***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Briony]

Yeah but Parnell and Albie have also bowled on other surfaces this year and their performances don’t suggest they should be playing test cricket especially in the case of Albie as a third seamer in a struggling bowling attack. de Wet has only just returned from serious injury but from the reports his pace is back (bowled 140kph+ in the 20/20) and his got the wickets whilst Alexander is the leading wicket-taker domestically. His very raw but not as raw as Parnell and he can swing it back into the left-handers at real pace.

As you say the Cape wicket should be good for batting but it does assist the spinners, Harris (and JP) should get some nice drift and turn from days 3 onwards.

Interesting to see if Aus go for the attacking spinner in McGain or the Harris type bowler in Hauritz. They should go for the former considering the strength of their tail, the performances of their seamers so far and the more then decent job North has been doing. Hauritz really doesn’t offer anything to the side when North is there.

I thought Albertus took 5 for 28 a few weeks ago, though I agree that he's not really a frontline spinner. Alexander wasn't that penetrative against us in the warmup affair. And I thought de Wet was one of those Kolpaks.

 

[four_or_six]

Perhaps, shock horror, you'll become mature enough that you'll not mistake someone's disagreeing with a choice made by others as some all encompassing misogyny.

Perhaps, shock horror, a marriage can wait. Perhaps it cannot. It's their choice. Based on what little I've heard, I disagree with it.

If you disagree, fine. But spare me the patronising **** which implies I'm some sort of ***ist arsehole when I've been married 15 years myself and had real world decisions of my own to make with my wife.

I apologise if you think I was implying you were mysogenistic. I obviously have no idea as I've never met you. All I said was my reaction to a comment that I personally found a little patronising. I certainly didn't meant to cause this amount of offence.

 

[four_or_six]

Prince is bang on. If he is the captain he should be able to dictate where he bats and who opens. Seems like someone thought Ashwell could be a puppet, his not.

I suppose he would have been in a difficult position if he'd moved AB up to open to accomodate himself, and then AB had failed... especially given that AB has been pretty successful in the middle order. Probably if the selectors had a problem with it, they should have sorted it all out before announcing it to the media. It doesn't help the team to have distractions like that.

 

[TT Boy]

I thought Albertus took 5 for 28 a few weeks ago, though I agree that he's not really a frontline spinner. Alexander wasn't that penetrative against us in the warmup affair. And I thought de Wet was one of those Kolpaks.

Tried to go Kolpak last year but was refused a work permit. Middlesex then opted to sign Dirk Nannes. Although, de Wet did end up playing league cricket up north and turned out for Lancashire’s seconds.

Can't really take much notice at that warm-up game, practically every seamer got tonked.

Albie did take a Michelle recently but it was only his 4th of his career in 58 games. Contrast that to de Wet who has 10 (and 2 10 wicket hauls) in only 38 games and a far superior strike-rate and is more economical. Alexander also has 4 5 wicket hauls but in only 27 first class games.

Not sure who South Africa is trying to kid by bringing him in, by all means there could be a place for Albie in the side but never as a third seamer.

 

[Nate]

Got to say, am ecstatic that Albertus is playing. Can't see him bowling or batting well tbh.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Perhaps, shock horror, you'll become mature enough that you'll not mistake someone's disagreeing with a choice made by others as some all encompassing misogyny.

Perhaps, shock horror, a marriage can wait. Perhaps it cannot. It's their choice. Based on what little I've heard, I disagree with it.

If you disagree, fine. But spare me the patronising **** which implies I'm some sort of ***ist arsehole when I've been married 15 years myself and had real world decisions of my own to make with my wife.

I'll pay that.

 

[four_or_six]

I'll pay that.

Look, I really am sorry. Sometimes when you're working in a male-dominated environment every day for ten years and have to listen to people say all sorts of things, you can be over-sensitive to comments like '*****-whipped' and suggestions that a wife will be looking after money a man has earned. I totally shouldn't have responded with sarcasm, it was very childish in retrospect. I'm sure it was a totally innocent comment and I just took it the wrong way. I shouldn't post on cricketweb so early in the morning after a late night. I will endeavour to be a lot more measured in future.

