***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[Top_Cat]

Completely agree, and it's especially true of international batsmen it would seem. As in India and in England, Harris carries very little threat but picks up wickets because people look at him with his silly-looking action, dreadfully dyed hair and apparent inability to ever spin a ball and think they have the right to humiliate him by scoring ten an over. I have a feeling it was a pre-meditated plan to hit him out of the attack too, which is even funnier.

It wasn't just the get-out shots, though; Harris actually did bowl well and turn a few, consistently more than Krejza I reckon. The Aussies definitely seemed to take him too lightly.

 

[Langeveldt]

It wasn't just the get-out shots, though; Harris actually did bowl well and turn a few, consistently more than Krejza I reckon. The Aussies definitely seemed to take him too lightly.

It's fine by me, although I reckon we can justify taking Krezja lightly

 

[Ernest]

Never thought I'd see that 3/404 by Bradman & Morris in 48' bettered by a team in Australia or England (Indian & West Indian flat tracks exempted)..

I think you could say that given our attack (which is supposedly better than average) that was the best run chase of all time.

I'd say the field placings were to blame.. way too defensive. But Ponting won't get the blame we'll just axe Siddle or Lee probably.

Time for a captaincy change.

 

[Top_Cat]

haha, welcome back after the fact.

 

[Julian87]

Does anyone else agree that not one player cost Australia the game more than Ander Symonds who played two absolutely ridiculous shots, twice letting South Africa get back into the game. And considering he did not bowl one over in the final innings, Watson should come in for him, no questions asked.

 

[Uppercut]

It wasn't just the get-out shots, though; Harris actually did bowl well and turn a few, consistently more than Krejza I reckon. The Aussies definitely seemed to take him too lightly.

Definitely. As i say, he bowled infinitely better than he did against England. Still, when you look at the balls that actually took wickets, they were all get-out shots except the peach to Ponting. His drift into the RHB helped get him catches at mid-on but even so, it was 90% the Aussies getting themselves out going over the top.

 

[Uppercut]

It's fine by me, although I reckon we can justify taking Krezja lightly

I don't think you did take him lightly. Your batsmen played him sensibly, looking to go on the back foot where possible and punishing anything loose- in other words, playing every ball on its merit. Only very occasionally did anyone look to hit him over mid-on/mid-off, more to make him think and readjust his length than as a sustained tactic. The only reason Krejza went for over 4 an over is because he bowled so many four-balls (and even a few six-balls)- nothing to do with SA aggression.

 

[howardj]

Does anyone else agree that not one player cost Australia the game more than Ander Symonds who played two absolutely ridiculous shots, twice letting South Africa get back into the game. And considering he did not bowl one over in the final innings, Watson should come in for him, no questions asked.

Don't think Symonds cost us the match as such, that was more a collective effort. However, I agree that if he doesn't bowl, then Symonds should make way for Watson. Even if Symonds does bowl, I still think Watson offers more to our team given our current bowling weaknesses.

 

[Julian87]

Don't think Symonds cost us the match as such, that was more a collective effort. However, I agree that if he doesn't bowl, then Symonds should make way for Watson. Even if Symonds does bowl, I still think Watson offers more to our team given our current bowling weaknesses.

I'll go even further and say that if picked as an all rounder, Watson should replace him, and if picked as a batsman, either Hodge or D. Hussey should replace him.

He threw his wicket away both times, played stupid shots off underwhelming deliveries from an average bowler.

 

[Julian87]

And it is now more obvious than ever that Doug Bollinger should come into the side. They need not worry about two left armers, because Watson should be there for Symonds anyway.

 

[aussie]

Mmm.. Not so sure the MCG will be that flat. They might consider spicing things up a bit considering the obvious lack of firepower on OZ side.

In my lifetime of wathing cricket, which is about 10 MCG test dating back to Ashes 98. The G has always been flat (not adelaide or recent Perth flat though). Only thing different i expect on boxing day is a surface with a bit more consistent bounce & the new-ball swinging consistently at least for the first two days.

