***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[open365]

Steyn looks top notch form what i;ve seen, keep him in the side!

 

[Langeveldt]

Nice bokke, good to see Steyn in the wickets, that will give him some confidance! Ntini just re-affirming the fact that he is the fittest and hardest working paceman in the world..

And not surprising to see people moaning about the pitch.. With all the run fests on flat tracks that make this amazing sport so dull, why can't the batsmen have some work to do once in a while? I guess either way the groundsman is damned

 

[Blaze]

And not surprising to see people moaning about the pitch.. With all the run fests on flat tracks that make this amazing sport so dull, why can't the batsmen have some work to do once in a while? I guess either way the groundsman is damned

I prefer pitches where the batsman has to work for runs... I think most people do. I just have a problem with the variable bounce from Day 1.

I am not taking anything away from SA though, they have been brilliant with the ball and deserve their win.

 

[sirjeremy11]

I just don't know what to say.

Mills at three smelt like fear from the other batsmen to me. Sorry, but Mills hasn't actually done anything with the bat for a couple of years (even domestically). Nice to dream though isn't it?

At least our most consistent batsman is in now. But I can't see us getting within 80.

Hope Marshall gets himself a nice 60 and then Bracewell drops him. It'll show us exactly how clever the man really is.

To me, the boys looked resigned to losing as soon as Fulton got out.

I'm rather despondent.

 

[TT Boy]

And not surprising to see people moaning about the pitch.. With all the run fests on flat tracks that make this amazing sport so dull, why can't the batsmen have some work to do once in a while? I guess either way the groundsman is damned

Christo Erasmus the Newland's groundsman seems to be struggling in preparing the next test pitch...

http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Cricket/0,,2-9-839_1918447,00.html

 

[Dick Rockett]

And not surprising to see people moaning about the pitch.. With all the run fests on flat tracks that make this amazing sport so dull, why can't the batsmen have some work to do once in a while? I guess either way the groundsman is damned

There's being made to work for your runs, then there's this. That ball that got Oram really illustrated the poor quality of this pitch for mine.

Still, one team has to score one more run than the other. At this stage it looks like that'll be South Africa, so fair play to them, and especially Ntini.

 

[TT Boy]

There's being made to work for your runs, then there's this. That ball that got Oram really illustrated the poor quality of this pitch for mine.

Maybe so but Oram could have at least tried to get forward instead of just doing absolutely nothing, looked like he was taking a batting masterclass from Herschelle Gibbs.

 

[Prince EWS]

I honestly don't think moving Mills up the order was a bad idea. Sure, it didn't work and he got out for a duck, but as was shown by the fact that Fleming failed as well, he's vulnerable to the new ball. If Mills had hung around for 20 odd (which I believe he could have, given his straight batted technique), the game could have been significantly different. If he didn't go in at all, the game would be very much the same at this point. There wasn't much to lose by elevating your #9 batsman if you think about it, and there was quite a bit to gain if you think it through.

Sure, it didn't work, but I still support the decision.

 

[Blaze]

I honestly don't think moving Mills up the order was a bad idea. Sure, it didn't work and he got out for a duck, but as was shown by the fact that Fleming failed as well, he's vulnerable to the new ball. If Mills had hung around for 20 odd (which I believe he could have, given his straight batted technique), the game could have been significantly different. If he didn't go in at all, the game would be very much the same at this point. There wasn't much to lose by elevating your #9 batsman if you think about it, and there was quite a bit to gain if you think it through.

Sure, it didn't work, but I still support the decision.

I would have taken it a step further and sent him out with Marshall at the start. Fulton is a number 3 and Fleming is struggling against the new ball.

 

[Prince EWS]

I would have taken it a step further and sent him out with Marshall at the start. Fulton is a number 3 and Fleming is struggling against the new ball.

Fulton doesn't look like a top order player to me at all, really. I haven't seen a great deal of him, but from what I saw, he looked more like a #5 than an opener or #3.
The only actual batsmen in the NZ side playing that I would even contemplate opening with would be Marshall and Styris... I can't see why Fulton's opening.

I don't mind the idea of Mills opening though, to be honest. He plays straight and would really be as much use opening as he would down at #9 or #10. Bowling attacks would become frustrated if they couldn't dislodge him as well, which could relax the pressure on the other batsmen.

