***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[pasag]

Bollinger MUST play at the G. No two ways about it.

 

[TT Boy]

I think the selectors might just do the opposite and show faith in the same XI for the boxing day test, but if Australia end up losing this test series, then maybe a lot of heads could roll and Ponting' captaincy might too come under the scanner.

And then we can dig up the threads/posts, “Graeme Smith the captain killer”, “Graeme Smith is a minnow basher” and “Graeme Smith isn’t even in the top 10 openers in the world” - Absolute gem that one, rationale put forth was that "he doesn’t do it in Australia". You know where the surfaces are really tough to bat on and the bowling exceptional. 18 tons for South Africa and not one defeat in any of them...

 

[pup11]

All the more reason why the senior players should be able to take a tongue-lashing from the skipper.

Of course he should be critical of his team. That was a shocker from Australia, worse than anything in India IMO. Sure the wicket was flat, but he top order was under pressure both innings, and was dug out of a hole by the middle and lower order. A shed load of their dismissals were gifted to the opposition - cf: Clarke, Symonds x2, Ponting 2nd dig, even Katich 1st dig - hit on the full by a shin high full bunger when 80 not out ffs.

Then the bowling - Johnson was magnificient, Lee bowled two good spells only, Siddle not even half that, Krezja looked capable in the 1st innings, but bizarrely less so in the second.

It's piss poor, and he should tell them, and tell them publicly. In fact, were they flying back to Sydney tonight instead of to Melbourne, I think I'd pop out to Mascot and tell them myself. They were ****. After Johnson dug them out of a hole, the least the batsmen could do was completely bat SA out of it - only Haddin saved the day 2nd dig.

As for Ponting himself, he should stop working on telling us about how great the Sudanese Multi-vitamin Yak Poo (or whatever they are) tablets are, and start working on the techniques of his so called batsmen.

Of course Aussies were ****, and tbh if it hadn't been for Johnson' superb spell in the first innings then Australia could have had it worse, but anyhow there are a lot of issue currently in the side, and as i said before more then the batting the bowling side of things is a major worry.

Despite the top order not batting as well as it could have had the Aussies had 414 runs to play with, and despite the pitch being flat and unhelpful one would expect a better effort from them, and as much as the batting needs to worked on, its the bowling woes that are costing Australia the games, Krejza is giving away way too many runs and that is something the Aussies can't afford, Siddle and Lee (barring his spell yesterday evening) both never really looked like picking any wickets, and therefore it was all upto Johnson, and he did all he could but you surely can't expect to win games on the back of only one bowler, so if you ask me more than working on his and his batsmen' techniques, Ponting would be better served if he chalks out better bowling plans and a better bowling attack for the upcoming tests.

 

[Arrow]

Nothing wrong with our batting. Its always been up and down but ultimately was almost ALWAYS saved by our great bowlers of the past who always got us out of seemingly impossible situations. Thats all gone now and we are relying on a bunch of hacks. Johnson had a great game but hes a hack as well.

 

[Burgey]

Of course Aussies were ****, and tbh if it hadn't been for Johnson' superb spell in the first innings then Australia could have had it worse, but anyhow there are a lot of issue currently in the side, and as i said before more then the batting the bowling side of things is a major worry.

Despite the top order not batting as well as it could have had the Aussies had 414 runs to play with, and despite the pitch being flat and unhelpful one would expect a better effort from them, and as much as the batting needs to worked on, its the bowling woes that are costing Australia the games, Krejza is giving away way too many runs and that is something the Aussies can't afford, Siddle and Lee (barring his spell yesterday evening) both never really looked like picking any wickets, and therefore it was all upto Johnson, and he did all he could but you surely can't expect to win games on the back of only one bowler, so if you ask me more than working on his and his batsmen' techniques, Ponting would be better served if he chalks out better bowling plans and a better bowling attack for the upcoming tests.

The bowling's far more the problem than the batting I agree, but it's not about his plans mate, it's about not having the bowlers atm.

You can be Jardine, Taylor, Fleming, Brearley, Armstrong, Waugh, Vaughan, Benaud, and Chappelli all rolled into one, but if you don't have the bowlers you can't win. You can set the best fields, rotate the bowlers perfectly, try esoteric field placements, be all enthusiastic, be the best motivator in the history of the world, but if the bowlers can't hit an elephant in the arse with a 12 gauge, it's not worth a hill of beans.

And that's his problem, not whether he should have a 3rd slip or a second gully.

 

[Uppercut]

Calm down Aussies, you weren't that bad. It was moreso the SA batting exceptional than the Australian bowling disgraceful, on a pitch where the batsmen call the shots. Lee bowled a lot better than his figures suggest and Siddle did okay considering it's his second test match. Krezja's too inaccurate though, and in hindsight neither should have played. But there's no guarantee that anyone else would have done any better. When the only way you're going to get a wicket is with a world-class delivery, it's not easy.

 

[gettingbetter]

Where the heck has the Hilf come from? Surely there are better bowlers than him, he isn't even Tassie's no. 1 ATM. I really wouldn't be suprised to see Bollinger and Watson come in, or at least one of them.

 

[biased indian]

the only change i can think is take the batsmen off spinner out and put watson in ....but siddle is a worry is there any one better ....

