***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[irfan]

North's innings has been one of the most impressive Australian debut innings in recent times, it's been:

- done against the best fast bowling side in the world
- done in bowling friendly conditions
- done away from home
- done with the match very much in the balance

I have to add
- done with years of first class and county experience behind him

Take note, Australian selectors! Brilliant knock from North, I honestly thought Australia would fall over once Clarke got out.

 

[Uppercut]

Problem for SA is that apart from Steyn their attack is reasonably ordinary even if Ntini can bowl the odd pearler. Their record at bowling at the tail is appalling. Even struggled against Bangladesh in SA on at least one occasion.

No they're generally reasonably good against the tail, especially Steyn. It's just that Australia don't have a tail.

 

[Briony]

No they're generally reasonably good against the tail, especially Steyn. It's just that Australia don't have a tail.

They struggled to wind up England, Australian so-called bunnies such as Siddle and even the Banglas at times. Without Steyn their attack can look toothless. Have they got some other youngsters n the wings?

 

[Uppercut]

They struggled to wind up England, Australian so-called bunnies such as Siddle and even the Banglas at times. Without Steyn their attack can look toothless. Have they got some other youngsters n the wings?

Tsotsobe (took 4 against Australia on his ODI debut, remember?) but he's injured, Parnell is meant to be a good prospect. Tahir's an absolute pro against tail-enders if they wish to get him involved.

 

[Redbacks]

My Steyn is a bit wayward theory has been reinvigorated this innings. One bad ball an over IMO.

 

[pasag]

zeg said:
johnson will score a 50 today

 

[irfan]

Jeebus Johnson smoking him here! Must be pissed the ranga is batting above him

 

[Dydl]

Johnson such a gun batsman.

Bit lucky today though, if the commentary is to be believed.

 

[Uppercut]

My Steyn is a bit wayward theory has been reinvigorated this innings. One bad ball an over IMO.

Hasn't got quite as much weight behind it here as the "Steyn is ****ing awesome" theory, though.

 

[Julian87]

The McDonald selection, at this point, looks an absolute masterstroke.

 

[Briony]

My Steyn is a bit wayward theory has been reinvigorated this innings. One bad ball an over IMO.

And he's their best. Morkel is a lot worse in this respect.

 

[Nate]

Claims of South Africa being unlucky aren't entirely out of place, but in all honesty, they have been too short and too wide. Unless you pitch it up, the movement you obtain means nothing.

 

[Son Of Coco]

That's what they said in the second test! Australia should be bowled out in the vicinity of 390-420 and then Smith and co should pile on the runs.

As they did in the 1st innings of both the first and second tests?

 

[Uppercut]

Claims of South Africa being unlucky aren't entirely out of place, but in all honesty, they have been too short and too wide. Unless you pitch it up, the movement you obtain means nothing.

There's no way Morkel deserves to be sitting on 1-102 at the minute though.

 

[Briony]

Claims of South Africa being unlucky aren't entirely out of place, but in all honesty, they have been too short and too wide. Unless you pitch it up, the movement you obtain means nothing.

Think they need a bowling coach. Steyn seems to be a thinker who gets it wrong at times, Ntini's always been a trifle erratic but Morkel seems pretty clueless. Maybe suffers from giraffe syndrome.

 

[pasag]

Johnson such a gun batsman.

Bit lucky today though, if the commentary is to be believed.

Not like he's been dropped or anything...

 

[Nate]

There's no way Morkel deserves to be sitting on 1-102 at the minute though.

Maybe could have had an extra wicket. He has been criminally short though and he knows it. The slips, Boucher and friends are all grimacing when it goes past the edge, but Morkel knows.

Nice to have a batsman in our side who can sweep. It's been a while.

 

[Uppercut]

Maybe could have had an extra wicket. He has been criminally short though and he knows it. The slips, Boucher and friends are all grimacing when it goes past the edge, but Morkel knows.

Nice to have a batsman in our side who can sweep. It's been a while.

Only in his spells today though. Yesterday he bowled brilliantly. At one stage it looked like he had Ponting in his back pocket.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

You say that every day of every game, tbf. Even when Australia are bowling.

 

[pup11]

My Steyn is a bit wayward theory has been reinvigorated this innings. One bad ball an over IMO.

As a swing bowler that's always likely to happen, when you pitch the ball upto the batsman, it pretty likely you might overpitch sometimes and leak runs, but that doesn't mean he should bowl conservative lengths due to that (which is something, Hilfenhaus was guilty of through the ODI series in Australia).