***Official Australia in South Africa***

[sledger]

no way South Africa are going to get that score

 

[TazzX]

Lee hammered in the opening overs ... Nice

 

[social]

Well, egg on my face there with Ponting setting a target of 410 with 130 overs remaining...

Aussie ****iness taking over, I feel. South Africa will think that all they have to do is not get out and they'll reach the target. It's basically a gift which needs to be carefully unwrapped or it'll break.

Whatever the outcome...poor captaincy by Ponting

Why?

Aus could've batted SA into oblivion.

At least they've given them something of a chance.

If SA reach the target then well done.

However, nothing they've done for years suggests they've got a snowflakes chance in hell of surviving more than a couple of sessions.

 

[TazzX]

However, nothing they've done for years suggests they've got a snowflakes chance in hell of surviving more than a couple of sessions.

Perth only 3 months ago :|

 

[Steulen]

Why?

Aus could've batted SA into oblivion.

At least they've given them something of a chance.

If SA reach the target then well done.

However, nothing they've done for years suggests they've got a snowflakes chance in hell of surviving more than a couple of sessions.

Pretty tough snowflake then, to stand this much chance.

SA bats down to nine, has an all-time great in Kallis as well as a couple of current era top-notchers in Smith and Gibbs, and players capable of cneturies in difficult circumstances in De Villiers, Boucher and even Pollock. Oh, and then there's Rudolph, Prince and Boje.

I concur that Australia are overwhelming favourites, my argument is that with delaying the declaration for just 10 or 12 overs more , Ponting could have taken the loss out of the equation without compromising his victory chances. To me, it's another example of a captain being too ****y for his own good a lot of the time.

 

[howardj]

Well, egg on my face there with Ponting setting a target of 410 with 130 overs remaining...

Aussie ****iness taking over, I feel. South Africa will think that all they have to do is not get out and they'll reach the target. It's basically a gift which needs to be carefully unwrapped or it'll break.

Whatever the outcome...poor captaincy by Ponting

Disagree with that. I think 350 would have been ample. If anything, particularly given the inclement weather, Punter batted on too long.

 

[Ikki]

410 is ideal. Aussie bowling is doing well and should close this out. They're giving SA a sniff but realistically it's down to the bowlers.

On a side note - Gotta love Warne bugging Smith.

 

[howardj]

On a side note - Gotta love Warne bugging Smith.

Yeah, you have to be able to back your 'verbals' up. Against Australia, it's pretty tough to do. In this current South African team, Kallis is the only batsman who can - he doesn't say much though. Smith would be better off letting Warnie go through to the 'keeper...the verbals too!

 

[wpdavid]

Or maybe working out that bad light would be a factor. It's not looking such a bad call now.

 

[social]

Pretty tough snowflake then, to stand this much chance.

SA bats down to nine, has an all-time great in Kallis as well as a couple of current era top-notchers in Smith and Gibbs, and players capable of cneturies in difficult circumstances in De Villiers, Boucher and even Pollock. Oh, and then there's Rudolph, Prince and Boje.

I concur that Australia are overwhelming favourites, my argument is that with delaying the declaration for just 10 or 12 overs more , Ponting could have taken the loss out of the equation without compromising his victory chances. To me, it's another example of a captain being too ****y for his own good a lot of the time.

Kallis is a fabulous player - technically the best I've seen and only behind Ponting as a player because he "seemingly" lacks the balls to take his game to the next level by sacrificing his average for the better good of the team.

But, let's face it, this series is over.

Aus leads 3 - 0 and only weather can save SA from embarrassment.

1 over, 10 overs, whatever cannot change the fact that SA are done and dusted.

 

[Ikki]

Kallis is a fabulous player - technically the best I've seen and only behind Ponting as a player because he "seemingly" lacks the balls to take his game to the next level by sacrificing his average for the better good of the team.

But, let's face it, this series is over.

Aus leads 3 - 0 and only weather can save SA from embarrassment.

1 over, 10 overs, whatever cannot change the fact that SA are done and dusted.

Well said.

 

[Steulen]

Just because Ponting makes it a 6-match H&A series doesn't mean it is. It's a 3-match series standing at 1-0. SA are not "done & dusted", they have 10 wickets in hand and need to score at roughly 4 an over tomorrow. Very tough, but not totally impossible.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If they win I'll eat my pants!

...

...

I really want the Greig

 

[Francis]

Unbelievable by Ponting. I just knew he'd make another century. Both he and Hayden are racing up the century list. Don't forget that Hayden has played about 20 tests less than Ponting and has 26 centuries. Justin Langer called Hayden's peak a little Bradmanesque and when you consider he was out of form for a year or so, and yet his stats are so good, it shows just how quality he was and still is.

Ponting just may overtake Lara and Tendulkar on the century list before they even retire. And he might do it quicker than they did. And even then, he might pass Lara's career runs in less matches. Insane. No batsman in the world comes close to him right now.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Seems like a few people in this thread need another 'Aussies slammed down to Earth' game like what happened in the last ODI - that obviously didn't knock enough of the arrogance out. Very unlikely to happen in this game, but if it did it would be made all the more enjoyable by the comments in this thread.

 

[Ikki]

Seems like a few people in this thread need another 'Aussies slammed down to Earth' game like what happened in the last ODI - that obviously didn't knock enough of the arrogance out. Very unlikely to happen in this game, but if it did it would be made all the more enjoyable by the comments in this thread.

Would you care to explain why you're negative? Why aren't the posts founded and why is it arrogant to point out the obvious? Sounds like bitter grapes to me.

 

[marc71178]

SA bats down to nine, has an all-time great in Kallis as well as a couple of current era top-notchers in Smith and Gibbs, and players capable of cneturies in difficult circumstances in De Villiers, Boucher and even Pollock. Oh, and then there's Rudolph, Prince and Boje.

I think you're over-rating them slightly there.

 

[marc71178]

If they win I'll eat my pants!

If who wins?

I really want the Greig

Those who actively seek it won't get it.

 

[Goughy]

Disagree with that. I think 350 would have been ample. If anything, particularly given the inclement weather, Punter batted on too long.

I completely agree. 350 is plenty. A freak happening may occur but if you try and plan for the extremely unusual you play far too defensive and lose a lot of initiative.

350 would have been enough for Ponting to confidently back his bowlers to win the game and leave just a bit of wiggle room if the weather decided to join the party.

As it is SA will not realisticaly get that score and I do not think Ponting has placed the test in any sort of risk. His problem is that he may not have left enough time if it rains.

 

[Langeveldt]

Heard there was an altercation between Graham Smith and Andrew Symonds on a beachfront nightclub in Durbs..

I suspect Symond's face got in the way of Graham, who then bumped into him with his chin, one thing led to another and we know have 5-6 tossers on either side acting like babies who shouldn't have been let out of the maternity ward..