***Official*** South Africa in Australia

[Jono]

MacGill's Test hopes took a dive yesterday after MCG curator Tony Ware declared Australia would be ill-advised to play two spinners on a grassy Melbourne wicket.

Interesting. Surely MacGill will still play? I don't see a grassy wicket helping Bracken that much.

 

[howardj]

Hints suggesting MacGill will miss out again and Bracken and Symonds are to play.

Oh God. I cant believe that. Surely MacGill will play. Im sick of hearing about supposed 'greentops' etc, only for Australia to play a 3rd quick, and for him to be ineffective. How many times do I have to say it - you do not need a raging turner for McGill and Warne to play well together. Adelaide and Hobart are great examples. This idea that the ball has to be turning square, for MacGill and Warne to be effective together, is ridiculous.

 

[Dasa]

I think it's a bit harsh to call Hodge and Hussey inexperienced, as though they're a couple of wide-eyed 20 somethings. They're well into their 30's and have made bucketloads of FC runs.

Well, they are inexperienced in terms of Test matches and there is still a huge gulf between Tests and FC level. You wouldn't want to rely on them now against a really good attack, so early on in their careers, so weakening the batting wouldn't make any sense IMO.

 

[parttimer]

Interesting. Surely MacGill will still play? I don't see a grassy wicket helping Bracken that much.

Thats gotta be a first. A grassy wicket not helping a specialist swing bowler

 

[irfan]

Give Symonds one more chance at 6, I have a feeling he will rise to the occassion (e.g 2003 WC against PAK). If he fails again, I wouldnt mind seein the 5 bowler attack esp against a dogged SAf attack on the PROVISO that Ponting uses all 5 bowlers effectively instead of having Warne bowlin 50 overs and Bracken 10. If Ponting insists on revovlivng the attack around Warne then go for the 4 man attack with MacGill&Warne

 

[irfan]

Thats gotta be a first. A grassy wicket not helping a specialist swing bowler

IMO, Bracken's effect on grassy wicket << MacGill's effect on any wicket as he still turns the ball a mile. So MacGill shud be picked - there is no need for the wicket to be a huge turner for both Warne & MacGill to be played

 

[Josh]

I think it's a bit harsh to call Hodge and Hussey inexperienced, as though they're a couple of wide-eyed 20 somethings. They're well into their 30's and have made bucketloads of FC runs.

Exactly.

 

[Josh]

IMO, Bracken's effect on grassy wicket << MacGill's effect on any wicket as he still turns the ball a mile. So MacGill shud be picked - there is no need for the wicket to be a huge turner for both Warne & MacGill to be played

Problem is I get the feeling that a lot of "high up" people don't really like MacGill.

Doesn't bother me, I can't stand him myself.

 

[Burpey]

Problem is I get the feeling that a lot of "high up" people don't really like MacGill.

Doesn't bother me, I can't stand him myself.

What's wrong with MacGill?

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Thing is, McGrath and Lee can do anything Bracken can, only faster and more accurately. Even Gillespie and Kasprowicz offered something different to the side (reverse swing, off-cutters, movement off flat wickets).

Warne and MacGill have such completely different styles that they can take wickets in sync on any wicket. Their only similarity is that they turn the ball in the same direction.

 

[Josh]

What's wrong with MacGill?

He's smug and arrogant, and I hate the way he carries on after he gets a wicket, looks like he's been trying 7 months to take a dump and he's gonna do it right there on the pitch.

 

[Burpey]

Thing is, McGrath and Lee can do anything Bracken can, only faster and more accurately. Even Gillespie and Kasprowicz offered something different to the side (reverse swing, off-cutters, movement off flat wickets).

Warne and MacGill have such completely different styles that they can take wickets in sync on any wicket. Their only similarity is that they turn the ball in the same direction.

Yeah, I agree with most of that . Except I don't think any Aussie can swing it as much as Bracks and he is faster than McGrath.

 

[Josh]

Thing is, McGrath and Lee can do anything Bracken can, only faster and more accurately. Even Gillespie and Kasprowicz offered something different to the side (reverse swing, off-cutters, movement off flat wickets).

Warne and MacGill have such completely different styles that they can take wickets in sync on any wicket. Their only similarity is that they turn the ball in the same direction.

I'm still surprised Kasprowicz hasn't been recalled. Actually I'm still stunned he was dropped

 

[Burpey]

He's smug and arrogant, and I hate the way he carries on after he gets a wicket, looks like he's been trying 7 months to take a dump and he's gonna do it right there on the pitch.

Wow, I really don't see that at all. I can think of much more smug and arrogant players in the Aussie team (Hayden and Warne for example). And I prefer his celebrations to Brett Lee's

 

[Jono]

Thats gotta be a first. A grassy wicket not helping a specialist swing bowler

Wow someone likes to over react. Where did I say it wouldn't aid Bracken at all? I said it wouldn't help him that much, and its obviously better for MacGill to play rather than bank on the fact that hopefully Bracken will be aided by the conditions. Because if he's not, and he's as unpenetrative as I expect he'll be, you're down to 3 attacking bowlers and one to tie up an end aren't you?

And just because you decided to...

 

[aussie]

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)

9 times out of ten, Australia with Pigeon & Warne would bowl teams out in 130 overs given whatever incentive to the team so IMO think Punters decison was justified, SA just batted well simple, after all i'm sure most people reckoned SA were going to be bowled out.

Yes Ponting probably is the worst skipper for 25 years, but he isn't as horrible has some on this forum are making him out to be, i've seen him make some top decisions in test & ODI's so i'm happy with him.

 

[aussie]

I actually think you can. I don't know about anyone else, but on Sunday afternoon I was talking to my television and asking why Ponting had not declared. With a big lead, you should normally always leave yourself more than four sessions to bowl out the opposition - particularly on a flat deck, and particularly when your strike bowler is suffering the effects of a virus. It's not hindsight, as I say, I - and I bet many others around the country - were wondering what the hell Ponting was doing on the Sunday afternoon.

McGrath only started to look out of sorts in the second innings, so again NO we cant blame ponting...

 

[age_master]

He's smug and arrogant, and I hate the way he carries on after he gets a wicket, looks like he's been trying 7 months to take a dump and he's gonna do it right there on the pitch.

and thats coming from a Hodge fan

 

[aussie]

He's smug and arrogant, and I hate the way he carries on after he gets a wicket, looks like he's been trying 7 months to take a dump and he's gonna do it right there on the pitch.

calm down

 

[Josh]

and thats coming from a Hodge fan

I don't get it.