A bit of grass and Brett Lee might suddenly look like a world beater...

Yea & Steyn. Such surfaces he has been preying on over the past 2 years.

Once the selectors get the right balance in the bowling attack (which really has to be 4-man pace attack). Along with the surfaces being at the G & SCG likely to offer better bounce & some more assistance for the quicks. Personally expect Australia to level things up, but damn thats MUCH easier said that done ATM.

 

[howardj]

MCG is the worst pitch in Australia. It's got a tennis ball sort of dead bounce to it, and is impossibly difficult to play straight drives to the boundary, beyond about the second morning.

 

[JBH001]

Bit disappointed in Krejza, thought he would go alright against the Saffies. But 1 for 204 or somesuch certainly does not count. Although, I might be being a little harsh on him. After all, he only has 25 FC matches under his belt, and is coming back from an injury. But apart from an occassional ball he seemed little to offer in being able to create pressure on the SA batsmen, and seemed to be leaking a hell of a lot of runs too easy. Too high expectations?

Never thought he would be an exceptional spinner, but did think he had/has the goods (decent tweak, flight, unafraid) to be a quality test off-spinner.

 

[howardj]

My team for MCG

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Lee
Johnson
Hilfenhaus

Symonds must take up the spinning slack.

 

[aussie]

Honestly i am not fully behind the idea that Watson should come into the side for Symonds.

Symonds ability to take the game away from SA (along with Haddin) in the lower middle-order cannot be under-rated. That is a key dynamic of the battin line-up i wouldn't feel comfortable disturbing at all.

Much rather a 4-man seam attack with contrasting variety.

 

[aussie]

Bit disappointed in Krejza, thought he would go alright against the Saffies. But 1 for 204 or somesuch certainly does not count. Although, I might be being a little harsh on him. After all, he only has 25 FC matches under his belt, and is coming back from an injury. But apart from an occassional ball he seemed little to offer in being able to create pressure on the SA batsmen, and seemed to be leaking a hell of a lot of runs too easy. Too high expectations?

Never thought he would be an exceptional spinner, but did think he had/has the goods (decent tweak, flight, unafraid) to be a quality test off-spinner.

Pretty fair assesment. This test just shows at this stage of his career at least given he lacks consistent control you can't play him as one of 4 main bowlers. Only in a 5-man attack.

The sooner the selectors realise Australia's bowling strenght is in its quicks the better.

 

[Mister Wright]

Does anyone else agree that not one player cost Australia the game more than Ander Symonds who played two absolutely ridiculous shots, twice letting South Africa get back into the game. And considering he did not bowl one over in the final innings, Watson should come in for him, no questions asked.

Clarke also played two ridiculous shots. Let's not forget Hussey was the lowest scorer in the test match also, and got out to a poor shot in the 2nd innings. You could go on all day about who is to blame, but way too harsh to blame Symonds alone. He and Haddin had a wonderful partnership in the first innings that gave Australia a competitive total. It was only a few days ago that people were rating Symonds' first innings as one of his best, if not his best innings in test cricket. Way, way too harsh.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hapless Brett Lee may lose spot for MCG Test

Ricky Ponting getting stuck in to Steve Waugh's favourite bowler.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

No one can ever justify dropping Symonds after two very important knocks. Sure, he played some poor shots, but he wasn't the only one.

And I hate the idea of Watson in as a specialist bowler - it ruins the batting lineup (wastes Haddin at eight) and he's no more penetrative than Krejza or Siddle. The only time Watson should come in is to replace Symonds and, as of now, Symonds is by far the more proven performer.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

MCG is the worst pitch in Australia. It's got a tennis ball sort of dead bounce to it, and is impossibly difficult to play straight drives to the boundary, beyond about the second morning.

Yeah, the drop in wicket there is disgusting.