***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[shaka]

I thought Bucknor saw it correctly (Boucher almost wicket) based on where Buknor was standing.

 

[aussie]

hmmm odd fianl session, disappointingly SA got a lead & Hayden going in the final over, only positive bieng Bing's 5 for well bowled..., tomoro is a very important day once Australia can get a lead of 350 maximum i'll be satisfied anything less will call for much tension.

 

[Pratters]

The lack of South African support in the forum is quite disappointing.

A crucial lead but not a great one. Gives a chance for Australia to come back into the match which they can. I think Australia has a very good chance of winning this match now - much better than South Africa if their middle order shows some spine. If it doesnt, Australia doesnt deserve to win obviously.

Also the Aussie selectors should stop playing with the middle order and perceived bench strength of the team and include the best players in that crucial position - like Martyn for example.

 

[irfan]

yea match evenly poised - i mean dead even. If SA get a few early wickets, this should set them up against a shaky middle order and hopefully Aus don't get in excess of 250 otherwise SAf won't be in with a decent shout. Goin to the match tomoz shud be a great atmoshphere. Hope Saf wins, just to see how Aussie team reacts in the upcoming matches and hopefully so the selectors pick Martyn and not keep pursuing this a/o rubbish. How many overs did Symonds bowl????????? None. Enuff said

 

[TazzX]

A very even day but I would say that Aus has the upperhand at the moment. We need to restrict them to 350 or less or else it will be a hard for SA to take this one out.

 

[andyc]

I find it quite ironic that Smith had a go at the lack of experience in the Australian middle order when Michael Hussey alone has more first class runs than Rudolph, Kemp and Prince.

A very good partnership at the end there between Pollock and Boucher to not only establish the lead but leave the Aussies feeling a bit down as they had a chance to come out ahead in the first innings. Very good to see them attacking Warne as well, which I feel is the best way to play him.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Seems like an exciting day's play, I'll try to catch the highlights later. Just a pity it's on at such an ungodly hour up here.

I doubt yer Saffies will want to be chasing too much over 200 batting fourth, although with the way play seems to have gone there's every chance they might begin the chase on a 3rd day pitch, so Australia's advantage may be negated a bit.

That said SA's batting line-up doesn't appear to have much depth.They seem to have 3 no.11s & their middle order looks very fragile sans Kallis. Rudolph has been out of form since we played them last winter & I'm not convinced either Prince or Kemp is test quality.

 

[andyc]

Seems like an exciting day's play, I'll try to catch the highlights later. Just a pity it's on at such an ungodly hour up here.

I doubt yer Saffies will want to be chasing too much over 200 batting fourth, although with the way play seems to have gone there's every chance they might begin the chase on a 3rd day pitch, so Australia's advantage may be negated a bit.

That said SA's batting line-up doesn't appear to have much depth.They seem to have 3 no.11s & their middle order looks very fragile sans Kallis. Rudolph has been out of form since we played them last winter & I'm not convinced either Prince or Kemp is test quality.

Rudolph just scored a not out double century against a WA XI, although it was hardly McGrath/Lee/Warne/Bracken (note--no Symonds). Prince impressed me though, he scored his runs without really being noticed, just singles and twos with the occasional boundary, really accumulated well. Kemp seemed pretty average however, and his playing of Warne was absolutely laughable, to the point where Warnie told him that he could be the new Daryl.

Just a side note, I was quite impressed with Lee today. He didn't get too frustrated and send down bouncer after bouncer, but bowled well and with very good pace and little bit of inswing. He did bowl a few too many bouncers for my liking against the lower middle order and tail, however. All the same, I hope he can keep this up.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Whenever I've seen Rudolph against England he's always looked like a walking wicket, I'd be surprised if he did much better against Australia. His overall record isn't too great either when you take out Bangladesh & Zimbabwe.

 

[andyc]

How good was Hayden's catch of Boucher at slip!?

Anyway, for tomorrow, hopefully Langer and Lee can put on a few. I'd be very pleased if Lee made a 50, and I hope Langer can get to 100 after his pretty damn lucky and ugly, but determined first innings. Nel bowled really well in the first innings and I wouldn't be surprised if he takes quite a few wickets this time around.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I can't believe Kemp is a better bet than Andrew Hall myself. Hall was considered a sufficiently decent bat to open in India barely a year ago. Is Hall even in the squad over there?

Think Symonds will have to do something with bat or ball in the second digs or he may be out of the team. I can only put his presence down to "Freddie envy" on the Oz selectors part. You seemed to manage ok with 4 bowlers before The Ashes & Hussey and Hodge could both fill in with an over or two if needed. Even Punter! His little seamers didn't seem totally poo; good enough for Vaughan anyhow!

