***Official Australia in South Africa***

[Top_Cat]

By the way, I don't think Katich exactly has it all over Jacques in the fielding stakes. In both cases their fielding is serviceable, without being above par.

Katich is still better, though. Certainly quicker on the ground. Similar abilities with the hands and similar arms, though.

 

[age_master]

Katich is still better, though. Certainly quicker on the ground. Similar abilities with the hands and similar arms, though.

marginally better

Jaques is far better in the shorter form with the bat though

 

[Nate]

Haha, how crap it is to put in so much effort and then get the same response about three times over.

Gillespie currently 1/60-odd off 18 and Tait is wicketless on the WACA ground. Just saying...

 

[TT Boy]

Jaques is in the team, batting at number 3. What's happened to van der Wath, looked good, don't see much point in Peterson playing if Smith only lets the bloke bowl four overs and comes on before him. SA are batting first after winning the toss.

 

[aussie]

superb, Jaques is playing..

 

[Linda]

I'm not really a Hodge fan and I definitely am not a fan of his because he's a Victorian, but flat deck or not, why didn't anyone else score a double ton? (Or hell, even a ton. No other Australian player got triple figures, with the next highest score in both of their innings being 71). And if it was so incredibly easy to bat on (not denying it was flat though) why did Australia only make 258 in the first innings and SA 296 in the 2nd. I'll tell you what, there have been easier tracks to bat on, and I think the flatness of the track is often exaggerated simply because its the WACA, and its renowned bouncyness was non-existent.

His average is inflated by that double ton, but that's because he scored it and didn't go out. I agree he's not in Australia's best XI, and I don't think he'll make it through the Ashes, but I think its fair to credit a good knock when its done.

I loved the innings (ahem.. just quietly *cough*), just noting that it inflates his average considerably, like you say. Also, the 1st innings of Australia was played in some dodgy cloud /mizzle which made it a bit tougher.

Agreed that the wickets non-existant life was exaggerated by it being in Perth. I expet carnage here and nothing less.

 

[Linda]

Haha, how crap it is to put in so much effort and then get the same response about three times over.

Gillespie currently 1/60-odd off 18 and Tait is wicketless on the WACA ground. Just saying...

One feels that due to extreme amounts of talent on WA's part, than any lack of it on Tait and Gillespies... Heh.

Jaquesy!

 

[Linda]

Does anyone know the local time in SA? I was under the impression it was only 5 hours behind WST... seems a late start.

 

[TT Boy]

Does anyone know the local time in SA? I was under the impression it was only 5 hours behind WST... seems a late start.

2.50pm South African time.

 

[TT Boy]

Good start by South Africa, Smith looking good and Lee looking rank. Any total over 250 and South Africa should win because chasing at Newlands under lights is a pretty tough ask.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

That, people, is what you get when your arrogance gets the best of your concentration.

 

[TT Boy]

That, people, is what you get when your arrogance gets the best of your concentration.

Word.

 

[social]

Despite the runs he's been scoring, Smith's technique still looks horrible. His head is all over the place, his feet are nowhere near the ball and he continues to close the face.

Fortunately Clark bowled a ball on off stump and he got nowhere near it.

Wicket looks incredibly flat and SA should get 275+.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

It's really good to see Jaques in the side. I hope he does well, and reaaaally pushes for a place somewhere in the side.

Also, I hope Watson bowls much earlier than he did in the 1st ODI. I don't think the lack of faith shown in him by his captain helped his confidence.

 

[TT Boy]

It's really good to see Jaques in the side. I hope he does well, and reaaaally pushes for a place somewhere in the side.

Also, I hope Watson bowls much earlier than he did in the 1st ODI. I don't think the lack of faith shown in him by his captain helped his confidence.

Well his on now and his got a wicket, Dippenaar gone.

 

[social]

Good on Watson.

After all his injuries, he deserves a bit of luck.

Boetha another guy with a dodgy technique. He's gotten into the habit of keeping his feet solely on a leg-stump line (no matter which foot he plays off) and plays miles away from his body.

Hope he sorts it out because he can be a really attractive batsman.

 

[TT Boy]

Good on Watson.

After all his injuries, he deserves a bit of luck.

Boetha another guy with a dodgy technique. He's gotten into the habit of keeping his feet solely on a leg-stump line (no matter which foot he plays off) and plays miles away from his body.

Hope he sorts it out because he can be a really attractive batsman.

He looks like he is keeping the pace down looking for better control, his first delivery was rank but the wicket may just give him the confidence he needs. Good comeback by Australia as you say Social this isn't a bad wicket.

 

[TT Boy]

Boetha another guy with a dodgy technique. He's gotten into the habit of keeping his feet solely on a leg-stump line (no matter which foot he plays off) and plays miles away from his body.

Hope he sorts it out because he can be a really attractive batsman.

Boeta’s a crafty with a fine back footed defence (Good in Australia because of the bounce and the opportunity to play off the back foot) but coming forward he looks very suspect, as you say bat away from the body and that’s one of the reasons why he was never able to cement a test place.

 

[TT Boy]

Good chance for AB to become a regular within the one day side here with Kemp's inability to bowl at the moment and his usefulness only extending from overs 40 onwards his place could be under threat because he is currently far to high in the batting order, considering the guy can't play spin and takes about 30 balls to get in any sort of touch.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I know his average isn't great but seriously, the man HAS to be in the OD side. He's such a good player.