***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[Steulen]

Totally agreed on Lee. It looks like he may have finally turned the corner from Scattergun Street into Test Bowler Boulevard.

His bowling average will drop into the twenties before 2007 or my avatar is a hedgehog.

 

[howardj]

my teams for boxing day

1 P Jaques
2 M Hayden
3 R Ponting *
4 B Hodge
5 M Hussey
6 A Gilchrist +
7 B Lee
8 S Warne
9 N Bracken
10 S MacGill
11 G McGrath
12th man Symonds

Well its obv, that South Africa are a determined and strong willed lot so I am goin for the 5 man attack and Im hopin bloody well that Punter uses both Bracken & MacGill to their potential instead of Warney all day.

1.

Mate, did you even watch the Ashes or the first innings of this Test? Or the way our middle-order has been collapsing for ages? Or the form of Gilchrist in the last six months? The last thing Australia should do is pick only five specialist batsmen. Our batting has been vulnerable of late. McGrath, Lee, McGill and Warne are more than capable of taking 20 wickets. It's when the selectors substitute McGill for an inferior seamer - Kasprowicz, Gillespie, Bracken etc - that a fifth bowler would be handy. Otherwise, the aforementioned quartet must play in Melbourne and Sydney, along with the six best batsmen, and Gilly at seven.

 

[Dasa]

As a sidenote Aus last few draws have coincided with McGrath being ordinary/out of sorts. Shows how impt a fit an firing McGrath is to this team

I think McGrath is the most important part of this Australian attack. Even with Warne's brilliant form in the Ashes, it was the loss of McGrath that hurt them.

On another note, a wonderful innings by Rudolph today. I've always rated him, and although he went through a bad patch (particularly against England), I hope he is a part of the SAf team for a long time to come. He's certainly better than Prince et al.

 

[irfan]

Mate, did you even watch the Ashes or the first innings of this Test? Or the way our middle-order has been collapsing for ages? Or the form of Gilchrist in the last six months? The last thing Australia should do is pick only five specialist batsmen. Our batting has been vulnerable of late. McGrath, Lee, McGill and Warne are more than capable of taking 20 wickets. It's when the selectors substitute McGill for an inferior seamer - Kasprowicz, Gillespie, Bracken etc - that a fifth bowler would be handy. Otherwise, the aforementioned quartet must play in Melbourne and Sydney, along with the six best batsmen, and Gilly at seven.

Well I only suggested the 5 man attack after the squad for the boxing day test was released to the media - and out of the 12 symonds is the only player that doesnt deserve his spot in the side. If clarke/martyn was included in the squad then I'm all for the 4 man attak otherwise 5 man - symo has best contributed in the field - y not make him 12th man

 

[SpaceMonkey]

On another note, a wonderful innings by Rudolph today. I've always rated him, and although he went through a bad patch (particularly against England),

A number of players over the last few years have gone through bad patches vs England, or if you look at it the other way England have made them look like they are out of form. I never thought id say that about Englands attack just a few years ago!

 

[jack_sparrow]

What is up with australians and racism. No seriously. WTF is up with them?

Yet again,

South Africa Issue Complaint Over Racism from Crowd

If pakistan is the place one generalizes about unsecure, and india being a place where teams get mysterious food poisoning, and england being a place where one encounters nothing but drunk people in the stands, then australia is a place where racism is most prevalent.

 

[honestbharani]

Well done, RSA. And it is kinda ironic that Ponting (who criticized Lara for playing on for his personal score) allowed Hodge to complete his 200. That hour could have been the difference, IMO.


BTW, I am delighted to see Rudolph among the runs. I have rated him for a while now and I was amongst those who were extremely disappointed with the daft ways he was getting himself out, esp. when in India last year.

 

[Slow Love™]

Well, I don't think Ponting's decision to nurse Hodge to his double hundred cost the match - but it was quite unnecessary, just like the call to bat on to a 560 or so lead when Martyn was nursed to a century last year at Perth (that Pakistan was bundled out for 70-odd by a rampant McGrath doesn't change the point). I guess the crap will really hit the fan when he does this and we end up a wicket or two short at the end... But on this occasion the South Africans just exhibited great concentration and determination, particularly Rudolph, whose century was extremely valuable and he withstood some intense pressure.

Don't think anybody's mentioned it, but I thought Billy Doctrove, umpiring only his fifth test, did a really great job, with some tough calls. Apparently he has some background as a FIFA ref. If his performance is any indication of the standard of some of the new arrivals to the international panel, things are definitely on the way up.

Anyhow, good stuff from the Saffies, holding out for over a day and without Kallis too. It looks like we have an interesting series on our hands.

 

[Slow Love™]

What is up with australians and racism. No seriously. WTF is up with them?

Yet again,

South Africa Issue Complaint Over Racism from Crowd

If pakistan is the place one generalizes about unsecure, and india being a place where teams get mysterious food poisoning, and england being a place where one encounters nothing but drunk people in the stands, then australia is a place where racism is most prevalent.

I think the generalisation you're making is pointless - but I'm pretty nervous about what might have been said in the crowd. Does anybody who was there have any idea what the chants were? We really don't need these idiots anywhere, let alone the cricket.

 

[Pratters]

I havent been able to catch much action but Ponting is a major problem as a captain.

Leaving so late to declare?!

I criticised his not enforcing the follow on after a test vs the Windies, his poor tactics in field placements in the Ashes and vs Bangladesh in the one dayer Australia lost.

A very poor captain.

 

[marc71178]

I guess the crap will really hit the fan when he does this and we end up a wicket or two short at the end...

