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

[Spikey]

Spikey that should be a YouTube link to Steve Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY9gniaSz7A

 

[vcs]

Was at a cousin's marriage desperately refreshing cricinfo following that match and India vs. England Mumbai simultaneously.

 

[Furball]

I just meant last ten years not since 2010, but either way AB completely changed his game for the team like a boss, something all these other ****s couldn't do.

A yesr later he then took on Mitch in full flight despite the whole England team shitting their pants at him, and he did it on saffer pitches.

And you ****s call him overrated.

I call him over-rated as a Test player because I think a lot of how he gets rated is down to his exploits in pyjamas.

Ftr I think he's a marvellous player, but I don't think he's had as many great Test innings or really set the tone of a game the way Smith or Amla have at times in their careers.

 

[Tec15]

This has been a quality knock from Usman. Obviously survived the early scare but he looked largely untroubled in difficult conditions.

Well, except for that dropped catch of course.

 

[Spikey]

Or nevill.

Or Lyon.

Or anyone you like really they all suck.

hang on hang on i've never been high on lyon. that would be like someone saying you're a current fan of the wwe product

 

[NUFAN]

Well, except for that dropped catch of course.

Wow. I didn't even see or know about the chance. Not sure how I missed it.

 

[CapeTown Guy]

I call him over-rated as a Test player because I think a lot of how he gets rated is down to his exploits in pyjamas.

Ftr I think he's a marvellous player, but I don't think he's had as many great Test innings or really set the tone of a game the way Smith or Amla have at times in their careers.

Well, its hard for someone who has batted the majority of his time at 5 or 6 to set the tone for the match as often as an opener or the number 3, wouldn't you agree?

Here for example, I would say a young AB did plenty to 'set the tone' when batting up the order: 5th Test: South Africa v England at Centurion, Jan 21-25, 2005 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Daemon]

He hit a ton in the 400+ chase at Perth as well. Smith set the tone but without that knock from AB they wouldn't have won either.

 

[Howe_zat]

"Not impossible to overcome the home advantage" was a good point, but the rest of the post was sorta asking the other teams to just..play better?

Unless you felt that teams went in with that mental block, which I'd argue they didn't and it was the fans who think that way.

yeah, I was talking about the fans.

 

[Jono]

He hit a ton in the 400+ chase at Perth as well. Smith set the tone but without that knock from AB they wouldn't have won either.

indeed. he also did this ffs

1st Test: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 18-22, 2013 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Red Wingz]

Saffers were 4 down in Adelaide at the end of day 4 right?

But Aus don't have an AB and faf, who played two of the greatest innings of the last decade.

In the start of d year also AB pulls out something like that in india but couldn't have the support

His ablity to change the style according to the situations is inexplicable

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

so abdv is completely out of the series or he is returning at some point

 

[SeamUp]

so abdv is completely out of the series or he is returning at some point

Heard him say he will try make it for the 3rd test because he believes that recuperation to him doesn't take as long. But that was about a month ago he said that.

Latest talk is, he will be playing in our T20 series starting soon. Not sure if he is going to try use that to prove his fitness for Australia or for Sri Lanka.

 

[Stefan9]

so abdv is completely out of the series or he is returning at some point

He was ruled out but he claims to be trying to make the pink ball test.

 

[Daemon]

indeed. he also did this ffs

1st Test: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 18-22, 2013 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

I was having the perfect evening until you reminded me of this

 

[Black_Warrior]

Australia are about to lose a Test to a AB-less, Steyn-less, 10 man South Africa side featuring a debutant spinner, by atleast 150+ runs, at Perth, after having been 158/0 in response to 242 a/o in the first innings.

Lolstralia

Nohit
Lolhi
Burgeypoo

And now Lolstralia? Mate this is a new low even for you

 

[indiaholic]

Nothing wrong with Nohit.

 

[Tec15]

Well, its hard for someone who has batted the majority of his time at 5 or 6 to set the tone for the match as often as an opener or the number 3, wouldn't you agree?

Here for example, I would say a young AB did plenty to 'set the tone' when batting up the order: 5th Test: South Africa v England at Centurion, Jan 21-25, 2005 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Forget it. No point arguing. AB is just a hack compared to players of the brilliance of Ballance, Bell, Trott, Robson, Lyth, Hales, Vince, Compton, Buttler etc.

 

[Black_Warrior]

In many ways it shows how the touring sides in Australia were last year should have played.

It's not impossible to overcome the home advantage, you put in the performance and you win. What we got from WI and NZ last year was bugger all in that department.

I was going to wait for the end of the match to bring up this conversation but Howe beat me to it.

New Zealand were an excellent test side from 2013-2015 (until the Australia series) where it all fell apart and they got spanked at home too by the same side. So was it just NZ and WI being crap rather than Australia being unbeatable home beasts?

I've been in two minds myself...India really should have won at least 1 game in 2014 and if they had even a half decent bowling attack, who knows what the scoreline would have been but Australia did fail to take 20 wickets even with Johnson and Starc a few times in that series.
Then came the 2015 series where they destroyed everyone. Then Day 1 of this test match and I'm thinking 'here we go..I know how this ends'


It's still early days, and you never know with test cricket...I certainly can see them coming back in the series but I guess a we will have a better understanding of where Australia is as a home test side by the end of the summer.

Faf has been excellent... I wonder what it does for AB sitting at home hearing that...

Yes absolutely. I know we had this conversation earlier and I was reluctant after the New Zealand series but his captaincy and bowling changes have been excellent in this series and hats off to Clarke for pointing that out. This is the sort of commentary that I enjoy..where I am told what someone is doing right, why that is right, why it's working. It helps me understand the game rather than dicks just sitting and bashing everyone to feel superior.

 

[Daemon]

Forget it. No point arguing. AB is just a hack compared to players of the brilliance of Ballance, Bell, Trott, Robson, Lyth, Hales, Vince, Compton, Buttler etc.

Furball was comparing him to Smith and Amla. Who are you arguing against?