***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[Robertinho]

Ponting's average has shot up to 57.70 When's the next test series for Australia? Is it the one in South Africa? If this purple patch continues.. he'll be pushing 60..

 

[Burpey]

On that pitch there was no way South Africa would have won that, even if they had four sessions to bowl at the Aussies. The ball only beat the bat in the first few overs then it was playing pretty well.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Ponting's average has shot up to 57.70 When's the next test series for Australia? Is it the one in South Africa? If this purple patch continues.. he'll be pushing 60..

First post!

As far as I know, Australia's next Test series is the return trip to South Africa in a couple of months. The Aussies play the VB Series, then go over to South Africa.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

SA were unlucky with the weather - not because of the time lost but because the moisture in the air held the pitch together.

75% of Kallis' first innings was exactly what was called for.

The balance of his batting performance was totally self-serving. It's little wonder that a few SA batsmen glowered at him as they walked off.

I'm simply sorry that Prince finished on the losing side as he didnt deserve such a fate after a magnificent first innings and selfless second.

Kallis got no more than he deserved.

More than that, South Africa missed Ntini - he's the closest they have to a strike bowler, what with Pollock getting on in years. He could have done a good job roughing up the openers and making life a little more difficult for Ponting.

But failing to get Ponting out did it for the South Africans in the end. If he had gone cheaply, then it would have been into Australia's middle order, and anything could have happened. Obvious, yes, but South Africa needed Ntini and a good spinner. They had neither.

 

[andyc]

Welcome to CW, it's a great place.

Just referring to your second post there about needing a good spinner, I don't understand why South Africa would drop Nicky Boje, even though he admittedly hadn't played well in the second test. I mean, they take out a player with 36 tests experience for a guy who only just converted from medium pace to offspin.

 

[Gideon]

Welcome to CW, it's a great place.

Just referring to your second post there about needing a good spinner, I don't understand why South Africa would drop Nicky Boje, even though he admittedly hadn't played well in the second test. I mean, they take out a player with 36 tests experience for a guy who only just converted from medium pace to offspin.

Both has also been reported for a suspect action.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/231870.html

 

[Salamuddin]

The fundamental problem is that this South African attack is very mediocre.

Pollock is way, way past his best. Langeveldt is pretty average and BOtha, apart from being inexpereinced really doesn't have alot of variety.
Even Ntini is pretty average away from home.


All their pacers are of roughly the same pace....where is the successor to Allan Donald and Brett Schultz ? Where is Dale Steyn and the Black THunder ???????

 

[social]

Both has also been reported for a suspect action.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/231870.html

Hardly surprising.

 

[social]

The fundamental problem is that this South African attack is very mediocre.

Pollock is way, way past his best. Langeveldt is pretty average and BOtha, apart from being inexpereinced really doesn't have alot of variety.
Even Ntini is pretty average away from home.


All their pacers are of roughly the same pace....where is the successor to Allan Donald and Brett Schultz ? Where is Dale Steyn and the Black THunder ???????

SA attack is very good except for the fact they dont have a spinner.

 

[Salamuddin]

SA attack is very good except for the fact they dont have a spinner.

Their pace attack has no variety .......Don't the Saffies produce express pacemen any more ?

It's not really a great attack.....when you look deeper into the figures and when you see them bowl.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Thanks, andyc.

I was impressed by Nel. Didn't think he could back up his chatter when the series started but he's come away as probably South Africa's best performed bowler on the series.

Ntini isn't in Donald's class, but he is an express bowler, and he would have been useful today, especially with Pollock at the other end, keeping things tight - or at least trying to.

What happened to Nantie Hayward (sp?)?

Wasn't Kruger meant to be a quick? If he couldn't get in at any time during the series, he is no good?

Botha was a big gamble on the part of the South Africans, but Boje was very disappointing in Melbourne and did nothing to justify his place in the XI. As it turned out, Sydney wasn't as a spinner-friendly as usual, and I think the one spinner option was probably the right one to take, but the South Africans didn't seem to bring a good spinner with them this tour.

 

[Robertinho]

How was Boucher standing up to the stumps to Pollock?

