***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Anybody else notice the radar gun seemed to be giving unusually high speed readings tonight?..Maybe it was just the adrenaline due to the crowd etc, or maybe they can muck around with it to get higher readings when for some reason they want to ?

But all the seamers were according to the gun a good but quicker than usual tonight, Hilfenhaus was mid 140's and as quick as 147...whereas for Tasmania he always seems to be 133-139ish. Tait has been bowling in the mid 140's this year in FR Cup (admitedly he's been injured) and tonight he got upto 156. Ntini was regularly in the mid 140's which I havent seen from him in a fair while and even Tsotsobe who has been described as 'very medium pace' was hitting 139.

Could have something to do with them bowling a max of 24 balls...

 

[pup11]

It must be noted that bowlers seem to almost all bowl 5-10kph quicker in T20 than in 50 over cricket.

I think that is probably because the bowlers know they are just required to bowl four overs, so i guess therefore they just go flat out when bowling.

EDIT:Beaten..

 

[Top_Cat]

In the longer stuff, very strong square of the wicket. It's not really the movement though; more getting the ball through at chest height without width. Thing is that, even playing normal cricket shots, he'll be 35 off 25 before you know it, and often there's not much you can do about it. Just changes games; when he's in something happens.

Same in the field, and with the ball. He bowls leggies, and they are not that great, but just has the ability to make something happen.

I see your point and certainly guys with that spark can just make stuff happen but I just noticed a distinct lack of 'V' in his spider chart. I mean, if he wants to make a career out of sweating on the deliveries angling in so he can climb into them then sure but I would doubt he'd get many of those after a while. Might get to 35 quickly but how much further does he get?

Love the hitting power, though. If he manages to combine that Klusener-like power with Zulu's consistency, more power to him. Looks like a bit of an inspirational player.

You played with him in India, yeah? I'll take your more expert opinion on him then.

 

[Matt79]

Went along tonight - had a good time. Warner played well, and Tait looked really impressive.

Thought it was a bit poor when he half-killed De Villiers that no-one, including Tait, actually went over to see whether he was ok or not. But not even the other South African batsman bothered to go check on him. He looked pretty badly hurt - what did they say about him on the commentary?

 

[vic_orthdox]

I see your point and certainly guys with that spark can just make stuff happen but I just noticed a distinct lack of 'V' in his spider chart. I mean, if he wants to make a career out of sweating on the deliveries angling in so he can climb into them then sure but I would doubt he'd get many of those after a while. Might get to 35 quickly but how much further does he get?

Love the hitting power, though. If he manages to combine that Klusener-like power with Zulu's consistency, more power to him. Looks like a bit of an inspirational player.

You played with him in India, yeah? I'll take your more expert opinion on him then.

He's certainly not strong through the V. But somehow, it's very hard to get him to play there. He seems to play with a straight bat, but the ball doesn't go straight.

Got him out twice, anyways. If you're a left arm orthodox, go around the wicket.

 

[Jono]

Went along tonight - had a good time. Warner played well, and Tait looked really impressive.

Thought it was a bit poor when he half-killed De Villiers that no-one, including Tait, actually went over to see whether he was ok or not. But not even the other South African batsman bothered to go check on him. He looked pretty badly hurt - what did they say about him on the commentary?

They just laughed too, and got excited when he hit the stumps.

Dave Hussey giving him his bat and laughing was an odd moment. Either no one realised just how hurt he was (including Kallis), or they're all just pricks.

 

[Manee]

I think that is probably because the bowlers know they are just required to bowl four overs, so i guess therefore they just go flat out when bowling.

I know that, lol.

 

[Savvy Saffer]

Tait's action has been queried before.

SA look weak at this form of the game. You need to have power openers and Gibbs rarely comes off - Kallis is a snail. Why is he playing T20? He was diabolical in the IPL.

Australia's bowlers are much quicker than SA's as well. Proteas didn't have anyone to really fire up the speed gun. I think Ntini is past limited overs as well. I thought they'd retired him from them.

Killer stuff from Warner ; made Steyn and Ntini look very ordinary. Not much from the rest of the Aussie batting.

Think Amla would be a reasonable bet. Duminy looked very good again.

Average speeds (excl deliberate slower balls)

Tait Steyn
Over 1 153.7 148.5
Over 2 148.2 146.3
Over 3 146.6 146.0
Over 4 145.7 147.5

Overall 148.6 147.0

Noticing a trend here???

 

[Matt79]

They just laughed too, and got excited when he hit the stumps.

