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

[Victor Ian]

Rubbish. The wallabies still sledge and trash talk and haven't been a winning side for 15 years. It is nothing to do with winning percentages; instead it is due to convict DNA.

You have to allow time for a whole generation or more to grow up mediocre before it will take hold.

Perhaps New Zealand's rugby dominance is due to their tradition of starting every game with the greatest trash talk ever. It even has a dance!

If it is all about DNA, there is not much we can do about it. Time to move on. Surprised Warner did not pursue the DNA defence.

 

[SeamUp]

Back to the cricket gents

Still your slow St Georges pitch but there is more grass than at Kingsmead.

Makes the new ball important plus brings in Philander who was nullified a bit in Durban.

 

[stephen]

lol what a wah, especially the bolded. obviously a massive sore point.

Not really. If a celebrity says something that can be even slightly misinterpreted as being racist, ***ist or homophobic the entire internet blows up to condemn them.

It's like we've shed one form of puritanism for another.

 

[Bolo]

I think the point is everyone has a different line, which is why umpires should be allowed to send off any odious moron like Warner every time he opens his mouth. Make his team play the rest of the match with 10 men and fine him all his match fee. Australian cricket players seem to feel there is some mythical line of good taste they define. The common thread when cricket descends to this level is Australia and normally Warner. There can't be many neutrals not backing South Africa for the rest of the series.

Everyone has a different line. There isn't a correct way to draw it in the middle- either banning it all or allowing it all are the only complete solutions, but I'm not sure most people want either of these.

I like the idea of the on field umpire taking a little control. If the rules remain a little grey, give a warning and stop incidents escalating if players are running their mouths too much. They effectively get in match demerit points and close your mouth completely for the rest of the game or get banned.

One clear line here for me is between sledging and the attempt to get physical. I'm not sure the dressing room counts as this, but if your teammates feel the need to restrain you, it's no longer sledging.

 

[max147]

Just looked it up, she's a far superior female in every aspect. Still a bit sad there's kids involved.

Apparently his new girl used to date Mitch Marsh too lol

So your definition of a superior female is someone that looks hotter? I hope you hook up with a real glamour that makes your life hell...

 

[Bolo]

As I said What do you disagree with?

You keep bringing up a whole lot of irrelevant and long-winded points. I was never trying to use statistics to prove my point. I brought up those statistics to counter the statistics (which were also obviously not statistically significant) that you were referring to as supporting your point. Which they actually didn't.

I'm disagreeing with the assertion that stats can be used to refute the fact that Starc is mediocre when the ball is not swinging, and with the use of a poor statistical sample in the attempt to do so.

I'm commenting on the interpretation of a set of statistics used by someone else- it's not my dataset and I would not have picked it. I don't even think it is necessary to go to stats at all. It is certainly not statistically significant, but remember that when stats are weakly indicative, we must rely on interpretation to a greater degree- see the 1st two paragraphs of my last post.

 

[SeamUp]

PE geting ready for the test

 

[StephenZA]

No rain at my house... coming down in buckets at the varsity. But is now clearing, expect a bit of moisture on the pitch. Winds not up yet and a touch of humidity. Can actually expect it is going to be one of those do you want to bowl or not 50/50 decision this morning?

 

[SeamUp]

Not too unhappy with that. Obviously got to make use of the fresh grass.

But most times you bat first.

 

[SeamUp]

One change.

Lungi in.

 

[Bolo]

One change.

Lungi in.

Feels a bit mean spirited to drop Morkel, but it's the correct call.

 

[Stefan9]

We have a test series to win. No room for sentiment. He was dire the last game.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Brave and correct move to drop Morkel; didn’t do anything when match was up for grabs and late wickets flattered him.

 

[Top_Cat]

Love the message picking Ngidi sends. Unusually bold for the Saffers.

 

[SeamUp]

It's there for Vern.

 

[morgieb]

Jeez I hope we haven't done goofed by batting first. This looks perfect for Philander.

 

[StephenZA]

Progressive choice in Ngidi..... really like that. So, so tough and heart breaking on Morkel.


If Ngidi does well what about Steyn next match?

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I see SBW will be in Cape Town next weekend, but the 3rd test doesn't start until the 23rd

 

[S.Kennedy]

I know it is early but piss poor crowd again!

 

[GRAB]

I suspect it's my imagination, but it feels like SA beat the bat far more without getting wickets than anyone else?