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*Official* Australia vs South Africa -2022/3
- Thread starter halba
- Start date
morgieb
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Might have stopped the rain. Wait.
The_CricketUmpire
State 12th Man
Smith
36, 6, 85 & 104 = 231 runs @ 57.75
Smith also a candidate for player of the series. But Travis Head did have 3 out of 4 innings of substance. Smith had 2 out of 4 innings of substance.
Anyway for Warner to get the nod for player of the series is strange.
morgieb
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Anyway, series scores:
Warner 7 - one great innings, little else. You'd take that but in conditions more akin to what we might see in India and England he failed, so...
Khawaja 7 - did get worked over early (if he got some great deliveries), but on a friendlier surface hit a big daddy hundred to define the match.
Labuschagne 5 - below par. Did well here but unlike everyone else didn't cash in. Did cop bad luck a bit (sawn off at Melbourne, copped a brute in dying light here) but given how lucky he's been before this Test....
Smith 8 - still not quite at 100% but unlike some other series he stuck at it and made a score of substance in every game he played. After a couple of dodgy summers he scored heaps here.
Head 8 - his knock at Brisbane decided the game, really. And also provided a couple of very important counter-attacking knocks in the other two Tests. The perfect 5/6 for any side as things stand.
Green 8 - was largely anonymous at Brisbane, but at Melbourne really set the game alight. His spell was crucial in ensuring that South Africa wouldn't build upon a great partnership from Verreynne and Jansen, and showed serious guts by batting for a 50 with a broken finger. How Australia missed him at Sydney.
Carey 8 - made an important century at Melbourne and generally kept well. Well done. Any questions about him should be close to answered by now.
Cummins 8 - slightly off the boil in the first innings at Brisbane, but recovered very nicely to bowl a number of important spells. He's just a great bowler.
Starc 8 - another one who bowled really well. Took important wickets and gave away very few freebies. Anyone questioning his commitment should be shown his second innings burst with a busted finger.
Boland 7 - didn't dominate as much as he did last summer but still made important contributions. Showed his knack of picking up quick wickets by really setting the collapse in Brisbane.
Lyon 7 - very good at Brisbane, solid at Melbourne, a bit patchy here. Though in fairness at Sydney he got a rotten run with umpiring decisions and probably should have had 4 or 5. Not his best series but still bowled reasonably well.
Renshaw N/A - poor fellla. Got a recall only to get COVID and batted only 11 balls because of the top order dominance and rain. He will likely be back but maybe not straight away.
Agar 2 - I really questioned the selection when it was announced and so it was proved - he bowled crap. Couldn't really offer much of a threat nor did he offer much control. Frankly, some of the part-timers looked more dangerous.
Hazlewood 8 - just when you thought Boland had overtaken him, he went full "you were saying" with a brilliant spell of bowling here. Did occassionally waver in pace, but rarely looked far way from wickets.
Elgar 1 - dear god. Hard to find a more limp series from the captain. Was worked over pretty much immediately and looked a walking wicket for much of the series. And looked very directionless as a captain. Surely needs to at the very least resign as captain.
Erwee 3 - to be fair to Erwee, he actually generally looked OK before getting out. While his innings here probably meant nothing, if he had gotten out something weird might've happened. Still looks doubtful as a long term prospect.
van der Dussen 1 - didn't look up to scratch and was unceremoniously dumped. I don't think we'll see him again with the red ball.
Bauvma 6 - tried hard and usually made some form of impact. However, he failed to kick on with any of his starts and the one time he hit a 50 he ran out two of his teammates and got out playing and offensive shot. Seems overplaced at 4, but will likely retain his spot as everyone else just seems so much worse.
Zondo 3 - did manage a couple of starts, at least. And looked reasonably fluent when he got going. But equally his technique just looks weird and it's hard to be optimstic about his Test prospects.
Verryenne 6 - the only time Australia were ever really on the back foot was when he was at the crease. The first innings at Brisbane and Melbourne were great counter-attacking knocks but in both of those got bogged down a bit and got out. Keeping was....OK I think. Nothing special, but OK.
Jansen 6 - definitely not a #7 yet but did at least try and put a much higher price on his wicket than many of the specialist bats. His bowling started off well, but on the flatter decks failed to make too many inroads, though again he at least didn't bowl many pies.
Maharaj 2 - his 50 here was actually pretty important, but he's in the side to bowl. And his bowling was terrible - he offered little threat and often went the journey.
Rabada 3 - a couple of good spells, but an awful lot of crap and most of his OK series average is down to a downhill skiing spell in the Brisbane Test where Australia were chasing 34. Simply did not deliver to the extent that you'd expect from a leader.
Nortje 6 - didn't quite go full Neil Wagner 2019 and his performance was probably a bit over-rated by commentators looking for any positives out of this South African side, but still looked one of the few South Africans that relished the fight and bowled some searing heat at times. While he didn't quite turn it into a big bag of wickets, he still bowled fairly well.
