***Official*** South Africa in New Zealand 2017

[vandem]

Must be frustrating for BJ. You settle in for a long innings, but after 6th batsman goes the "all-rounders" and bowlers can't be bothered trying to stay in for you.

 

[Zinzan]

South Africa should be able to claim the last 30 mins tonight assuming they need 80 runs from 19 overs... might as well open with de Kock.

 

[vandem]

Deserved wicket for Rabada. Bowled an excellent short ball spell earlier to Raval, was excellent test cricket to watch.

 

[Daemon]

Man that de Kock-Bavuma partnership just sucked everything out of NZ.

 

[Grasshopper]

Southee demonstrates yet again that he has absolutely no interest in batting for his partner or his side. He doesn't deserve to bat any higher than number eleven, in my opinion.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Home ground is EPOO. Where you need to be a wrist spinner to get a little spin. And VERY short boundaries.

yeah I know, just highlights the massive gap in quality

 

[Zinzan]

Too many hit and miss whackjobs in this batting lineup. KW couldn't have picked a worse test to..erm have his worst test.

KW needs to work in the nets on not playing those wide ones he doesn't need to so early in his innings. He's looked likely to be dismissed that way in the last couple of innings. I'd call it today.

Anyway, she's all over now. SA should have time to smash the runs tonight.

 

[Moss]

Must be frustrating for BJ. You settle in for a long innings, but after 6th batsman goes the "all-rounders" and bowlers can't be bothered trying to stay in for you.

Kind of been a recurring theme since his century at Leeds.

EDIT: Worth restoring Mark Craig to the lineup just for those lower order runs?

 

[Zinzan]

Southee demonstrates yet again that he has absolutely no interest in batting for his partner or his side. He doesn't deserve to bat any higher than number eleven, in my opinion.

Nothing we don't expect from the world's softest Test cricketer, my expectations of his batting is zero... If he slogs a quick 20 that's a bonus as far as I'm concerned.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

time to go watch BOP reserves finals, more quality there

 

[OverratedSanity]

Haha Maharaj has never looked really impressive to me every time I've watched him bowl but he invariably ends up with very good figures.

 

[Bahnz]

Newsflash, it's very rare a batsman scores a chanceless Test 80 against an attack of this quality.

Btw, I see he averages 40 in Tests after that knock, the 64K question is can he achieve a higher batting average than Jeet's bowling one of 48.... I doubt he'll get it quite that high.

Also, just a reminder we're 160/8 against arguably the best attack in the world and you're highlighting the chancey-ness of the innings from the chap who scored 80.

The poor performances of the rest of the batsmen is irrelevant when you're considering how Raval played and looked. And at no stage did he look anywhere as comfy as Nicholls or Watling have in this March. And as for chanceless 80's being a rare thing, I can say that surviving three straightforward chances is rarer still. But I'm obviously just one of Kippax's hired thugs who's got an axe to grind against Auckland scum, so of course I'd say that.

 

[Zinzan]

But I'm obviously just one of Kippax's hired thugs who's got an axe to grind against Auckland scum, so of course I'd say that.

Ok I hadn't realised you're good mates....he seemed to disappear from here in conjunction with Raval's call up and subsequent success, hope he's ok.

 

[Grasshopper]

Nothing we don't expect from the world's softest Test cricketer, my expectations of his batting is zero... If he slogs a quick 20 that's a bonus as far as I'm concerned.

His attitude is very disappointing. Needs a damn good kick in the arse.

 

[Immenso]

Man that de Kock-Bavuma partnership just sucked everything out of NZ.

Nah. SAF were keystone copping it up until then, keeping it close.

It's actually been a pretty poor series IMO.

SAF should be miles ahead of where NZs muddled current state is.

 

[Moss]

The poor performances of the rest of the batsmen is irrelevant when you're considering how Raval played and looked. And at no stage did he look anywhere as comfy as Nicholls or Watling have in this March. And as for chanceless 80's being a rare thing, I can say that surviving three straightforward chances is rarer still. But I'm obviously just one of Kippax's hired thugs who's got an axe to grind against Auckland scum, so of course I'd say that.

That's harsh. As a point of comparison Latham scored a vital 80-odd at Leeds and similarly was all at sea against Moeen Ali if remember right, and that was extremely chancy too. I don't think anyone here was prepared to write him off based on that,

 

[Athlai]

Dunno why people bash Kippax about Raval when I bashed him far more and still post. Kippax never posts much in tour threads.

 

[straw man]

Listened to the collapse on the radio and now saw the replays, what a debacle. Just so poor to lose all those wickets to spin this match.

Disappointing that Watling has to get out slogging again when nine down. Wagner should have been sent in at 9 to hold up an end, as Southee won't do it and Patel isn't as capable.

 

[StephenZA]

Maharaj with 6? Did he bowl well, did the wicket start spinning drastically?.... happy for him though

Maharaj is such a gun. Along with Harmer and Piedt SA are doing pretty well with their spin stocks for once.

Harmer has gone kolpak unfortunately....

 

[Zinzan]

Dunno why people bash Kippax about Raval when I bashed him far more and still post. Kippax never posts much in tour threads.

Lol we just bashed you as well...do you want more?