 

[Burgey]

Look, I really am sorry. Sometimes when you're working in a male-dominated environment every day for ten years and have to listen to people say all sorts of things, you can be over-sensitive to comments like '*****-whipped' and suggestions that a wife will be looking after money a man has earned. I totally shouldn't have responded with sarcasm, it was very childish in retrospect. I'm sure it was a totally innocent comment and I just took it the wrong way. I shouldn't post on cricketweb so early in the morning after a late night. I will endeavour to be a lot more measured in future.

Hey no need to apologise at all. In fact I'm sorry for my rant.

I blame it on my having to go to Melbourne today.

 

[four_or_six]

Hey no need to apologise at all. In fact I'm sorry for my rant.

I blame it on my having to go to Melbourne today.

Nah, I shouldn't have started the ranting.

Is Melbourne really that bad?

 

[Burgey]

Nah, I shouldn't have started the ranting.

Is Melbourne really that bad?

Nah, it's really, really nice.

It's just there are so many Victorians there you see....

 

[Ausage]

Got to say, am ecstatic that Albertus is playing. Can't see him bowling or batting well tbh.

How is he at batting in the longer form of the game? He was incredibly damaging in the ODIs and 20/20s. Surely if he gets going he's the type of player that could take the game away from us quickly. Especially if he gets a chance at someone like Hauritz. Is he able to adapt his game to suit an innings or is he just a slogger that sometimes comes off and often doesn't?

Agree with you on the bowling front though.

 

[Corli]

How is he at batting in the longer form of the game? He was incredibly damaging in the ODIs and 20/20s. Surely if he gets going he's the type of player that could take the game away from us quickly. Especially if he gets a chance at someone like Hauritz. Is he able to adapt his game to suit an innings or is he just a slogger that sometimes comes off and often doesn't?

Agree with you on the bowling front though.

Well, Albie has a first-class batting average of about 41 with a high score of 204*, and I don't think you can get that by being a 'just a slogger'. He just usually comes in at a time when slogging is required in the limited-overs games. I think (and hope) he has the ability to play a proper innings, and I would love to see him get the opportunity to do that.

 

[Top_Cat]

Not getting the Albertus Morkel hate, tbh. From what I've seen, seems a pretty gritty player with some fair hitting ability. Bowls alright too. Not expecting him to be a game-breaker but looks like he could do a job behind Ntini/Steyn.

 

[inbox24]

I don't think we'll get Morkel out this test match.

 

[Julian87]

So does the game start the same time as the other ones?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Look, I really am sorry. Sometimes when you're working in a male-dominated environment every day for ten years and have to listen to people say all sorts of things, you can be over-sensitive to comments like '*****-whipped' and suggestions that a wife will be looking after money a man has earned. I totally shouldn't have responded with sarcasm, it was very childish in retrospect. I'm sure it was a totally innocent comment and I just took it the wrong way. I shouldn't post on cricketweb so early in the morning after a late night. I will endeavour to be a lot more measured in future.

haha, no need to apologise to me mate. I'm sure all of us have posted things here that have either been taken the wrong way or should have been more carefully thought about.

I only wrote "I'll pay that" because I thought it was one hell of a response Have no issue with what you wrote personally and you'd already written an apology before I responded to Burgey's post.

 

[inbox24]

Looks like this is the team for tonight:

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
McDonald
Johnson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
McGain

Should have flown in a batsman instead to be honest. Hussey would've done quite nicely.

 

[Julian87]

As long as Haddin bats 6, we'll be fine IMO.

McGain would bat above Hilfy as well.

 

[pasag]

McDonald's last chance to prove himself with the bat you'd think. Is Bollinger still injured?

 

[Briony]

Without North our batting looks weaker but bowling stronger - it's a different balanced lineup. I don't think Albertus is a test standard seamer so he's obviously been promoted as a package because the coach etc. may be worried about the long tail of the Proteas. That shouldn't be a reason for weakening the bowling but the SA tailenders look the weakest in living memory and with Boucher not up to much with the bat, they can be five out and nearly all out. I doubt Albertus is just a slogger judging from his first class record but people shouldn't underestimate our difficult it is to come in where he does and hit from ball one. He must have a good eye and some talent.

McGain's game could be a dress rehearsal for the Ashes series.