***Official*** Australia in South Africa + South Africa in Australia 2016/17

[SeamUp]

Some cracking footage of Kepler Christoffel Wessels there.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Collapse imminent?

Nah the crab and the kock will make a big partnership

 

[kykweer.proteas]

If we can do that it would be great.... would like to get close to 500, bat Aus out of the game. But long way to go still.

Id like to keep Starc in the field as long as possible, Aus might be a bowler short in the next game in this heat.

 

[SeamUp]

Id like to keep Starc in the field as long as possible, Aus might be a bowler short in the next game in this heat.

That.

And I think we have to be slightly defensive without Steyn.

We just don't know if the wicket will assist us with spin because we going to need JP to bowl here. 5 left-handers in batting line-up.

Because new ball and reverse-swing will be huge for seamers but they can't bowl long spells at all so will have to be managed well.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

faf's departure is imminent

 

[kykweer.proteas]

Geez ball of the day first up?

 

[StephenZA]

Nice to see that now.....

 

[kykweer.proteas]

That.

And I think we have to be slightly defensive without Steyn.

We just don't know if the wicket will assist us with spin because we going to need JP to bowl here. 5 left-handers in batting line-up.

Because new ball and reverse-swing will be huge for seamers but they can't bowl long spells at all so will have to be managed well.

Its a tough one, we dont want to leave ourselves with 150 overs to bowl australia out with only 2 seamers. 100 overs would be tough to stay in the field.

Will be quite a challenge for Faf to make a decision.

 

[kykweer.proteas]

SeamUp heard the nick from Cape Town. Wasn't a desperate review tbf

Siddke didnt look convinced and he was the bowler.

 

[NUFAN]

Its a tough one, we dont want to leave ourselves with 150 overs to bowl australia out with only 2 seamers. 100 overs would be tough to stay in the field.

Will be quite a challenge for Faf to make a decision.

I don't think a team generally deserves to win if they can't bowl out a team inside 150 overs on day 4/5.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah I think I'm gonna do something else while Faf and Elgar are batting, whatever happens it ain't gonna be pretty

 

[Spikey]

you might miss warner barking at him though

 

[Daemon]

It's kinda harsh that the only bowlers SA can use to cover up for Steyn have just batted for 3 sessions and one is still going. Australia have a solid chance of taking revenge for Adelaide here and just shutting up shop.

By solid I mean 3% ftr.

 

[wpdavid]

That.

And I think we have to be slightly defensive without Steyn.

We just don't know if the wicket will assist us with spin because we going to need JP to bowl here. 5 left-handers in batting line-up.

Because new ball and reverse-swing will be huge for seamers but they can't bowl long spells at all so will have to be managed well.

Talking of spin, where's the lad who bowled so well against England? Piedt maybe?

 

[SeamUp]

Talking of spin, where's the lad who bowled so well against England? Piedt maybe?

First time in a long-time we got serious competition between our spinners and all mid 20s.

I think their ability is all close (likes of Harmer, Piedt, Maharaj, Shamsi).

The selectors went with the one in form right now in Maharaj and the fact that SLA seem to have a better record in Australia.

Piedt may have felt hard done by but you can't knock their decision and right now I don't think Piedt is at the peak of his powers playing for Cobras (at the moment he is leaking too many runs so will need 3-4-5 wickets to justify it)

 

[StephenZA]

First time in a long-time we got serious competition between our spinners and all mid 20s.

I think their ability is all close (likes of Harmer, Piedt, Maharaj, Shamsi).

The selectors went with the one in form right now in Maharaj and the fact that SLA seem to have a better record in Australia.

Piedt may have felt hard done by but you can't knock their decision and right now I don't think Piedt is at the peak of his powers playing for Cobras (at the moment he is leaking too many runs so will need 3-4-5 wickets to justify it)

Piedt gone totally of the boil...

 

[SeamUp]

Piedt gone totally of the boil...

Very much so.

Did this interview with SA Cricket Mag the other day.

Dane Piedt is shocked at his exclusion from the Test squad, as he looks to work his way back to form with his struggling Cobras side.

The off-spinner was dealt a heavy blow when selectors decided to select Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi for the Test squad to take on Australia Down Under at his expense.

Contrast to Piedt’s expensive bowling figures for the Cobras this season, Maharaj’s recent form with the ball, and even the bat, has been impressive. The Dolphins left-arm orthodox bowler managed to take his best match figures of 13-157 and score 72 in his side’s first Sunfoil Series clash against the Warriors.

Shamsi boasted a consistent conversion rate for SA A in the Quadrangular One-day series in August, taking wickets regularly while keeping runs against him at a minimum. He performed well for the ODI side who whitewashed Australia, taking 3-36 in SA’s fourth victory, including the wicket of Australia captain Steve Smith.

Piedt might well consider himself a tad unfortunate not to have made the cut due to his involvement with the national side in recent years. The 26-year-old first received his national call-up in 2014 after a successful 2013-14 Sunfoil Series campaign, where he topped the bowling standings with 45 wickets. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe the following season, taking an impressive eight wickets.

The Proteas spinner took a wicket in each innings in his last Test match against New Zealand this year. He didn’t let himself down, but due to the performances of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, he was used sparingly. With a record of 24 wickets in seven matches at an average of 36.04, he believes his performances did not merit exclusion.

Talking exclusively to SAcricketmag.com, Piedt is honest in showing his astonishment at being left out of the squad.

‘It came as a big surprise to me,’ he says. ‘I never expected to be excluded from the squad as I thought my performances had been good when I have played.

‘I can’t control what selectors decide and I have no regrets on my national performances. All I can do now is work hard and continue to perform domestically for the Cobras.’

Unfortunately for him, the Cobras’ recent form has been sub-par. The Cape-based side is chained to the bottom of the Sunfoil Series log and the only winless team in this season’s campaign. Piedt will have to stand out in a low-morale side if he aims to prove the national selectors wrong.

‘Our problem is that we haven’t clicked yet and we need to find a way to get connected and come together as a team,’ he says.

‘We have some young additions to the squad but that just means senior players have to put their hands up and perform.’

Piedt’s Test exclusion might have come as an even bigger blow considering his regular involvement in the recent SA A tour of Australia A, where he took three wickets in the pink-ball Test in August. He was the frontline spinner for the side, with all signs pointing towards him as the man to lead the line for the upcoming Test series.

SA A were thoroughly outplayed on that tour, despite boasting a number of players in the current Test side, including Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell. Piedt isn’t a fan of the pink ball and believes it’s going to be tough for the bowlers to adjust to it, come the third test in Adelaide on November 28.

‘I’m not really a fan of the pink ball; it’s really soft,’ he admits. ‘I played with it a bit in Australia for SA A, and they had to make the pitch greener so that the ball doesn’t receive as much damage.

‘It’s the way forward so I guess we have to conform and jump on the bandwagon, but I’m not a fan of it.’

- See more at: 'Exclusion surprised me'

 

[Adders]

FMD, I can't put up with KP crapping on and bigging up SA like this for the whole series. **** has got 3 lions tattooed on his arm for **** sakes and he's speaking like he's the Don of SA.

Jeez if it's annoying me it must really be pissing off the Saffers.

 

[Black_Warrior]

So guys

What's a good target?

I would opt for the higher side here.. still excellent conditions for batting, extremely fast outfield, 2 full days left and the pace at which Warner bats, he can get 150 all by himself before tea and with Steyn down, I would feel comfortable with 500 and totally bat out Australia. Anything below 450 and you give them a chance.

 

[vcs]

C'mon Faf, you're not trying to bat out a draw here...