***Official*** Australia in South Africa 2013/14

[TimAngas]

Fixtures:

Wed Feb 5 - Sat Feb 8
08:30 GMT | 10:30 local
16:30 WST | 19:00 CDT | 19:30 EDT
South African Invitation XI v Australians
Senwes Park, Potchefstroom

Wed Feb 12 - Sun Feb 16
08:30 GMT | 10:30 local
16:30 WST | 19:00 CDT | 19:30 EDT
1st Test - South Africa v Australia
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Thu Feb 20 - Mon Feb 24
08:30 GMT | 10:30 local
16:30 WST | 19:00 CDT | 19:30 EDT
2nd Test - South Africa v Australia
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Sat Mar 1 - Wed Mar 5
08:30 GMT | 10:30 local
16:30 WST | 19:00 CDT | 19:30 EDT
3rd Test - South Africa v Australia
Newlands, Cape Town

Sun Mar 9 (20 ovs)
12:30 GMT | 14:30 local
20:30 WST | 23:00 CDT | 23:30 EDT
1st T20I - South Africa v Australia
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Wed Mar 12 (20 ovs)
16:00 GMT | 18:00 local
00:00 WST +1d | 02:30 CDT +1d | 03:00 EDT +1d
2nd T20I - South Africa v Australia
Kingsmead, Durban

Fri Mar 14 (20 ovs)
16:00 GMT | 18:00 local
00:00 WST +1d | 02:30 CDT +1d | 03:00 EDT +1d
3rd T20I - South Africa v Australia
SuperSport Park, Centurion

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So if we we in the selectors chair at the moment who would we be picking for the Saffer tour? (mind you, with one batting, two bowlings innings left.)

For a starting XI I'm thinking the first test will be a straight swap D00lan for Bailey unless the latter does something extraordinary or D00lan has a horrid second half of the Shield Season:

David Warner
Chris Rogers
Shane Watson
Michael Clarke
Steven Smith
Alex Doolan
Brad Haddin
Mitchell Johnson
Ryan Harris
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon

Reserve Batsmen:

Philip Hughes (based on SS form)
Chris Lynn?
George Bailey?

I'm thinking Faulkner is a certainty but they might go for enough bits and pieces allrounder like they seem to like on overseas tours. Then again, they didn't in the only tour under Lehmann.

James Faulkner
Moises Henriques?

Three reserve paceman will probably be enough for the three test series. I assume they'll stick with the same logic they have thus far which seems to be sound. Alot of people will be calling for the inclusion of Sayers but IMO needs a good Australia A tour or one more ripper Shield season just like Bird did.

James Pattinson
Jackson Bird
Nathan Coutler-Nile/Doug Bollinger/Ben Hilfenhaus?

 

[uvelocity]

probably all of that, but id put hughes at 6 and have d00lander in the sheds. north surely warrants selection as a reserve and im always in favour of a reserve keeper.

wouldnt shock me for rhino to retire after this test either

 

[brockley]

2nd spinner Boyce?

 

[uvelocity]

defo dont need a second spinner

 

[Riggins]

but then who would bowl spin when we drop nath?

 

[uvelocity]

who's going well in melbs grade?

 

[brockley]

Tom Stray?

 

[Burgey]

How big is the tour squad? Is it big enough to carry two reserve batsmen? If it is, I wonder if they might take a young bloke as second in line, like Horsehead or Silk.

 

[Crazy Sam]

It's hard to know which pace bowlers will go with Bird, Pattinson coming back from injury recently. Both have hit the mark in T20 and I'd have both over Coulter-Nile any day. Not sure how much Shield cricket there is before the team departs though, I think perhaps none which could work against Bird and Pattinson??

Current top 5 batsmen will remain in place even though their first innings collapses are a worry. They'll take Faulkner plus two more batsmen imo. Doolan probably one, not sure on the other.

Haddin clearly as wicketkeeper. Not sure who they consider to be the reserve keeper at the moment.

