Australia in South Africa Oct-Nov 2011/12

[Haarithan]

Least it's not a minefield as the scorecards suggest... But yeah, I'd say this strip's 70-30 in favour of the bowlers.

Absolutely pissed that this series constitutes only 2 tests. Utter joke!

 

[Aditya]

Exactly why I have been loving this match to be honest. Nowadays, it's all about flat tracks for batsmen. Bowlers bowl to their best capabilities but don't get wickets. Why is that? Simply because the pitch isn't helpful. Do bowlers ever complain when batsmen smash them all around the park. Bowlers don't have any choice, that's how cricket has been going from the last few years. I understand your point Colin, a pitch should be even, supporting both batsmen and bowler but that's not how pitches are being prepared these days and that's why it's good to see a pitch being made just for bowlers. If you are a batsman, play to your best capabilities and make runs, that's what this test match has been about.

The pitch was supporting bowlers but it was also about batsmen playing badly. The batsmen played badly simply because they have got used to playing on flat tracks and when suddenly they got a green pitch, a pitch where bowlers got help, hardly any of them made runs, apart from Clarke. I must also say here, Clarke's innings was one of the better innings I have seen in the recent times. Absolutely stunning innings he played on a pitch that helped bowlers but still making a century and that too just off 110 balls or so is magnificent.

 

[AngryPixel]

It certainly wasn't as bad a pitch as it looked from the scorecards. It was just outstanding Fast bowling and piss poor shot selection.

And Siddle deserves a promotion in bating order. They should use him as newball watchman.

 

[shravi]

I don't think it matters if it's bowler friendly or batsman friendly as long as it's result oriented and is an exciting match. This match and the India-West Indies (1st test) have certainly been two very exciting matches. Good advertisement.

Is Philander doing well just a case of the pitch being tailor made for him like Sammy on low, dusty tracks? Or has he been genuinely impressive?

 

[stefan]

Amazing game. Went from pissed at my boys for the first innings to feeling hopefull that can win this.

Philander has really surprised me in this test, actually bowled very well.

Not going to judge rudolph or tahir , they need a run before we can comment on them. Game wasn't really for the spinners or batsman.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Is Philander doing well just a case of the pitch being tailor made for him like Sammy on low, dusty tracks? Or has he been genuinely impressive?

He has impressed me. He's got some decent swing, but his real skills seems to be able to seam the ball considerably, and in both ways. Ala Asif, but with a bit more pace.

SA's game to loose now. Considering their choke-habit, it's a very likely outcome.

 

[Aalay]

Aaah why this series has to be so short? Awesome match.

 

[sifter132]

Good grief! I went to bed at the lunch break with Australia looking pretty unthreatening with the ball, barring a couple from Siddle and the one Harris bowled Rudolph with. Then all hell's broken loose

Clarke sounded quite upset about the batting effort, talking about the poor shots played. And when you think about the first innings, it was Clarke and nobody else - take his 151 out and SA would be only 4 runs away from victory right now. Conditions sound challenging, but not difficult so what the devil's going on??? Shaun Marsh's injury wouldn't have helped either (Marsh really needs to talk to Shane Watson re: turning around his injury fortunes).

Hard to blame Hussey after a great Ashes and SL tour, Marsh has impressed in his short time in the team and Clarke's hit back to back 100s, but what about the other guys?
*Both Haddin and Watson haven't been past 50 in a Test since the MCG last year (9 inning droughts for each),
*Ponting hasn't been past 50 since the 'Gabba last year when the game was dead (12 inning drought),
*Hughes made that century in SL but in his other 12 innings since coming back his HS has been 36.

Ponting and Watson are particularly troubling because as top order batsmen they need to be able to score 100s, and
*Watson hasn't scored a 100 since Mohali 2010 (20 innings ago) and
*Ponting hasn't scored on since Hobart 09/10 (26 innings ago).

Australia only has Khawaja in reserve at present and he made need to replace Marsh in the 2nd Test, but for this coming summer I think Hughes and Haddin should at the very least be under the pump and I would be leaning very heavily on Ricky to retire if he hasn't found form by Boxing Day.

 

[ferg512]

Exactly why I have been loving this match to be honest. Nowadays, it's all about flat tracks for batsmen. Bowlers bowl to their best capabilities but don't get wickets. Why is that? Simply because the pitch isn't helpful. Do bowlers ever complain when batsmen smash them all around the park. Bowlers don't have any choice, that's how cricket has been going from the last few years. I understand your point Colin, a pitch should be even, supporting both batsmen and bowler but that's not how pitches are being prepared these days and that's why it's good to see a pitch being made just for bowlers. If you are a batsman, play to your best capabilities and make runs, that's what this test match has been about.

The pitch was supporting bowlers but it was also about batsmen playing badly. The batsmen played badly simply because they have got used to playing on flat tracks and when suddenly they got a green pitch, a pitch where bowlers got help, hardly any of them made runs, apart from Clarke. I must also say here, Clarke's innings was one of the better innings I have seen in the recent times. Absolutely stunning innings he played on a pitch that helped bowlers but still making a century and that too just off 110 balls or so is magnificent.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[aussie1st]

Hard to blame Hussey after a great Ashes and SL tour, Marsh has impressed in his short time in the team and Clarke's hit back to back 100s, but what about the other guys?
*Both Haddin and Watson haven't been past 50 in a Test since the MCG last year (9 inning droughts for each),
*Ponting hasn't been past 50 since the 'Gabba last year when the game was dead (12 inning drought),
*Hughes made that century in SL but in his other 12 innings since coming back his HS has been 36.

Our batting is a complete mess. Watson needs to be moved down the order, Hughes technical flaw still seems to be there, Ponting looking to be past it and Haddin losing the plot. And then you have Hussey who only recently got rid of his 2 year lean streak. That is some serious tweaking of the batting.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

I think sifter's closer, it's not that the batsmen aren't used to tricky wickets, they're just either rubbish players, past it or woefully out of form.

facing steyn and morkel (the best non-incarcerated new ball bowlers around) isn't exactly helping matters.

 

[aussie1st]

This problem has been around for years. Put a tricky track at us and we crumble. We don't have enough players that can apply themselves. Clarke until this test was also in that boat. Hussey has the ability but he seems to make a 50 before he is unable to keep a good ball out. Marsh looks to be another but injury is his problem.

 

[Sedition]

I'm still pretty confident that we can get the job done. Saf lost 9/47 after the lunch break yesterday and they're coming into a similar situation today. I'll be surprised if they crack 180.

 

[aussie1st]

I hope you are right but what I saw of our bowling so far we only have Harris and Watson to get us out of this mess. Of course we have the usual what if Johnson/Siddle produce one of their magic spells but it does get annoying having to wonder which Johnson/Siddle will turn up. SA bowling unit is top notch, Steyn wasn't as threatening in the second dig but Philander and Morkel stood up to cover.

 

[midgetwars]

I cannot believe I predicted this in my dream. I also cannot believe Hussey being EXTREMELY reliable over the past months have failed with the bat and the catching. Should he be examined for match fixing?? He's the best Australia has. Marsh being injured and being put down to 7 really screwed the batting order. He's been so brilliant but injuries....

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The selectors are a joke now. Hopefully the new guys GET RID haddin, hughes, johnson, siddle. Replace them with Anyone, Khwaja, cummins and copeland.

Why copeland was not chosen is beyond me. Would of been perfect in the 4th innings situation, stemming the runs. Probably even moving it wildly.