 

[andyc]

Think Symonds will have to do something with bat or ball in the second digs or he may be out of the team. I can only put his presence down to "Freddie envy" on the Oz selectors part. You seemed to manage ok with 4 bowlers before The Ashes & Hussey and Hodge could both fill in with an over or two if needed. Even Punter! His little seamers didn't seem totally poo; good enough for Vaughan anyhow!

Agree with you completely, we have absolutely no need for 5 bowlers, as you can see by the fact that only the four main bowlers bowled today. That said, once Warne and McGrath go we may well need a competent 5th bowler to turn too, and I wouldn't really be too confident about Hodge and/or Hussey bowling.

 

[Linda]

Interesting that the same amount of runs were scored today as yesterday... 258 and then 38 both times.

Also, ahem, cough cough, Martyn bowled 7 overs today against Queensland for 8 runs... cough cough, ahem.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Agree with you completely, we have absolutely no need for 5 bowlers, as you can see by the fact that only the four main bowlers bowled today. That said, once Warne and McGrath go we may well need a competent 5th bowler to turn too, and I wouldn't really be too confident about Hodge and/or Hussey bowling.

Doubt they'd be much worse than Martyn/Clarke/Katich which was your back-up plan before!

Do agree with the need for a fifth bowler when Warney and/or McGrath finally call it quits tho. Personally I reckon you could move Gilly up to six & play another genuine bowler myself. Your lower order isn't too shabby at all IMHO. Lee is looking better & better with the bat (maybe not quite a 7 tho) and if Dizzy comes back in to the reckoning (I reckon he must at some point) he'd strengthen your lower order too.

Ideally you'd want a quality seamer who's decent-ish with the bat, haven't seen enough Oz domestic stuff to know if there's anyone like that out there tho.

 

[aussie]

Doubt they'd be much worse than Martyn/Clarke/Katich which was your back-up plan before!

Do agree with the need for a fifth bowler when Warney and/or McGrath finally call it quits tho. Personally I reckon you could move Gilly up to six & play another genuine bowler myself. Your lower order isn't too shabby at all IMHO. Lee is looking better & better with the bat (maybe not quite a 7 tho) and if Dizzy comes back in to the reckoning (I reckon he must at some point) he'd strengthen your lower order too.

Ideally you'd want a quality seamer who's decent-ish with the bat, haven't seen enough Oz domestic stuff to know if there's anyone like that out there tho.

hmm interesting idea that, but the thing is you have to look a preseving Pigeon & Warne especially for as long as possible so i think the 5th bowler option should come into play now, whether it be a genuine bowler or an all-rounder i.e Watson & let him prove himself as a batsman in the top & leave Gilly at 7, since i'm not so comfortable with having such a long tail even though blokes like Warne, Lee & Dizzy are capable with the Willow.

By the end of this summer i do wonder if the selectors thought will want to presist with the search for an all-rounder, personally i hope they do & it should be with Shane Watson & not Symo. Also with the middle order i reckon Hussey HAS to remain their, its just leaves #4 open for the likes of Hodge, Martyo & Pup..

 

[aussie]

ADAM GILCHRIST - Is he going through a bad run or is he losing it

Its been an odd second half-of the year for Gilchrist, after smoking the Kiwis he struggled in the test in england while being decent in the ODI's, then he came back & did very well in the super-series where he looked so dominat especially his innings in the super-test, also looked good in the 1st test at the gabba vs WI but since then something doesn't seem right to me...

This is gilchrist longest trott in his career i reckon where in 9 test he has just one score past 50 & his average has gone to just about 50, his other one was during the india series in 2003/04 to the 1st test in Sri Lanka (6 test). In England it was Gilly playing his natural game all the time & England did well to tie him down but since the gabba test has gotten out pretty softly. To me he may be tired i.e in NZ he looked jaded with the bat since he probably didn't want to go.

Thats why i feel the selectors should rest him for the majority of the VB series, he could play in game one & then come back to the finals, because i would hate for out of the blue in the next year of so Gilly calls it a day n his reasons are due to fatigue n not feeling he has has accomplished all that he can for Australia.

 

[social]

Match is even poised with Aus having a slight advantage due to bowling last with Warne.

Lee bowled well whilst De Villiers, Boucher and Pollock were all very good.

BTW, why isnt Pollock's name mentioned very often when were discussing the world's leading all-rounders? Fanatstic bowling record plus batting average of 31 surely qualifies him

 

[superkingdave]

BTW, why isnt Pollock's name mentioned very often when were discussing the world's leading all-rounders? Fanatstic bowling record plus batting average of 31 surely qualifies him

he would have had a lot of supporters a couple of years ago - but he hasn't score a 50 in 2 years - averages 15 with the bat over that time. Also averages 29 with the ball in the same period

 

[age_master]

yeah, most people agree hes past his best and not close to the player he was a few years ago

 

[marc71178]

Who can replace Symonds now??

Move McGrath to 6, then add MacGill to the side.