***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[Pratters]

Covers coming off apparently.

 

[Pratters]

Match to start at 00.00 GMT. *Delighted*

 

[marc71178]

Bah. I was online and active during the match yesterday. Stop trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Well start being less one-eyed in complaining about the umpiring then.

 

[garage flower]

Haven't read this thread yet but from what I heard today, the commentary was abysmal.

Ian Healy OUT

Michael Slater IN.

Healy is just a cheerleader for Australia.

It was either Healy or possibly Lawry who produced the most laughable piece of commentary of the series during the 2nd test. All the Aussies produced a hysterical appeal for a Gilchrist catch (as is their wont) and the Aussie commentator implied that it must be out because (and I paraphrase) "Gilchrist only appeals when he's certain".

Yesterday, even Benaud dodged the question when - after Snicko confirmed that Pollock was clearly not out caught behind off Shane the Panto Dame - Tony Greig wondered why Saint Adam and the rest had appealed so aggressively (and - in Gilchrist's case - given Pollock an earful).

Didn't think I'd ever root for South Africa so passionately.

 

[Pratters]

Tony Greig was great yesterday. He really had fun with Healy.

Looking at the bowling figures he noted Warne so many overs 1 wicket (just before he got Nel), MacGill so many overs ... what was this talk of RSA not being able to handle spinners at Sydney and being all out for 150..

When Healy feigned ignorance, Greig 'now come one you read the same papers as I do and those stories are every where.'

 

[Pratters]

oh that could so easily have gone to the fielder. Ponting has looked dodgy with inside edges and what not. He is playing his shots though.

 

[Pratters]

And now Ponting is hitting those fours off the middle of his bat. And Hussey is looking solid as ever.

Langeveldt is bowling a superb line as always and is getting swing as well but no success.

RSA need a wicket soon!

 

[aussie]

well played 50 to Punters he definately the best in the world these days on current form. I reckon along with Hussey could is Australia's other in-form batsman can be the pair to help Australia out of this whole.

 

[Pratters]

Hussey was out plumb. Aaaah.

 

[Tim]

That was a terrible decision...you couldn't get it any more plumb than that.

 

[aussie]

oh dear that wasn't a good decision, ah well Australia won't mind the luck.

 

[Jono]

Dar obviously thought he hit it. Pretty poor decision.

Chapelli's right, Nel took the decision well. He didn't have a cry like Smith did, and he didn't continously ask why like Lee.

 

[Tim]

Well, there was bat on pad, ball on pad then ball on bat so if you put that altogether in real-time..it would have put alot of doubt into Dar's mind. Still, it looked pretty clear cut that the ball hit pad first so..it has to go down as an error by the Umpire.

 

[Pratters]

Dar obviously thought he hit it. Pretty poor decision.

Chapelli's right, Nel took the decision well. He didn't have a cry like Smith did, and he didn't continously ask why like Lee.

Yep. Considering the match situation - very admirable how Nel reacted and kudos to Chappell for pointing it out.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I'm not one to usually lay it out on the umpires but seriously, the state of umpiring this summer has been atrocious at best. What the hell is this crap?

 

[Tim]

Yeah there's been a few shockers in NZ too. The standard seems to have slipped..although I only see NZ & Australian matches so I don't know what its like through the rest of the world.

 

[Pratters]

That four hurt. It really did.

 

[Pratters]

R.Ponting and J.Kallis are different kinds of players Mr. Chappell and they play different roles.

 

[social]

Yeah there's been a few shockers in NZ too. The standard seems to have slipped..although I only see NZ & Australian matches so I don't know what its like through the rest of the world.

2 WI were excellent in last 2 tests.

Billy and Rudi have been very poor for most of the year.

Billy, in particular, seems to have let his ego get the better of him

Darrel Hair is pedantic and inconsistent.

Aleem Dar is inconsistent at best.

Unfortunately, Aus never gets to see Simon Taufel, who apparently is the most highly rated.

Whilst it's a monumentally hard job, decisions like Kallis' lbw, Boucher's caught behind, Martyn's lbws in the Ashes, etc, etc, etc were so bad that it's not funny.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

R.Ponting and J.Kallis are different kinds of players Mr. Chappell and they play different roles.

Yeah, Chappell just needs to pull that broom out of his ***.