 

[uvelocity]

How big is the tour squad? Is it big enough to carry two reserve batsmen? If it is, I wonder if they might take a young bloke as second in line, like Horsehead or Silk.

probably. which will mean someone will go over there and wander around instead of playing shield

 

[TimAngas]

It's hard to know which pace bowlers will go with Bird, Pattinson coming back from injury recently. Both have hit the mark in T20 and I'd have both over Coulter-Nile any day. Not sure how much Shield cricket there is before the team departs though, I think perhaps none which could work against Bird and Pattinson??

Apparently Starc is already back bowling in the nets and if he's ready to go, I wouldn't be suprised to see the trio of Pattinson, Bird and Starc being the only reserve quicks. It'd be interesting to see how Starc goes in SA conditions if he gets a game with the bounce/movement.

Current top 5 batsmen will remain in place even though their first innings collapses are a worry. They'll take Faulkner plus two more batsmen imo. Doolan probably one, not sure on the other.

Haddin clearly as wicketkeeper. Not sure who they consider to be the reserve keeper at the moment.

I have a inkling that the selectors still will be Wade over Nevil even if they've been in about equal SS form and Nevill is the better keeper. Ever since Wade was called up to keep in the West Indies I think he's been earmarked as the long term solution. I think people make out Wade's time in the test side as worse than it actually was. Until India his batting was fine and if he can iron out the problems in his keeping he'll be fine IMO.

 

[Garson007]

I'm honestly scared for our top order.

 

[NUFAN]

I'm wondering who is going to replace Kallis. You could legitimately see a new batsman, wicket keeper, all rounder or bowler come in for him. Any option be it a Elgar, De Kock, McLaren, or Abbott type is obviously going to make the side a fair bit weaker.

 

[rza]

Philander must be licking his lips.

 

[social]

I'm wondering who is going to replace Kallis. You could legitimately see a new batsman, wicket keeper, all rounder or bowler come in for him. Any option be it a Elgar, De Kock, McLaren, or Abbott type is obviously going to make the side a fair bit weaker.

SA "experts" seem to be convinced that he will be replaced by De Kock with ABDV handing over the gloves and moving to 4

This would be consistent with the Saffers extremely conservative attitude but leave them a bowler "short"

Will be interesting to see how the protected Philander and rubbish RP go without having Kallis to pick up the slack on a good batting pitch

 

[morgieb]

If I were South Africa I'd just not pick a spinner in home conditions.

Philander is still very good, I don't think Kallis retiring will hurt his bowling much.

 

[Jassy]

It'll be interesting to see what kind of wickets they give us. I very much doubt South Africa will have the gall to give us a green track. It'll make for a very interesting series. Warner's the X factor IMO. Otherwise the teams are pretty similar - good pace bowling attack, Australia have a better spinner(wow, feels good to say that) and a fair few shaky batsmen - Bailey/Number 6 and Watson for Australia and Peterson/Duminy for South Africa. If Warner comes off SA will be really sweating to keep up; if he doesn't they're definitely a better batting side although it must be said their batting isn't what it was with the great man gone.

 

[DDP]

If I were South Africa I'd just not pick a spinner in home conditions.

Philander is still very good, I don't think Kallis retiring will hurt his bowling much.

Yeah I'd go with this - tell Duminy to be prepared to send down a fair share though

 

[NUFAN]

SA "experts" seem to be convinced that he will be replaced by De Kock with ABDV handing over the gloves and moving to 4

This would be consistent with the Saffers extremely conservative attitude but leave them a bowler "short"

Will be interesting to see how the protected Philander and rubbish RP go without having Kallis to pick up the slack on a good batting pitch

Interesting. Being a bowler short could cause SA some problems, especially if the spinner gets targeted. Kallis would often come on to bowl ridiculously early so bowling the opening quicks when they don't want to, or normally bowl could be good for us. In saying that, I'm sure many of the lads on here are keen for de Kock.

 

[Energetic]

Hopefully the pitches will be very sporting so we can see an exciting contest from both teams. I think it will be 2-1 to either side. Clarke has a fantastic record against SA so expecting him to perform and Harris and Johnson no doubt along with SA Philander and Steyn will be the best bowlers. I wonder if De Kock will make his test debut? not a fan of De Villiers keeping.