 

[social]

Nothing wrong with our batting. Its always been up and down but ultimately was almost ALWAYS saved by our great bowlers of the past who always got us out of seemingly impossible situations. Thats all gone now and we are relying on a bunch of hacks. Johnson had a great game but hes a hack as well.

Much of the OZ batting was poor - Steyn, Morkel and Harris really didnt bowl very well at all and yet all took important wickets

Having said that, 414 is a lot of runs to defend and they never really looked like doing it, flat deck or not

Basically, it's a very inexperienced attack with the exception of Lee and he hasnt recovered from a crap preparation

Johnson is quality (he's getting people out on flat decks and the suggestion that he's a hack doesnt reflect too well on the opposing batsmen) but has zero support

Krezja was underdone (he's bowled 7 overs since India) and looked less threatening with every over

Siddle needs to rediscover the away swinger that got him in the team in the first place

They desperately need a fit Clark to stifle runs and provide penetration but he wont be fit this summer so they're better off picking fit, in form players

As it is, they're giving a lot of credit to Lee for past performances and picking others on hope (Siddle and potentially Hilfenhaus) rather than form

 

[Xuhaib]

If Saddle end up with a career avg< 30 I will dance naked.

 

[Xuhaib]

YES! it will not be a pretty sight.

 

[social]

Where the heck has the Hilf come from? Surely there are better bowlers than him, he isn't even Tassie's no. 1 ATM. I really wouldn't be suprised to see Bollinger and Watson come in, or at least one of them.

Geeves is Tassie's no. 1 and if Hilfy gets picked it's a pure speculator based on form 2 seasons ago

Bollinger should get the spot but wont

Noffke is more deserving but wont get a call up

Etc etc

Bottom line, there are a few worthy candidates on the fc scene whose faces dont fit for whatever reason

 

[Uppercut]

Much of the OZ batting was poor - Steyn, Morkel and Harris really didnt bowl very well at all and yet all took important wickets

Harsh on Harris. I was massively impressed, he's improved tenfold since England. It was just that the balls that he did take wickets with weren't his wicket-taking deliveries (apart from the jaffa to Ponting), rather he got them as a result of batsmen wanting to humiliate him (he always does). A few batsmen caught at mid-on were done by his excellent drift into the RHB too, to be fair to him.

 

[Xuhaib]

Brett Lee just showed why he will never be an elite bowler in world cricket.

 

[alternative]

Awesome stuff from Saffies.

 

[Craig]

All the more reason why the senior players should be able to take a tongue-lashing from the skipper.

Of course he should be critical of his team. That was a shocker from Australia, worse than anything in India IMO. Sure the wicket was flat, but he top order was under pressure both innings, and was dug out of a hole by the middle and lower order. A shed load of their dismissals were gifted to the opposition - cf: Clarke, Symonds x2, Ponting 2nd dig, even Katich 1st dig - hit on the full by a shin high full bunger when 80 not out ffs.

Then the bowling - Johnson was magnificient, Lee bowled two good spells only, Siddle not even half that, Krezja looked capable in the 1st innings, but bizarrely less so in the second.

It's piss poor, and he should tell them, and tell them publicly. In fact, were they flying back to Sydney tonight instead of to Melbourne, I think I'd pop out to Mascot and tell them myself. They were ****. After Johnson dug them out of a hole, the least the batsmen could do was completely bat SA out of it - only Haddin saved the day 2nd dig.

As for Ponting himself, he should stop working on telling us about how great the Sudanese Multi-vitamin Yak Poo (or whatever they are) tablets are, and start working on the techniques of his so called batsmen.

:

 

[Sudeep]

Australia is no longer an allround side. It is primarily a batting side, and it is the Aussie batting that will win matches. In this match, the top order did not fire, and thus the substandard bowling could not win it for them because the target was ultimately fairly easily chase-able. Without a half-decent spinner, I don't see Australia's bowling winning matches for them like Warne used to in partnership with McGrath, even though Clark and Johnson are good bowlers. Australia can only bat oppositions out of competition now; they cannot any more bowl sides out of competition.

 

[social]

Australia is no longer an allround side. It is primarily a batting side, and it is the Aussie batting that will win matches. In this match, the top order did not fire, and thus the substandard bowling could not win it for them because the target was ultimately fairly easily chase-able. Without a half-decent spinner, I don't see Australia's bowling winning matches for them like Warne used to in partnership with McGrath, even though Clark and Johnson are good bowlers. Australia can only bat oppositions out of competition now; they cannot any more bowl sides out of competition.

Sums it up completely

SA would've struggled to make 250 against Warne and particularly McGrath

In this innings, it was a foregone conclusion after a couple of hours

Fortunately, there are a lot of good young players in Oz and its simply a matter of picking the right ones and letting them gain experience

 

[howardj]

Geeves is Tassie's no. 1 and if Hilfy gets picked it's a pure speculator based on form 2 seasons ago

I strongly disagree.

Hilfenhaus has 24 wickets @ 18 in the longer form this Summer.

Moreover, at least he actually does something with the ball, in contrast to Lee and Siddle.

 

[wpdavid]

I'm only dropping in to say a very good morning indeed to Langers and the rest of the Saffers on CW. Enjoy your day - like you need me to tell you that! As an Englishman, I can only be extremely envious.