***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[andyc]

I don't think Ponting's declaration was that bad. He had four sessions, most of which were on a 5th day pitch, and the SA batting line-up had just been out for less than 300. On pretty much any day you'd tip Warne, Lee, McGrath and Bracken to finish them off

 

[Demolition Man]

He's doing his best to make Ashley Giles on flat wickets look like Murali!

He is also pontings love child.

 

[Mister Wright]

I don't think Ponting's declaration was that bad. He had four sessions, most of which were on a 5th day pitch, and the SA batting line-up had just been out for less than 300. On pretty much any day you'd tip Warne, Lee, McGrath and Bracken to finish them off

Ponting probably thought they were going to bowl them out in 3 sessions so he didn't worry about cutting Hodge's innings short It was catch 22 for Ponting. If he had of declarded with Hodge short and Australia won easily before lunch he would have looked like an idiot. He should have realised though, that having Bracken in your side you are a bowler short, so he should have taken that into account.

 

[Langeveldt]

Great stuff by the Affies boy, I woke up this morning expecting the worst and am predictably ecstatic.. Thats called stepping up to the plate when you are needed and I'm soo glad he has proved me wrong!

 

[irfan]

WELL done the SAffies, both Kemp and esp. Rudolph played extremely well and negotiatied Warne out of the rough admirably, they thoroughly deserved the draw. Rudolph is a deadset left handed version of Kallis i reckon and his powers of concentration were amazing to bat the whole day.

I feel Aus failed to win not because they didnt get enough overs at the SAfricans (130 is more than plenty considering Aus has two world class options plus and ever improving Lee and 9/10 they wud've won) but rather this can be partly attributed to the lack of thought in Ponting's captaincy - Symonds shud hav got a lot more overs esp at Rudolph and not giving Warne a decent break instead of expecting him to run thru the lineup. The criticism levelled at Ponting cos of declaration time is very harsh but if it's cos his bowling and fielding ideas then it's fair.

 

[Mister Wright]

WELL done the SAffies, both Kemp and esp. Rudolph played extremely well and negotiatied Warne out of the rough admirably, they thoroughly deserved the draw. Rudolph is a deadset left handed version of Kallis i reckon and his powers of concentration were amazing to bat the whole day.

I feel Aus failed to win not because they didnt get enough overs at the SAfricans (130 is more than plenty considering Aus has two world class options plus and ever improving Lee and 9/10 they wud've won) but rather this can be partly attributed to the lack of thought in Ponting's captaincy - Symonds shud hav got a lot more overs esp at Rudolph and not giving Warne a decent break instead of expecting him to run thru the lineup. The criticism levelled at Ponting cos of declaration time is very harsh but if it's cos his bowling and fielding ideas then it's fair.

That's a very good point. Symond sis playing as an allrounder and therefore should get more than 3 overs for the innings. As good as Warne is, if he's bowling a llot of overs on the trot and is not getting wickets, he needs to be changed or at the least rested.

 

[irfan]

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.

SAfrica
1 G Smith *
2 A B De Villiers
3 H Gibbs
4 J Kallis
5 J Rudolph
6 A Prince
7 M Boucher +
8 S Pollock
9 N Boje
10 M Ntini
11 A Nel
12thman J Kemp

i'd have Kallis for Kemp as its like-for-like and Kallis is a vastly better batter and prob a better bowler
and Boje for Langeveldt to vary the attack


1.

 

[Prince EWS]

Symonds is playing as an allrounder and therefore should get more than 3 overs for the innings.

Regardless of what he is playing is, he is not an effective bowler at test level. I dont think his mediums are any better than that of Hussey, and I dont think his off breaks are significantly better to that of Ponting or Hodge. He can certainly keep it tighter than these bowlers, which makes him effective in ODI cricket, but I dont think he really has more chance of taking a wicket than them if the batsmen are simply defending him, which they were clearly going to do in that situation.

 

[irfan]

People, can we maintain perspective?

The last time the Australians bowled last in Perth they won with only 72 less than their initial lead, in less than a session. Ponting gave his men four sessions to bowl out the 'fragile' South African batting order, on a wicket that looked like Shahid Afridi had hosted a rave party on it.
Kemp played well. Can we turn our eyes to Boxing Day?

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

 

[Mister Wright]

Regardless of what he is playing is, he is not an effective bowler at test level. I dont think his mediums are any better than that of Hussey, and I dont think his off breaks are significantly better to that of Ponting or Hodge. He can certainly keep it tighter than these bowlers, which makes him effective in ODI cricket, but I dont think he really has more chance of taking a wicket than them if the batsmen are simply defending him, which they were clearly going to do in that situation.

I don't know how anyone could think that Symonds shouldn't have got more overs when the 4 frontline bowlers were given 130 overs to take 10 wickets and they only took 5.