Dave Hussey giving him his bat and laughing was an odd moment. Either no one realised just how hurt he was (including Kallis), or they're all just pricks.

Did they say afterwards what injury, if any, it was? At the ground, without the benefit of a decent replay, we thought it looked like it had hit his hip or his bottom rib, and quite likely broken the rib if that's what it hit.

He was down on the ground a long time, didn't look nice. **** funny and an awesome dismissal to have seen live, but not pleasant for AB.

 

[Top_Cat]

They just laughed too, and got excited when he hit the stumps.

Dave Hussey giving him his bat and laughing was an odd moment. Either no one realised just how hurt he was (including Kallis), or they're all just pricks.

A full speed, it looked like he'd just been hit in the nuts.Certainly what I thought before I saw the replay. Think that's why the Aussies took it a bit lightly.

 

[Top_Cat]

He's certainly not strong through the V. But somehow, it's very hard to get him to play there. He seems to play with a straight bat, but the ball doesn't go straight.

Got him out twice, anyways. If you're a left arm orthodox, go around the wicket.

I'm ****ed then.

 

[Matt79]

A full speed, it looked like he'd just been hit in the nuts.Certainly what I thought before I saw the replay. Think that's why the Aussies took it a bit lightly.

From Cricinfo:
"Tait dug in a 155.4kph delivery short of a length, de Villiers looked to pull and bottom-edged the ball onto his unpadded right thigh."

Couldn't see the bottom edge - that sounds like it would sting a hell of a lot, but hopefully after a couple of days, you'd be ok - as I said, the replays at the ground at crap, and I thought it had got him right on the point of his hip, while my brother thought bottom of the ribcage, either of which would have been much worse. He was limping quite badly as he left the ground.

That one that hit Kallis looked for all the world like it had taken some glove on the way through itbt.

Also just wanted to mention how gun Gibbs was in the field tonight - don't remember being so impressed by a guy's work in the field since a young Ricky Ponting started out - what Hussey was doing taking him on, I've no idea.

 

[pup11]

A full speed, it looked like he'd just been hit in the nuts.Certainly what I thought before I saw the replay. Think that's why the Aussies took it a bit lightly.

Yeah, i think no one really realised that he has jammed a 156 kmph delivery into his pelvic bone, when i saw it in real time, i too thought that he has been stuck in the nuts and that's what has knocked the wind out of his sails, and that is what the Aussies and Kallis' too probably thought, and that explains the reason behind the silly smirk on all of their faces.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Warner destined to be a trivia standard I suspect, "Who was the last player to be selected for Australia before his first-class debut?" and all.

Anyone know who was the one before him? If indeed there has ever been one.

 

[Matt79]

I think they said there hasn't been one since the 19th century...

 

[Matt79]

RE: De Villiers - from AAP, "The Proteas will assess de Villiers on Monday, but are hopeful he can play on Tuesday night"

Reckon Tait will be straight on to bowl regardless of when AB comes out?

 

[pup11]

Really Warner' knock has put Marsh under some serious pressure now, he would be under the pump to make sure he does well in the T20 at the Gabba and then in the ODI games, its amazing how quickly things have changed for Marsh, during the IPL and after that during the ODI games he played, it seemed like he couldn't put a foot wrong, but now the bloke can't even buy a run, its pretty frustrating to watch as he surely is a pretty talented batsman.

 

[social]

Since Social decided to throw logic out the window, and bag out the Australian team, selectors, hierarchy etc. etc. at any possible opportunity, no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

You just dont get it do you?

Oz had YEARS to prepare for the current rash of retirements and didnt

The current sdministration have been in place for YEARS and have done nothing but sit on their collective bums

20/20 has been played for YEARS and Oz are still novices

As far as the 20/20 tonight is concerned, 9 an over with 10 wickets against a 2nd string attack should be achievable but .....

I could go on but what is the point?

Some people are happy with mediocrity - I'm not and you are

 

[social]

Really Warner' knock has put Marsh under some serious pressure now, he would be under the pump to make sure he does well in the T20 at the Gabba and then in the ODI games, its amazing how quickly things have changed for Marsh, during the IPL and after that during the ODI games he played, it seemed like he couldn't put a foot wrong, but now the bloke can't even buy a run, its pretty frustrating to watch as he surely is a pretty talented batsman.

It's all about runs not talent

Marsh is a very average player when judged by output and, odd season aside, always has been

 

[Arrow]

Tate looks like a full on chucker to me.