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

[Burgey]

Went to bed last night, thought I would get up for 2nd session..... apparently Aus decided that they had other things to do today, than play cricket.

Well done SA. Now to find some highlights.

Just watch the whole session.

 

[Burgey]

Should also give massive credit to SA for a great series win. None of my posts lamenting Australia's efforts should be taken as detracting from a sensational effort on the part of the visitors.

 

[Tangles]

No one is the next Border, because you'll see another ten Lara's and Tendulkar's before you see another Border. Having said that, he got the gig simply because he was the best player and there was no one else. He didn't want it and it took him a few years to become a good captain.

What he did do better than anyone was grind out runs and lead by example. Smith can do that too. He's good enough.

I started watching in 88 so I only remember the Grumpy Border. Some of his runs were scored through sheer force of will and that was inspirational. Wafg

 

[Starfighter]

As for Australia. I won't pretend to have a great understanding of what's going on there, or their domestic scene. But there obviously needs to be changes. Batting wise, Warner, Smith and Khawaja need to be built around and supported. As to who comes in, I have no idea. But surely there's more to chose from than Fergs, Nevill and Voges, who I know has been impressive up until this series, but at 35, is just a gap filler. Surely there are some young guys scoring runs? Or have shown enough potential to be chosen? While test cricket is a different ball game, and the pressure can certainly wreck a young player, what you're doing now isn't working either.

Bowling wise, I think you're pretty OK for the most part. Starc and Hazelwood the obvious performers, and from what I saw from Mennie, before the Starc spell, he looked pretty impressive for mine. What happened to Cummins (injury?) and Bird? Lyon hasn't had a great series so far, but there hasn't been a ton on offer for him. Who are your back-up spinners btw? I literally have no idea. Boyce? O'Keefe still about?

There's a few guys averaging 40+ hanging around, like Kurtis Patterson, and he's only 23. The main problem is the selectors picking fossils like Voges (who's 37 btw) and not backing any youngsters.
Cummins has just come back from injury and is playing in the shield this year, Pattinson's expected to return soon, while Bird wasn't picked picked because he doesn't score many runs from 11.
Mennie bowled decently and beat the bat plenty of times but doesn't seem to have the zip for international cricket. As someone pointed out Abbott bowls only a little faster but he gets much more out of the surface. Bird should really have been playing on his home ground instead of Mennie.
As for spin Lyon hasn't had anything to bowl against but he's regressed since last summer, especially in control, and Smith seems to set fields designed to leak runs to him.
O'Keefe's the main back up spinner, and should really be playing. He continues to clean up domestically and now averages 23.5.
Boyce really isn't in the frame for tests, Some people advocate Zampa, but he averages about 50 domestically. Being a leg spinner does not a good bowler make.

 

[Black_Warrior]

I know Faf is getting major points for his captaincy deservedly and that means we have stopped talking about Faf the batsman. So when AB comes back, and Faf's lack of runs, and the quota system, I wonder how that would play out.

Faf the batsman has been disappointing though. He's been playing for 4 years now and still has under 2K test runs.

 

[Prince EWS]

I know Faf is getting major points for his captaincy deservedly and that means we have stopped talking about Faf the batsman. So when AB comes back, and Faf's lack of runs, and the quota system, I wonder how that would play out.

Faf the batsman has been disappointing though. He's been playing for 4 years now and still has under 2K test runs.

I'm thinking de Villiers will probably replace Cook, with Faf or Bavuma pushed up to open.

 

[viriya]

Damn what a destruction.

 

[smash84]

don't worry Aussies, Pak is on the way. We certainly know a thing or two to get out of form teams back in form

 

[Black_Warrior]

Yeah that's is likely what will happen but I wonder how much time Faf will get as a batsman especially if AB comes back as captain. His dismissal in this test was pretty disappointing and he has 1 century from 2015 onwards.

 

[adub]

Should also give massive credit to SA for a great series win. None of my posts lamenting Australia's efforts should be taken as detracting from a sensational effort on the part of the visitors.

**** yeah. Just a stunning team performance. Cook aside (and maybe Faf's batting) it's been a complete performance. And to think they lost Steyn early in the first test and it looked like Vern might follow early in this one. Even their debutante spinner has done his share. Can only imagine the paddlin we'd have copped if ABdV was in country and that's despite our opening bowlers being between solid and outstanding. We've been shown up by a better side.

 

[Johnners]

Waited so long for a C Ferg debut, devastated it turned out like this

 

[viriya]

Mennie = Many runs?