Ngidi 3 - maybe didn't bowl as much junk as some of the other bowlers, but still offered little threat and seemed surprisingly innocuous. Will still be around the team but doesn't look a first choice bowler as much as he once did.
de Bruyn 2 - offensive shot for a top-order batsman first innings in Melbourne. Looked OK second dig before getting out. But still, probably should have played his last Test.
Klaasen 3 - showed some positives with a flurry of boundaries here but got bogged down and got out three times. And that's to go with his first innings failure. Maybe deserves a chance down the order but I think he's behind too many to be anything other than a reserve keeper.
Harmer 4 - bowled better than Maharaj, but still wasn't too effective. Perhaps he could've done more if he got the chance to bowl in a second innings, but for the most part seemed too easy to attack. He did however show perhaps more fight than anyone else in the South African team with the bat and if he hadn't then it might not have mattered that effectively two days of play was lost to rain.
Warner 7 - one great innings, little else. You'd take that but in conditions more akin to what we might see in India and England he failed, so...
Khawaja 7 - did get worked over early (if he got some great deliveries), but on a friendlier surface hit a big daddy hundred to define the match.
Labuschagne 5 - below par. Did well here but unlike everyone else didn't cash in. Did cop bad luck a bit (sawn off at Melbourne, copped a brute in dying light here) but given how lucky he's been before this Test....
Smith 8 - still not quite at 100% but unlike some other series he stuck at it and made a score of substance in every game he played. After a couple of dodgy summers he scored heaps here.
Head 8 - his knock at Brisbane decided the game, really. And also provided a couple of very important counter-attacking knocks in the other two Tests. The perfect 5/6 for any side as things stand.
Green 8 - was largely anonymous at Brisbane, but at Melbourne really set the game alight. His spell was crucial in ensuring that South Africa wouldn't build upon a great partnership from Verreynne and Jansen, and showed serious guts by batting for a 50 with a broken finger. How Australia missed him at Sydney.
Carey 8 - made an important century at Melbourne and generally kept well. Well done. Any questions about him should be close to answered by now.
Cummins 8 - slightly off the boil in the first innings at Brisbane, but recovered very nicely to bowl a number of important spells. He's just a great bowler.
Starc 8 - another one who bowled really well. Took important wickets and gave away very few freebies. Anyone questioning his commitment should be shown his second innings burst with a busted finger.
Boland 7 - didn't dominate as much as he did last summer but still made important contributions. Showed his knack of picking up quick wickets by really setting the collapse in Brisbane.
Lyon 7 - very good at Brisbane, solid at Melbourne, a bit patchy here. Though in fairness at Sydney he got a rotten run with umpiring decisions and probably should have had 4 or 5. Not his best series but still bowled reasonably well.
Renshaw N/A - poor fellla. Got a recall only to get COVID and batted only 11 balls because of the top order dominance and rain. He will likely be back but maybe not straight away.
Agar 2 - I really questioned the selection when it was announced and so it was proved - he bowled crap. Couldn't really offer much of a threat nor did he offer much control. Frankly, some of the part-timers looked more dangerous.
Hazlewood 8 - just when you thought Boland had overtaken him, he went full "you were saying" with a brilliant spell of bowling here. Did occassionally waver in pace, but rarely looked far way from wickets.
Elgar 1 - dear god. Hard to find a more limp series from the captain. Was worked over pretty much immediately and looked a walking wicket for much of the series. And looked very directionless as a captain. Surely needs to at the very least resign as captain.
Erwee 3 - to be fair to Erwee, he actually generally looked OK before getting out. While his innings here probably meant nothing, if he had gotten out something weird might've happened. Still looks doubtful as a long term prospect.
van der Dussen 1 - didn't look up to scratch and was unceremoniously dumped. I don't think we'll see him again with the red ball.
Bauvma 6 - tried hard and usually made some form of impact. However, he failed to kick on with any of his starts and the one time he hit a 50 he ran out two of his teammates and got out playing and offensive shot. Seems overplaced at 4, but will likely retain his spot as everyone else just seems so much worse.
Zondo 3 - did manage a couple of starts, at least. And looked reasonably fluent when he got going. But equally his technique just looks weird and it's hard to be optimstic about his Test prospects.
Verryenne 6 - the only time Australia were ever really on the back foot was when he was at the crease. The first innings at Brisbane and Melbourne were great counter-attacking knocks but in both of those got bogged down a bit and got out. Keeping was....OK I think. Nothing special, but OK.
Jansen 6 - definitely not a #7 yet but did at least try and put a much higher price on his wicket than many of the specialist bats. His bowling started off well, but on the flatter decks failed to make too many inroads, though again he at least didn't bowl many pies.
