***Official Australia in South Africa***

[James]

Oh so when RSA loses its chokers and when Aussies loses they are merely shithouse?

Language please.

 

[Jono]

Seems like i am bit lucky to go through all the posts... as i just took a day of uni... woohooo to celebrate this occassion...

Edit: Jono they won, coz you didn't place a bet...

But pre-series I put $40 on SA to win the series.

They did it for me

 

[social]

I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but why did Ponting keep bowling Lewis instead of Lee? Was it to send a message to selectors? Why would he be willing to sacrifice the series to prove a point..thats bloody treasonous.

And it if WAS for legitimate cricketing reasons, its just flatout incomprehensible and he needs his head checked. Either way its shocking, its prolly the worst performance by a captain ever. Poor show, poor show.

Incidentally does anyone think Bracken will come back into the squad? He's been our best bowler in the last two games and could like SAn conditions. Hoggard whipped them silly over there and Bracken is the closest thing we have. I think its imperative we include a swing bowler anyway to round out the attack, as we have enough hit-the-deck bowlers as it is

I dont think he was making any point other than Lewis was picked to bowl at the end and he put faith in him to do what he was selected for. Unfortunately, Lewis didnt come up with the goods.

Ponting's captaincy wasnt bad - he was horribly let down by his bowlers. At one point, he put 4 men in the ring and 2 sweepers on the off to Symonds and the bowler responded with a hip-height full-toss and long-hop on leg-stump - needless to say both went into the crowd.

As for Bracken - no.

Aus are still overwhelming favourites to win the tests and the Aus selectors have shown that they are prepared to live and die by the team they originally select, no matter how compelling the reasons are for a change.

 

[Pratters]

James, Liam - D Man used it first and I rerorted. Whe he wasn't corrected I assumed it was okay.

 

[Jono]

One thing I thought of whilst reading this article:

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/rsavaus/content/current/story/240518.html

was this comment...

The game was cricket anarchy. Rules were ignored, conventional wisdom flown against, high-risks equalled high reward in every situation. Every gamble paid off, every scooped slog fell into space, every shy at the stumps missed.

Anyone remember that moment fairly early in the innings, when there was a mix-up between Gibbs and Smith and Ponting swooped on the ball, had a shy at the non-striker's end with Smith way out of his ground, and he just missed. Yeah I know this happens all the time, a missed run-out so its not the reason SA won or anything, I'm not trying to argue that. But it is just amazing that things like that just fell in favour of SA (for both teams really). I mean you would back Ponting to hit the stumps from how close he was almost every time, but on that one occasion he missed it. Symonds too fumbled a couple of times, and he's the best in the business.

I think that article summed up the match very well. There have been just as flat pitches with just as quick outfields, just as crap bowlers (believe it or not) and just as short boundaries, it was just that everything fell into place. A moment in cricketing history no doubt about it.

 

[howardj]

I dont think he was making any point other than Lewis was picked to bowl at the end and he put faith in him to do what he was selected for. Unfortunately, Lewis didnt come up with the goods.

Ponting's captaincy wasnt bad - he was horribly let down by his bowlers. At one point, he put 4 men in the ring and 2 sweepers on the off to Symonds and the bowler responded with a hip-height full-toss and long-hop on leg-stump - needless to say both went into the crowd.

.

I strongly disagree with that. If - like with lawyering - you needed a license to practice captaincy, Ponting would have been dis-barred last night...with no prospect for re-admission. I'm always loathe to say a captaincy decision cost a side the match, however Ponting's blind faith in Lewis absolutely did.

There's six overs to go, and Lewis has conceded 74 runs off 7 overs, while Clarke and Symonds (particularly in the latter part of their spells) were going for 3 or 4 runs an over less. Anyway, Ponting bowls Lewis...and after 8 overs he has conceded 87 runs! Then he bowls him again...100 off 9 overs. Then he bowls him again....113 off 10 overs.

Honestly, it was professional negligence from Ponting. It was disgraceful. Was Lewis's bowling bad? Yes. Did Ponting have a choice whether or not to bowl him? Absolutely. Poor show. Poor show.

 

[parttimer]

I dont think he was making any point other than Lewis was picked to bowl at the end and he put faith in him to do what he was selected for. Unfortunately, Lewis didnt come up with the goods.

Ponting's captaincy wasnt bad - he was horribly let down by his bowlers. At one point, he put 4 men in the ring and 2 sweepers on the off to Symonds and the bowler responded with a hip-height full-toss and long-hop on leg-stump - needless to say both went into the crowd.

As for Bracken - no.

