***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[Blaze]

I can't believe Healy couldn't get that trivia. The easiest one in a long time.

What is someone who is an expert of the game not getting something like that?

Healy is a cheerleader. I even turn the volume up when Nicholas replaces him.

What was the question?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

What was the result of Pontings first series as captain.

 

[Blaze]

Smith is going to get a lot of criticism for setting such a sporting total. I think his intentions were right, his bowlers just aren't good enough to bowl Aus out for under 300.

 

[Jono]

Smith is going to get a lot of criticism for setting such a sporting total. I think his intentions were right, his bowlers just aren't good enough to bowl Aus out for under 300.

Nah I reckon he would have received more crticism had he batted on for a lead of 350 or something. I reckon he'll receive some praise for the declaration, whether they win, lose or draw.

 

[Blaze]

Nah I reckon he would have received more crticism had he batted on for a lead of 350 or something. I reckon he'll receive some praise for the declaration, whether they win, lose or draw.

True, the people who would have criticised him for going for the draw are probably the same people who will get into him for giving Australia too little to chase though IMO.

 

[Jono]

Man Ponting can I have some of that form? Got a game this Saturday and could use a little of it.

He's batting like a God right now.

 

[The Maestro]

Well Smiths "big balls" are starting to look flat out stupid now, Australia are coasting to this target and you could argue a "just under pass mark" 1-0 series loss away has been carelessly turning into a "not acceptable" 2-0 loss

Hes been under a lot of pressure in this series and I think thats caused a brain explosion here

Also ...if SA were happy top declare when they did with only 6 down? Why wasnt the pedal being pressed down earlier ie by Kallis? Is this an example of one of his 50 not outs actually putting his own team under pressure? Not the sort of thing you expect from the alleged worlds number one batsmen

 

[Son Of Coco]

Kallis' apparent selfishness isnt visible today.

Improvised reverse sweep on the last ball.

98 overs in the day - I was thinking it would be around 90. So chance of a bit more lead than 220. 85 overs hopefully but 80 overs to bowl at Australia looks more likely!

Highest score at SCG to win a test match is 276 - 108 years ago. So why not declare around 250!

??

I wouldn't exactly say he was going for it...how many full tosses do you need to get before you try to put one over the fence? I think Boucher's glare back at him as he walked off after having a go said it all.

 

[Robertinho]

Smith's declaration today has earnt him alot of respect in my books. A really sporting declaration. Good to see.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Man Ponting can I have some of that form? Got a game this Saturday and could use a little of it.

He's batting like a God right now.

I remember in the first Super Series ODI I looked at him and thought he was in for a big summer, and I think I said so on here somewhere. He's just looked unstoppable - every time he goes out there, he looks like getting a hundred, and when he doesn't it feels like he's been robbed. If he makes it here, that'll be 5 in 7 tests in the summer.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Do you want him to throw the wicket foolishly playing a rash shot early in the day when the team has decided to bat more overs?

How would that add to the team cause?

He has made sure not to loose his wicket while improvising - and the other batsman has played more agressively from the other end.

And as you see now - more positive batting right now from South Africa - another reverse sweep from Kallis to get two.

The batsmen at the other end played more aggressively due to the pressure placed on them by one batman not doing so. If he's ranked 2nd in the world then surely he has some shots. Prince got out trying to force the run-rate up, as did Rudolph and Boucher...it's possible Pollock should have come in earlier as he IS a natural strokemaker, however rooting yourself to the crease and attempting to reverse sweep everything isn't exactly attacking. I think Kallis would have been better playing normal cricket shots to most of the balls he tried to reverse sweep, as pre-meditating a shot and then having a ball pitch full outside leg serves no purpose at all given the position his team were in. What Kallis did by taking 1's and 2's was put enormous pressure on the guy at the other end to score runs. 50* does wonders for the average though...

 

[Blaze]

I remember in the first Super Series ODI I looked at him and thought he was in for a big summer, and I think I said so on here somewhere. He's just looked unstoppable - every time he goes out there, he looks like getting a hundred, and when he doesn't it feels like he's been robbed. If he makes it here, that'll be 5 in 7 tests in the summer.

It's a shame that success like that couldn't come to a better person.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Really wonderful moment, that. You could see how much it meant to him.

 

[parttimer]

Really wonderful moment, that. You could see how much it meant to him.

Congratulations to Punter. Two hundreds in his 100th test and the 2nd innings one chanceless. 28 hundreds now, now only 7 behind Tendulkar!

 

[GotSpin]

It's a shame that success like that couldn't come to a better person.

Like who

what has punter done to offend you

 

[Jono]

Like who

what has punter done to offend you

He keeps getting tons and hence forces us to see his balding head

What a test match for Ponting. Like seriously, who even dreams of scoring two tons in two innings in your 100th test match, not to mention win the match by 8 wickets. Oh, to captain the team as well.

Fair effort.

 

[andyc]

Hell of a game and summer there from Ponting.

Starting from the Super Series till now, he's hit 46, 54, 149, 104*, 17, 0*, 56, 3, 71, 53, 117, 11, 120 and 143*. That's 944 runs at 85.81.

 

[Sanz]

Fantastic Effort by Ponting, he accepted the challenge and Led his team to a superb win. I feel sorry for Smith, he took a bold decision and IMO it deserve a lot of praise, He could simply have chosen the Boring way to end this match but he didn't.

Once again congratulations to Australia.

 

[Dydl]

What a test match for Ponting. Like seriously, who even dreams of scoring two tons in two innings in your 100th test match, not to mention win the match by 8 wickets.

He's the only person in the history of cricket to score 100s in both innings of his 100th test as well...

 

[howardj]

Man, I enjoyed that Test series. Lucky enough to be on holidays for most of it, and Ive just lapped it up. At least the South Africans show some fight, and losing really hurts them.