 

[sonnench]

There's a few guys averaging 40+ hanging around, like Kurtis Patterson, and he's only 23. The main problem is the selectors picking fossils like Voges (who's 37 btw) and not backing any youngsters.
Cummins has just come back from injury and is playing in the shield this year, Pattinson's expected to return soon, while Bird wasn't picked picked because he doesn't score many runs from 11.
Mennie bowled decently and beat the bat plenty of times but doesn't seem to have the zip for international cricket. As someone pointed out Abbott bowls only a little faster but he gets much more out of the surface. Bird should really have been playing on his home ground instead of Mennie.
As for spin Lyon hasn't had anything to bowl against but he's regressed since last summer, especially in control, and Smith seems to set fields designed to leak runs to him.
O'Keefe's the main back up spinner, and should really be playing. He continues to clean up domestically and now averages 23.5.
Boyce really isn't in the frame for tests, Some people advocate Zampa, but he averages about 50 domestically. Being a leg spinner does not a good bowler make.

Was just having a look at the Sheffield Shield on Cricinfo, and who some of the performers have been. Patterson certainly was one of the few that jumped out. Young, good average, on form and reads well. It is sad, that even in such crises (can we call it that?), young players like him are overlooked.
Thought so about Cummins, and Patterson completely escaped me. Nevermind! Your bowling stocks are good enough!
Like seriously? Because he can't bat? If 11's were meant to bat, we wouldn't of been blessed enough to witness God himself, Chris Martin.
Yeah, O'Keefe was the other name that jumped out at me, that is a seriously impressive bowling average, especially in the Australian domestic scene. Condersing the next two spinners off the rank (Agar and Boyce I presume?) are averaging between 40 and 50 with the bowl.

Also, strictly for namesake, Marnus Labuschagne should be selected. I mean, that name, plus it's against his country of origin, THAT CATCH and he's kinda, sorta in form. But yeah, mostly namesake

 

[Daemon]

People used to complain about guys like Watson and North but they'd really be upgrades to this side

 

[Blocky]

People used to complain about guys like Watson and North but they'd really be upgrades to this side

Yeah, think about the North/Hodges/Bevan/Lehmann batsmen who spent years sitting on the sidelines never getting a sniff who Australia would love to have now.

 

[GotSpin]

Voges will be having nightmares of that dismissal for a long time

We need our test players to all be playing shield rounds. It gives them more solid time in the middle and it strengthens the competition itself

 

[viriya]

Which other team can lose their two best (arguably) players and then beat Australia by an innings comfortably?

 

[Tangles]

Yeah, think about the North/Hodges/Bevan/Lehmann batsmen who spent years sitting on the sidelines never getting a sniff who Australia would love to have now.

Martin Love, Stuart Law. The list goes on.

 

[Starfighter]

Was just having a look at the Sheffield Shield on Cricinfo, and who some of the performers have been. Patterson certainly was one of the few that jumped out. Young, good average, on form and reads well. It is sad, that even in such crises (can we call it that?), young players like him are overlooked.
Thought so about Cummins, and Patterson completely escaped me. Nevermind! Your bowling stocks are good enough!

It's really just a matter of trying a guy. But the selectors go for 'experience' because it's 'safe'.
The bowling's great except they're always injured. Starc getting some better control and not bowling long hops all the time would make it even better.

Like seriously? Because he can't bat? If 11's were meant to bat, we wouldn't of been blessed enough to witness God himself, Chris Martin.

Read all about it. Mennie was top wicket taker in the shield but Bird had a better average and was off playing tests. But Mennie's wickets don't even seem to have been why he was picked!
Bird's a close to the stumps away swing bowler - a bit like a cross between Philander and Abbott - and quicker than both - and would have been quite useful. I wonder if the selectors think Mennie's 10 and 0 justified his selection.

Yeah, O'Keefe was the other name that jumped out at me, that is a seriously impressive bowling average, especially in the Australian domestic scene. Condersing the next two spinners off the rank (Agar and Boyce I presume?) are averaging between 40 and 50 with the bowl.

Jon Holland averages 39 and played in Sri Lanka after O'Keefe was injured. Didn't do much though. After O'Keefe and Lyon it's just taking a punt.

Also, strictly for namesake, Marnus Labuschagne should be selected. I mean, that name, plus it's against his country of origin, THAT CATCH and he's kinda, sorta in form. But yeah, mostly namesake

The thought of the C9 commentators tripping over his name...

 

[indiaholic]

Which other team can lose their two best (arguably) players and then beat Australia by an innings comfortably?

Wouldn't have expected South Africa to do it tbh.