so even sitting on a 'good length' for other pitches means you're giving them a lot to work with. It's not as simple as 'bowl fuller and swing it' or 'bowl on a good length'. There's no One True Way to bowl on all pitches which works for all batters.

yeah true

 

[Cabinet96]

yeah but thats pay tv though, on foxsports here when it rains they never leave the cricket, just chat and show old stuff too, but ch 9 is different.

Yeah, good point. I remember Channel 4 used to leave the cricket for a long rain delay, such as the 3rd day at Old Trafford in 2005.

 

[aussie tragic]

SA have some pretty impressive all-time stats for their current batting positions

Smith - 11th best average as opener (50.56)
Amla - 8th best average for #3 (56.76)
Kallis - best average for #4 (65.22)
de Villiers - best average for #5 (68.36)

Edit: Amla in good company as only behind, Bradman, Barrington, Hammond, Headly, Richards, Lara and Sangakara and just ahead of Ponting

 

[hazsa19]

Any prospect of play?

 

[aussie tragic]

Well at least the qld vs tas shield match is streamed while we wait for the rain.

Bailey (11) and Doolan (16) didn't help their chances for a test call-up, although it is reported as.a difficult pitch (Tas all out for 95). Khawaja in next for qld so will be interesting to see how he goes as I rate him next in line for a Test slot

 

[hazsa19]

I was gonna give up and go to bed but Sky are about to show the highlights from the Cape Town match a year ago

 

[Ruckus]

If this day is a total washout it could be bit of a get out of jail free card for Aus. The forecast looks fine for the rest of the test though, so there is still a chance for SA to pile on a big total and then bowl us out twice.

 

[Viscount Tom]

The Pup's ton will feature.

 

[aussie tragic]

Khawaja has just wound up the pressure on Quiney and Cowan.

He's currently 101* after Tassie were bowled out for 95

 

[DriveClub]

How long do you think Ponting and Hussey can go on for? Another year maybe?

 

[morgieb]

How long do you think Ponting and Hussey can go on for? Another year maybe?

They'll quit after the Ashes.