Aus are still overwhelming favourites to win the tests and the Aus selectors have shown that they are prepared to live and die by the team they originally select, no matter how compelling the reasons are for a change.

I'm not sure Lewis was selected for his death bowling, Lee fulfills that role and has done throughout the series. The 4th ODI was the only other game where Lewis bowled at the death and although he bowled well, his poor performance during this game should have ruled him out.

Yes Symonds' bowling was terrible, but its not all bad he's still in azaming form with the bat.

I can c ur point about our selectors, they've shown stubborness in the past, not least when a a certain lawyer wasn't picked for the Ashes. Lets hope they've learnt their lesson.

 

[benchmark00]

its called being a positive supporter, you making it sound as if you didn't expect Australia to win these games..

No... it's called being arrogant, something that a handful of Australian supporters are, and it gives the great majority a terrible name.

 

[alternative]

That was an incredible match, altho not the best match i seen.. imust say that the best for me has been the world cup between these two same sides.. where donald made a joke of himself.. anyway on a much positive note.. i am proud to announce that Bracks dropped the Standard Bank Championship..

An incredible batting display from both the teams and terrible bowling from both sides made the game a very memorable one.. On the bowlers, Mickey Lewis is an absolute legend for south africa, saffies would just hope that he also plays the test series..

 

[Pratters]

So he will not keep his word? Is a man really a man if he doesn't keep his word?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

No... it's called being arrogant, something that a handful of Australian supporters are, and it gives the great majority a terrible name.

Oh come on. They scored 434. Any sane person would've thought Australia would win hands down. Everyone just seems to want to roast the people who were lauding the batting performance.

 

[benchmark00]

Oh come on. They scored 434. Any sane person would've thought Australia would win hands down. Everyone just seems to want to roast the people who were lauding the batting performance.

The word's humility.

 

[Jono]

Oh come on. They scored 434. Any sane person would've thought Australia would win hands down. Everyone just seems to want to roast the people who were lauding the batting performance.

True but some of the replies, particularly those saying "I'd hate to be a Suddie" (sic) and similar were stupid, and it was pure justice that SA got over the line allowing us neutrals to just quote each and every arrogant post and make them look silly

 

[Demolition Man]

If it makes anyone feel any better two punters called centerbet at the change of innings and both put $20,000 Aus each on the aussies to win at 1.01, each stood to win 200 dollars. LOL.

 

[aussie]

No... it's called being arrogant, something that a handful of Australian supporters are, and it gives the great majority a terrible name.

ha, this is funny so let me get this straight. When Australia set bangladesh, the weakest team in the world 250 odd to win last year with our bowling attack it was being arrogant to think we would win, aslo when we set NZ 332 to win in auckland looking at the fact that australia had beaten NZ 7 straight ODI's before that match even though it was an inexperienced attack & yesterday when we set SA 434 bloody runs it was arrogant to think we would win even though their batting was strong?

Oh now i get it

 

[Demolition Man]

Does anyone dispute that the match had the collective best batting and worst bowling ever seen in a ODI ???

 

[Pratters]

ha, this is funny so let me get this straight. When Australia set bangladesh, the weakest team in the world 250 odd to win last year with our bowling attack it was being arrogant to think we would win, aslo when we set NZ 332 to win in auckland looking at the fact that australia had beaten NZ 7 straight ODI's before that match even though it was an inexperienced attack & yesterday when we set SA 434 bloody runs it was arrogant to think we would win even though their batting was strong?

Oh now i get it

It wasn't arrogant to think you would have won. It is arrogant to not accept you were stupid to bet your life on it.

You shouldn't even be alive. And don't blame me or the rest of the forum for some thing you said.

 

[Jono]

If it makes anyone feel any better two punters called centerbet at the change of innings and both put $20,000 Aus each on the aussies to win at 1.01, each stood to win 200 dollars. LOL.

Oh that's gold!

 

[Demolition Man]

ha, this is funny so let me get this straight. When Australia set bangladesh, the weakest team in the world 250 odd to win last year with our bowling attack it was being arrogant to think we would win, aslo when we set NZ 332 to win in auckland looking at the fact that australia had beaten NZ 7 straight ODI's before that match even though it was an inexperienced attack & yesterday when we set SA 434 bloody runs it was arrogant to think we would win even though their batting was strong?

Oh now i get it

Ignore it Aussie, just people taking cheap shots. 1 more wicket and they would not be saying a word.

 

[parttimer]

It wasn't arrogant to think you would have won. It is arrogant to not accept you were stupid to bet yrou life on it.

You shouldn't even be alive. And don't blame me or the rest of the forum for some thing you said.