***Official Australia in South Africa***

[mikeW]

Martyn looked very good in the second innings, it is a pitty they were chasing such a small total in that respect. He looked in control and played some very nice strokes.

he made 9, must have been one of the best 9's you've seen then

 

[Demolition Man]

he made 9, must have been one of the best 9's you've seen then

Given the conditions and the way in which Ntini was bowling and troubling the other batsmen, yeah it was one of the better 9's I have seen. I think he has turned the corner.

As I suspected quite some time ago ABD does not look to have the technique of a test player (yet). I am sure he will be back but I think Dippy will come in for him.

 

[DanielFullard]

Any team news yet for the next test? Surely SA will make some changes

 

[TT Boy]

Any team news yet for the next test? Surely SA will make some changes

Pollock back in for Hall or Boje and a reshuffling of the batting order will occur.

 

[DanielFullard]

Pollock back in for Hall or Boje and a reshuffling of the batting order will occur.

Not that its anything against Hall as I like him and rate him highly, but if I had to choose who to drop from those two Id have to say him

 

[TT Boy]

Not that its anything against Hall as I like him and rate him highly, but if I had to choose who to drop from those two Id have to say him

I would keep Hall batted well and was very unfortunate not get anymore wickets with the ball. Boje did get some wickets but the guy is no more than cannon fodder for Symonds, Hayden and co. Though it’s highly dependent on what sort of pitch will be prepared.

 

[Jono]

IMO You can't drop Hall. I reckon at the moment he's a better bowler than Boje, and is probably the better batsman too.

He played well enough in the 2nd test, and I reckon SA should just cut their losses and play a bowling attack of Pollock, Ntini, Nel, Kallis, Hall. And then they can use Graeme Smith or Rudolph as the spinner to tie up and end and/or give the quicks a break, but with that number of bowlers you don't have to worry about them all tiring.

 

[howardj]

As much as I hate to say it, because I believe he'll be a very good player eventually, but De Villiers should not open in the next Test Match. As soon as the ball does something, his loose technique gets exposed. So either he drops down the list (and either Boucher, Prince or Rudolph make way) or, more likely, he just gets dropped for Dippenaar.

 

[Jono]

AB De Villiers' batting average sure has plummeted. From above 50 its fallen to 43.61 in 4 tests against Australia.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

IMO You can't drop Hall. I reckon at the moment he's a better bowler than Boje, and is probably the better batsman too.

He played well enough in the 2nd test, and I reckon SA should just cut their losses and play a bowling attack of Pollock, Ntini, Nel, Kallis, Hall. And then they can use Graeme Smith or Rudolph as the spinner to tie up and end and/or give the quicks a break, but with that number of bowlers you don't have to worry about them all tiring.

Boje did okay in the last test. Assuming Nel and Pollock are fit for the second test, the Hall/Boje call has to be made on the conditions. If there's some evidence of turn, pick Boje, otherwise go with the all-seam attack. I believe Durban is a fairly seamer friendly pitch, so the seam attack seems the most likely.

I think Australia will keep the same bowling attack, though I'm not overly keen on Kasper being in there.

 

[DanielFullard]

Boje did okay in the last test. Assuming Nel and Pollock are fit for the second test, the Hall/Boje call has to be made on the conditions. If there's some evidence of turn, pick Boje, otherwise go with the all-seam attack. I believe Durban is a fairly seamer friendly pitch, so the seam attack seems the most likely.

I think Australia will keep the same bowling attack, though I'm not overly keen on Kasper being in there.

I wish they would give Bracken a chance

 

[alternative]

I wish they would give Bracken a chance

yes, especially after his outstanding ODI performance.. he surely deserved a chance.. BUT kasper is doing the job.. so it should be ok for the aussies..

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

How ridiculous is Micky Arthur? First, in the leadup to the test, he talks up a seamers pitch to nullify Warne, backing his seamers to do the job and so on. Then on the first day he is upset at the pitch because it's too dry and might suit the spinners, and after the match he complains that the groundsman watered the pitch too much before the game and it "didn't play the way we wanted" and had too much moisture in it.

How exactly is it meant to play, then? The only way you can nullify Warne is to produce a greentop. If you produce a greentop, Kasprowicz, Clark and Lee will get assistance from it, as will Nel and Ntini, and it's basically a lottery. You can't have it both ways.

 

[howardj]

Regarding the ideal surface, they should have learnt from their tour of Australia. Perth, Melbourne and Sydney were all decent batting wickets, and South Africa put up a mighty fight. It was a pretty close contest. Play Australia on good wickets; hopefully bat first; and score 350+ in your first innings. Like in the Sydney Test, and Ashes 2005, it's probably your best chance of beating Australia.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Something up with the SA speedometers?

Kaspa sighted at 147.9km/h while I was watching...

 

[howardj]

Something up with the SA speedometers?

Kaspa sighted at 147.9km/h while I was watching...

As they say in NZ - heavens to betsy!

 

[aussie]

Something up with the SA speedometers?

Kaspa sighted at 147.9km/h while I was watching...

yea i saw that, then the next ball was 132.1, very odd

 

[aussie]

Clark can take 250 test wicket, says Allan Donaldhttp://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18541714-23212,00.html

Big call who is with him their?

 

[steds]

Their what?

 

[marc71178]

Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!