***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Ruckus]

Come on, you guys! Why so negative?

All it takes for the situation to improve is a wicket or two. Siddle is still running in. Meanwhile, Cummins comes back in to cheer you up!

I'm actually in two minds as to whether I want us to win this or not. Really don't want a win to gloss over how bad some of the players have been.

 

[Spikey]

AB and Amla currently averaging 47.84. 2nd time something like that has happened in this game

 

[Burgey]

Have to say, in fairness to him, this has been a pretty good spell from Siddle.

 

[TumTum]

Have to say, in fairness to him, this has been a pretty good spell from Siddle.

Yeah he's running in hard.

 

[Burgey]

If the umpires are telling Clarke who can and can't bowl he should tell them to GAGF. Not the umpires' job

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

The Tasmanian devil unleashed on the hapless Saffers! Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

 

[Spikey]

If the umpires are telling Clarke who can and can't bowl he should tell them to GAGF. Not the umpires' job

I would have thought it's perfectly acceptable and even desirable for the umpires to inform Clarke that if you bowl a certain type of bowler we'll have to go off, but you are within your rights to attempt to bowl that type.

 

[andyc]

Punter obviously figuring that if Johnson can keep getting selected for bowling puss, he's in with a shot too.

 

[Nigel Benjamin]

Hint of movement for Punter. Why wasn't he bowling all along?

 

[Woodster]

Yes very good burst from Siddle, good pace and disciplines.

 

[NasserFan207]

Punter and Lyon to finish the day?

 

[uvelocity]

PUNT SHOULDA BOWLED SPINNNNAAAAAz

 

[Burgey]

I would have thought it's perfectly acceptable and even desirable for the umpires to inform Clarke that if you bowl a certain type of bowler we'll have to go off, but you are within your rights to attempt to bowl that type.

It's within Bowden's right to want to be the centre of attention.

Odious man.

Light now anyways. Good day's play that. The Beard and La Bomba de Villiers done a good job after a bit of luck early.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

That's it? Huh!

Was a good day for strokeplaying. Amla's batting always looks great to my eye. No great flourish, just times them through the covers and usually creams them. AB always a pleasure as well.

Shot of the day? That Laxmanesque punched drive through midwicket from Amla. Off Lyon, IIRC. Was as orgasmic as they come!

 

[Jayzamann]

For a group of people brought up on the delicious teat of consistent success and dominance, we all slide well into the negative pants of doom and gloom like it's no bother at all.

Such an allegorical mess can only come about at 3am on a Sunday.

 

[Howe_zat]

All I can say to that is how much I hope you're mixing your metaphors.

 

[ganeshran]

Siddle bowled beautifully to Amla today.

 

[robelinda]

Well I just watched the last 2 hours play, what is there to say. It was extreme wishful thinking that Mitch would rock up and replicate the fluke performance from Joburg 09, surely you pick players on current form, not because they did something on a particular ground years ago???? Seems that kind of logic wouldn't get a batsman selected. Gotta say though that credit to Mitch for trying the short run up and attempting to contain, his pace didn't drop, but he was even more loose than the 1st innings, so yeah complete fail really. He has zero idea really, and unlike Ponting's form we are subject to over after over of dire bowling, i too have just ****ed my left eye up from punching it too!!!!! I get the feeling that Clarke isn't going to take this crap from Mitch, last test for sure.

Siddle actually bowled well i thought, but not enough wicket taking balls, but bowled straight and troubled AB quite a lot i thought, but then bowled loose short balls. Cummins was awesome in comparison, which is shameful.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Pretty damning that an eighteen year old in his fourth first class game has been both the most economical bowler and the most likely source of wickets.

Even more so when one considers but for Rhino's ongoing injury woes he probably wouldn't have played.

Still:

Copeland
Harris
Cummins
Lyon

wouldn't be the worst bowling unit for the 1st NZ test.

 

[robelinda]

Cutting for sure, home ground, on fire in the shield.