 

[Mister Wright]

1 G Smith *
2 A B De Villiers
3 H Gibbs
4 J Kallis
5 J Rudolph
6 A Prince
7 M Boucher +
8 S Pollock
9 N Boje
10 M Ntini
11 A Nel
12thman J Kemp

i'd have Kallis for Kemp as its like-for-like and Kallis is a vastly better batter and prob a better bowler
and Boje for Langeveldt to vary the attack


1.

I don't see how Kemp can be dropped when he hung in there for a gutsy 50, while Prince failed in both innings.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Ponting probably thought they were going to bowl them out in 3 sessions so he didn't worry about cutting Hodge's innings short It was catch 22 for Ponting. If he had of declarded with Hodge short and Australia won easily before lunch he would have looked like an idiot. He should have realised though, that having Bracken in your side you are a bowler short, so he should have taken that into account.

Bracken was no worse than Lee or McGrath in the second innings. He was accurate but relatively innocuous.

 

[Mister Wright]

Bracken was no worse than Lee or McGrath in the second innings. He was accurate but relatively innocuous.

Which makes it worse. Where was the 'wonderfully dangerous' Brett Lee when Australia REALLY needed him? McGrath can't do it every game.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Which makes it worse. Where was the 'wonderfully dangerous' Brett Lee when Australia REALLY needed him? McGrath can't do it every game.

Well, he took five wickets in the first innings...

 

[Mister Wright]

Well, he took five wickets in the first innings...

We have too many bowlers in Lee and Bracken who rely far too much for conditions to be in their favour or weak batting line-ups to make any sort of impact. MacGill is a far better bowler than Bracken, and I don't care if they are playing on the beach he should play every time ahead of Bracken. I don't see the point of Bracken being in the side if he is only going to dry the runs up, we've seen Symonds do that twice now, bring in someone who's going to take wickets. 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."

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't know how anyone could think that Symonds shouldn't have got more overs when the 4 frontline bowlers were given 130 overs to take 10 wickets and they only took 5.

If Symonds should have got more overs, so should Ponting, Hussey and Hodge.

Symonds had absolutely buckleys chance of taking a wicket today, regardless of how many overs he bowled.

 

[Mister Wright]

If Symonds should have got more overs, so should Ponting, Hussey and Hodge.

Symonds had absolutely buckleys chance of taking a wicket today, regardless of how many overs he bowled.

I don't understand your logic here. Ponting and Hoge don't regularly bowl in first class cricket, and Hussey bowls only now and then. Whereas Symonds bowls first change and backs up with spinners for Qld, he should have been given more overs.

 

[parttimer]

Obviously Ponting thinks very little of Symonds bowling cos he bowled him for 3 overs, and then bought of all pple Hodge on. Quite strange, after being a vocal supporter in the past. As for any effect on the match though.. didley squat.

Question to the selectors - Why didn't they pick Mcgill for this test when one of our youngster leggies ran thru the same team on the same pitch just last week? How can a pitch go from a raging turner to a fast bowling paradise in a short space of time? Can't happen.

That said Bracken looked more dangerous today than either Lee or Mcgrath - the fact he's got Smith twice now (the 2nd innings inswinger was a beaut) says he should get a few more chances but'll have to make way for Mcgill for the time being. Mcgrath's trot continues, which now IMO stretches as far back as a certain incident involving a certain ankle and ball..

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't understand your logic here. Ponting and Hoge don't regularly bowl in first class cricket, and Hussey bowls only now and then. Whereas Symonds bowls first change and backs up with spinners for Qld, he should have been given more overs.

I dont how regularly they bowl. Ive seen them all bowl, and they all had an equal chance of taking a wicket today.

Symonds can take wickets when conditions really suit seam/swing bowling, or when batsmen really try to attack him. Neither of these things were happening today - in fact quite the opposite was. Hence, he only bowled 3 overs.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

We have too many bowlers in Lee and Bracken who rely far too much for conditions to be in their favour or weak batting line-ups to make any sort of impact. MacGill is a far better bowler than Bracken, and I don't care if they are playing on the beach he should play every time ahead of Bracken. I don't see the point of Bracken being in the side if he is only going to dry the runs up, we've seen Symonds do that twice now, bring in someone who's going to take wickets. 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."

Look, Lee's got some flaws as a bowler, but he's improved massively, and for me he looked by far the most likely of all the seamers today. He got some reverse at pace, was pretty accurate and bowled some really superb overs, including one to Rudolph where he beat him all ends up twice and got an edge that bounced just in front of Gilchrist. So far this summer he averages around 20 with the ball with 24 wickets in 4 tests, and about 30 with the bat. He's had a superb summer, and there's really no reason to start criticising him because he was one of three bowlers who was well kept out by good batting in dead conditions.