Maharaj 2 - his 50 here was actually pretty important, but he's in the side to bowl. And his bowling was terrible - he offered little threat and often went the journey.
Rabada 3 - a couple of good spells, but an awful lot of crap and most of his OK series average is down to a downhill skiing spell in the Brisbane Test where Australia were chasing 34. Simply did not deliver to the extent that you'd expect from a leader.
Nortje 6 - didn't quite go full Neil Wagner 2019 and his performance was probably a bit over-rated by commentators looking for any positives out of this South African side, but still looked one of the few South Africans that relished the fight and bowled some searing heat at times. While he didn't quite turn it into a big bag of wickets, he still bowled fairly well.
Ngidi 3 - maybe didn't bowl as much junk as some of the other bowlers, but still offered little threat and seemed surprisingly innocuous. Will still be around the team but doesn't look a first choice bowler as much as he once did.
de Bruyn 2 - offensive shot for a top-order batsman first innings in Melbourne. Looked OK second dig before getting out. But still, probably should have played his last Test.
Klaasen 3 - showed some positives with a flurry of boundaries here but got bogged down and got out three times. And that's to go with his first innings failure. Maybe deserves a chance down the order but I think he's behind too many to be anything other than a reserve keeper.
Harmer 4 - bowled better than Maharaj, but still wasn't too effective. Perhaps he could've done more if he got the chance to bowl in a second innings, but for the most part seemed too easy to attack. He did however show perhaps more fight than anyone else in the South African team with the bat and if he hadn't then it might not have mattered that effectively two days of play was lost to rain.
GotSpin
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Australia lucky to get away with the draw today though
quincywagstaff
International Debutant
Australia's chance of winning in hindsight probably went when Cummins' great spell late on the 4th day ended with only 2 wickets instead of 4-5 like it could've.
If they'd cleaned up South Africa's tail on the 4th evening, couldn't see SA's incredibly brittle Top 6 surviving the pressure of batting an entire day.
If they'd cleaned up South Africa's tail on the 4th evening, couldn't see SA's incredibly brittle Top 6 surviving the pressure of batting an entire day.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Babar Azam thinks RSA dominated the test, probably.
And yeah, Head should have been the MoS.
Nice review.
Head is my biggest watch leading into India.
He has just under 1000 runs averaging 51 @ 80 SR in the last 13 months.
I think it may have been Katich on SEN, but he was talking about him and comparing him to a few English players under McCullum and how it seems to also have clicked for Head, starting with an innings in the Marsch Cup, that then translated to the ODI side and now the test side.
He knows his role, he's confident being ultra attacking and it's feeding his confidence.
He's going to take that to India, it will either go 1 of two ways, but we've seen attacking batsman have 1 or 2 unbelievable knocks over there in the right conditions.
Gob
International Coach
Adam Gilchrist averages in the 20s in India but has two match winning hundreds. Head can look to replicate something similar but his technique at the moment just doesn't look right to consistently score runs on slower wickets
Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
Zinzan
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Well played Australia, they have all bases covered currently, but man South Africa, hang your heads in shame.
Haven't looked into it, but I'm guessing that must be the worst performing South African Test side to visit Australia (certainly since their reintroduction to Test cricket in the early 90s). I know the margin was only 2-0 with the weather saving them at the SCG, but the gap between the two sides was absurd.
Haven't looked into it, but I'm guessing that must be the worst performing South African Test side to visit Australia (certainly since their reintroduction to Test cricket in the early 90s). I know the margin was only 2-0 with the weather saving them at the SCG, but the gap between the two sides was absurd.
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I am surprised everybody is surprised about the difference in class between the two sides... I mean it is literally what any serious SA supporter has been talking about here (and elsewhere) for like the last 18 months (and longer). Nothing happened in this series that was surprising. Not even the overall poor SA bowling performance, not because of the lack of class in the bowlers but because of the obvious strain on the bowlers combined with just a dearth of leadership.
Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
I think after SA beat India 2-1, drew 1-1 in NZ, and won at Lord's we were surprised how uncompetitive the series was (perhaps we'd also underrated Australia). The thought was if SA could reach 250-275 they'd compete.
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Zinzan
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Yep, in addition to that, South Africa have traditionally been very well suited to Australian conditions, even when it hasn't been one of their best sides. eg 2016.
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
The batting was much much worse here than in 2016... whatever is said and done, one of the Aus commentators said it best, the skill levels of these SA batsmen are just not good enough. And that is the truth. No practice or good vibes or commitment was gonna change that. And its what the supports have been complaining about for years now. Petersen and Rickelton where the first positive steps we had seen in 4 years of batting selection. They then dumped Rickelton and unfortunately Petersen was injured.
NZ should have done better, so should India. And the Indian series in SA was basically off the bat of Petersen. After we lost at Centurion. We also lost to SL. The writing has been on the wall, and just some good individual performances along with decent bowling kept papering over very obvious cracks.