 

[Ming]

Well, that's odd of you to say Prince EWS. Fulton has played nearly all of his life batting at #3 and now you say he doesn't look like a #3 at all? Ok.

I would never contemplate Styris opening, and certainly not the Styris at this moment who goes for silly pushes and dabs outside off stump only to get an edge caught behind. It's been a common theme of his dismissals of late.

I do mind that Mills would be promoted or open. Basically because the man hasn't scored any runs in 4 years in cricket and you would want to push him up the order to face the likes of Ntini? Franklin would have been a much better option.

And syremy, it hasn't been 2 years, it's been 4-5.

 

[Prince EWS]

Well, that's odd of you to say Prince EWS. Fulton has played nearly all of his life batting at #3 and now you say he doesn't look like a #3 at all? Ok.

I know he's batted there a lot in domestic cricket, but I just don't think he looks solid enough in defence to bat at #3. I'd bat him at #5.

I do mind that Mills would be promoted or open. Basically because the man hasn't scored any runs in 4 years in cricket and you would want to push him up the order to face the likes of Ntini? Franklin would have been a much better option.

Mills has a better technique to combat the new ball than Franklin, despite the fact that Franklin has scored more runs in domestic cricket.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I think Franklin would do well against the new ball.

 

[Langeveldt]

Christo Erasmus the Newland's groundsman seems to be struggling in preparing the next test pitch...

http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Cricket/0,,2-9-839_1918447,00.html

Interesting, Cape Town in April isn't the best weatherwise, but I guess thats a problem with the administrators..

Don't know if you've ever read SASI (sports illustrated) where there is a big section on how the standard of pitches in SA has decreased over the years, Im trying to find mine to dig it out

 

[Ming]

I know he's batted there a lot in domestic cricket, but I just don't think he looks solid enough in defence to bat at #3. I'd bat him at #5.

Mills has a better technique to combat the new ball than Franklin, despite the fact that Franklin has scored more runs in domestic cricket.

So on the basis on a Test match, you suddenly think Fulton does not have a good defensive game? Have you even seen him play outside of this match?

Mills' technique.....meh. It's not great at all. Not much foot movement, and is thus the reason he has not scored any runs for a long long long time.

 

[Smudge]

Regardless of whose technique is better out of Mills or Franklin, neither of them should have been heading out at 3. It was cowardly behaviour from the team leaders and would have given the South Africans the taste of victory.

 

[Smudge]

And not surprising to see people moaning about the pitch.. With all the run fests on flat tracks that make this amazing sport so dull, why can't the batsmen have some work to do once in a while? I guess either way the groundsman is damned

As I've said before, I have no problems with greentops, or pitches that take turn from the first morning. It's the tracks that give none of the batsmen any confidence at all to go back or forward that are a danger. I'm surprised there haven't been more broken fingers or ribs from this test.

 

[sirjeremy11]

How's this for the ultimate in optimism...

(from the NZ Cricket Website)

BLACKCAPS seek final day victory

Hamish Marshall and Daniel Vettori will look to rescue a famous victory for the BLACKCAPS over their South African hosts at Centurion after staging a fight back on day four

Go West - King of Wishful Thinking

 

[Prince EWS]

So on the basis on a Test match, you suddenly think Fulton does not have a good defensive game? Have you even seen him play outside of this match?

I havent even seen this test match!

As I said, I haven't seen a great deal of him. I'm not professing to know his game inside out, but from what I've seen, he looks like a #5. I could well be wrong because, as I said, I haven't seen much of him...

Mills' technique.....meh. It's not great at all. Not much foot movement, and is thus the reason he has not scored any runs for a long long long time.

He plays straight and has good judgement.

 

[Smudge]

How's this for the ultimate in optimism...

(from the NZ Cricket Website)

BLACKCAPS seek final day victory

Hamish Marshall and Daniel Vettori will look to rescue a famous victory for the BLACKCAPS over their South African hosts at Centurion after staging a fight back on day four

Go West - King of Wishful Thinking

Sir Clive's mate, Alistair Campbell, could learn a thing or two about positive spin from NZ Cricket's media boys, it seems...