I wonder how many more would've fallen with an extra half an hour or so on the 4th evening?

 

[marc71178]

I think McGrath is the most important part of this Australian attack. Even with Warne's brilliant form in the Ashes, it was the loss of McGrath that hurt them.

Actually I think there is a second part to that.

It wasn't just that McGrath was missing, but Gillespie's ability had gone, and where previously he'd have stepped in and not been as good, but certainly he'd gone a long way to plugging the gap.

 

[The Maestro]

I just heard Smiths comments and thought the same thing at the time, the decleration was far too late

Typical aussie arrogance biting them on the *** again

 

[aussie]

Yeah ok 126 overs is plenty but only if South Africa had a sniff of victory which they didn't due to defensive captaincy from Ponting.

I don't know why you guys tolerate Ponting? Sure he is a great player but he is a pretty poor captain. Gilly or Warney himself would be better options.

Defensive captaincy?, what were u watching Ponting had fairly attacking fields for all the bowlers excpet Bracken, they were just denied by some excellent batting simple, geez you people are making ponting out to be such a horrible skipper when he's not...

 

[Top_Cat]

Fair enough Lee got 5 in the first innings, but he didn't make much of an impact in the second, he had 31 overs and could only take 1 wicket, it's a bit different for him when batsman don't feel the need to score off him. All I can say is, "good luck Bing once McGrath retires, you'll need it."

Harsh, man. Lee took 5-fer in the first innings, well and truly doing his bit, and bowled 30 overs in the second. You saying 'a bit different for him when batsman don't feel the need to score off him' and solely attributing that to Lee is very harsh; it is very tough no matter who you are or how well you bowl to get batsmen out who are only concentrating on staying out there, especially on a relatively flat deck. I notice you didn't mention how McGrath only took one wicket and he's one of the best bowlers the game has ever seen. At least Lee looked dangerous on occasions, something that could not be said of McGrath.

I reckon the blame does lie largely with Ponting but not for time required to bowl SA out because 126 overs should have been plenty. The 491 runs was the problem. It gave SA zero chance to win the match so it made their task simple; survive. Anything non-threatening they could just let go to the 'keeper knowing there's no pressure to score. A team without pressure to score is damn tough to get out. You can't build pressure and then throw out the wide ball for the snick behind because they're looking to leave everything, for example. You're basically relying on being able to bowl 10 unplayable deliveries and on that pitch, no chance.

Speaking of the pitch, that's easily the flattest Perth deck I've ever seen. Don't know where the groundsman's head is at.

 

[aussie]

As at Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, The Oval, Australia has once again been exposed without a firing Glenn McGrath. It's not just his bowling, but the fact that the other quicks seem to feed off him, as much as Warne relies on him to make early in-roads. He was strangely out of sorts in this match, and it's crucial for Australia's chances in this series that he lifts for the remaining games.

yep, honestly he did look a bit out of sorts yesterday maybe it was sidefects from the flu that he had leading up to this test. But i'm backing him to get back to his best for the remaing two test.

 

[aussie]

my teams for boxing day

1 P Jaques
2 M Hayden
3 R Ponting *
4 B Hodge
5 M Hussey
6 A Gilchrist +
7 B Lee
8 S Warne
9 N Bracken
10 S MacGill
11 G McGrath
12th man Symonds.

not comfortable with that team at all to be honest, hopefully that wont be the side...

 

[aussie]

Harsh, man. Lee took 5-fer in the first innings, well and truly doing his bit, and bowled 30 overs in the second. You saying 'a bit different for him when batsman don't feel the need to score off him' and solely attributing that to Lee is very harsh; it is very tough no matter who you are or how well you bowl to get batsmen out who are only concentrating on staying out there, especially on a relatively flat deck. I notice you didn't mention how McGrath only took one wicket and he's one of the best bowlers the game has ever seen. At least Lee looked dangerous on occasions, something that could not be said of McGrath.

I reckon the blame does lie largely with Ponting but not for time required to bowl SA out because 126 overs should have been plenty. The 491 runs was the problem. It gave SA zero chance to win the match so it made their task simple; survive. Anything non-threatening they could just let go to the 'keeper knowing there's no pressure to score. A team without pressure to score is damn tough to get out. You can't build pressure and then throw out the wide ball for the snick behind because they're looking to leave everything, for example. You're basically relying on being able to bowl 10 unplayable deliveries and on that pitch, no chance.

Speaking of the pitch, that's easily the flattest Perth deck I've ever seen. Don't know where the groundsman's head is at.

well said my man Kyle defiantely isn't a Lee fan, but on the perth deck yea i've seen all perth test since the 98 ashes & this is definately thr flatest.

 

[Blaze]

Defensive captaincy?, what were u watching Ponting had fairly attacking fields for all the bowlers excpet Bracken, they were just denied by some excellent batting simple, geez you people are making ponting out to be such a horrible skipper when he's not...

I am not neccessairly talking about his on field captaincy on the fifth day (although that was questionable at times as well). I am talking about him letting his side bat for far too long. He should have given South Africa the incentive to bat for the win so that more chances for wickets would arise. Instead he gave them only one option, bat for the draw and South Africa did just that.

Rudolph was outstanding but I doubt we would have seen a knock like that if South Africa had have been chasing 100 runs less.

Oh and yes he is Australia's worst captain for 25 years. He is clueless now that Australia are dropping all the players with cricket brains that he used to feed off. (Lehman especially)

 

[Top_Cat]

Oh and yes he is Australia's worst captain for 25 years. He is clueless now that Australia are dropping the players with cricket brains that he used to feed off. (Lehman especially)

"Brains............... BRAINS!!!"