***Official*** Australia in South Africa 2018

[Stefan9]

I may be way off base here, but would you say racial issues are having an influence on any decline, perceived or real? With quotas and so many players leaving for Kolpak jobs or just giving up because they feel discriminated against? Or because they're just being realistic. Sort of like a slower, more protracted version of the exodus suffered by Zimbabwe back in the early 2000s. We saw signs of it over a decade ago with KP.

Or are people just less interested in cricket

Not sure you can blame it entirely on quotas. The only batsmen that were lost is rossouw and van Zyl, not sure either would make a major difference.

The problem at the moment is at the franchise level. Some mediocre players blocking more talented youngsters so they develop later.

Markram is the big hope for me but he is having to learn on the job as he only had one full season of franchise cricket. He will be fine long term.

 

[vcs]

P enis?

Too much pressure to perform

 

[SeamUp]

Not sure you can blame it entirely on quotas. The only batsmen that were lost is rossouw and van Zyl, not sure either would make a major difference.

The problem at the moment is at the franchise level. Some mediocre players blocking more talented youngsters so they develop later.

Markram is the big hope for me but he is having to learn on the job as he only had one full season of franchise cricket. He will be fine long term.

At the surface of things I agree with this.

Lower down at school, junior provincial and up I do wonder if we have the same level of coaching too.

If we talking emigration then there is no doubt loads of South African'shave left the country too for UK, Aus, NZl, USA, Canada.

I suppose cricket is a sport where assurances are small. Other career paths are looked at more.

CSA and the government have their role to play to get more communities involved. Tough to quantify this.

 

[SeamUp]

During the lunch break they've been showing that Durban test match win by SA against the great Australian side. We were basically 5-0 down. Hansie gate had happened and we had lost captain Pollock and Donald to injuries.

I remember feeling SA should have won the 2nd test going into this one

3rd Test, Australia tour of South Africa at Durban, Mar 15-18 2002 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

 

[harsh.ag]

Don't know why but it always feels bad when Oz beat SA.

 

[TheJediBrah]

It was very polite of Australia to let SA win the last dead rubber of both the Test and ODI series that tour

 

[TheJediBrah]

Plumb surely

and that would be me going to bed. Not staying up to watch the Marsh brothers bat

 

[Top_Cat]

Nicked it?

 

[Spark]

Geez I thought that was stone dead

 

[TheJediBrah]

OMG how is that Umpire's call?

That was right in line with off stump

that was ****ing plumb

Smith is the best in the world but FMD he has been kissed on the dick since 2014

 

[SeamUp]

That is as plumb as you get.

Its done the back pad but it hit the front pad first.

 

[Top_Cat]

Annoying.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Haha, Graeme Smith really cracking the sads over that decision.

 

[harsh.ag]

Umpire's call haha. What a load of crock. Lucky gun Smith.

 

[morgieb]

Looks like HawkEye done goofed, definitely front pad first.

 

[Gob]

Just dance down and whack this filth like you'd have done 3 years ago Smitteh

 

[TheJediBrah]

That's discount Hawk-eye at work

 

[quincywagstaff]

That DRS could make a huge difference in the match as to whether SA lose by 200 or 350 runs.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Anyway guess I'm staying up to watch for a bit longer

 

[Stefan9]

Ravi been terrible today. Missed kwawaja punching the ball and no this lbw.