Anyway, I thought Nel was pretty decent. His natural aggression & competitiveness meant he kept trying, despite being hit for six by Symonds

Ntini is definitely the best South African bowler, they needed him today.

 

[Gideon]

How was Boucher standing up to the stumps to Pollock?

He did a pretty good job, even though Pollock was only bowling around 115-120km/h when he was standing up at the stumps. And in the mood Hayden and Ponting were in, they didnt let many go through to Boucher.

 

[Top_Cat]

Well, excellent knock from Punter and some fantastic support from Haydos. I thought the declaration was about right, to be honest. The thing is, South Africa didn't bowl very well. Langeveldt looked dangerous early but Nel was atrocious and Botha was pumelled. It mystifies me how Jacques Rudolph bowled 12 overs and Kallis bowled less than that. Why ruin your average in a losing cause, eh?

But yeah, I get the feeling that Punter may well be a lot more up-front from now on. I get the feeling he's finally taken ownership of the title of 'Australian captain' and will try harder to stamp his authority in the field. Just get that feeling about him right now.

 

[Salamuddin]

Well, excellent knock from Punter and some fantastic support from Haydos. I thought the declaration was about right, to be honest. The thing is, South Africa didn't bowl very well. Langeveldt looked dangerous early but Nel was atrocious and Botha was pumelled. It mystifies me how Jacques Rudolph bowled 12 overs and Kallis bowled less than that. Why ruin your average in a losing cause, eh?

But yeah, I get the feeling that Punter may well be a lot more up-front from now on. I get the feeling he's finally taken ownership of the title of 'Australian captain' and will try harder to stamp his authority in the field. Just get that feeling about him right now.

Top_Cat, are you a former Aussie u-19 player ?

 

[Top_Cat]

Nope. About as close as I got to representing Australia was that I was under the age of 19 years once and am Australian. So technically I was available!

 

[Hodgo7]

Nope. About as close as I got to representing Australia was that I was under the age of 19 years once and am Australian. So technically I was available!

Are you a member of the Sportal forum as well Topcat ?

 

[aussie]

The fundamental problem is that this South African attack is very mediocre.

Pollock is way, way past his best. Langeveldt is pretty average and BOtha, apart from being inexpereinced really doesn't have alot of variety.
Even Ntini is pretty average away from home.


All their pacers are of roughly the same pace....where is the successor to Allan Donald and Brett Schultz ? Where is Dale Steyn and the Black THunder ???????

agreed Pollock is past his best & Botha along with a suspect action has little variety to date but its his 1st test. But their is no way Langeveldt can be classed has just pretty average the bloke is fairly good IMO, while Nitni in i think is a bit better away from home & its not as if he didn't bowl well in the 2 test he played.

But overall a full-stenght SA attack of Pollock/Ntini/Nel/Kallis/Boje is good if not world-class.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

But overall a full-stenght SA attack of Pollock/Ntini/Nel/Kallis/Boje is good is not world-class.

I don't think you can really count Kallis as any more of the SA attack than say Bell or Vaughan is in the England attack. Pollock, Ntini and Nel would command a place in most bowling attacks. But Boje is the real weak link, and the lack of anyone coming through - Botha is nothing special - is similar to the England or NZ situation.

 

[Slats4ever]

Well done Australia, and Graeme Smith. It was a great test match to go. I was lucky enough to go to days 1 to 4, but missed out on the 5th day cos I couldn't be bothered.

We had a very similar situation a few years ago when the Indians made a far from sporting declaration and ultimately cost their side a real shot at victory. The thing that I found so amazing about this match was the fortune of the batsman from both sides. I can only really comment on South Africa's first and second innings and Australia's first (cos I was at the golf course on the 5th day). To me it seemed like there were so many deliveries from Lee, McGrath, Nel, Pollock and Langeveldt consistently beating the bat and not taking edges. I simply couldn't believe how unlucky Australia were on the first morning and later when South Africa batted a second time, but then exactly the same thing happened for South Africa. The use of the new ball by both teams was phenomenal and I think that so often the ball was just to good for the batsman to hit.

The difference between the teams however was Ricky Ponting. His captaincy may be above par to the course, but if his batting can consistently save his captaincy boo boo's who cares.