Australia tour of SA 2014

[asprin]

Smith is turning out to be a great asset at no.6. Marsh and Smith have made sure Australia take honors of day 1. A little surprised by the SA bowling though..it lacked intensity in the last session.

 

[aussie1st]

Well played Marsh, selectors played him when he was most confidence and he delivered. Great stuff from Smith, one of the final hurdles checked off his list in making runs in the first innings of a series.

 

[ferg512]

Watched a bit of play just before tea and had a feeling this would happen, SA didn't really even look like taking a wicket. I think captains should just go with the "if in doubt bat" rule as it clearly hasn't worked out lately. Dhoni did the same as Smith last week and they got a couple of early wickets but we still ended up with 500. The decision hurts even more because of the fact you have to bat last.

 

[sifter132]

What a surprise, Doolan gets himself out after a decent start. Precisely why I wouldn't have picked him. Marsh has looked determined this morning (or night at least where I am), obviously he realises this is probably his last crack at test cricket. I'm tipping Clarkey for a big one.

Yep Doolan's exactly who we thought he was. Shane Watson 2.0 . Although it's only one innings and he probably only forced that shot because McLaren was tying him down with some tight bowling.

Marsh and Smith If you'd said a year ago that these 2 would be taming the mighty SA attack and putting on almost 200 together in a Test you'd have been laughed out of town. Great gut feel selecting! Smith in particular is looking so assured now at Test level.

Will be interesting to see how G.Smith uses Peterson from here on out. Didn't seem real confident to use him much yesterday.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

I watched the whole of the 1st day yesterday and I cannot understand why Smith bought on Peterson very early on when Australia were on the ropes.

Marsh played brilliantly despite having some sort of injury and Steve Smith looked untroubled all throughout his innings.

With Steyn not feeling 100% it does make you wonder why Smith decided to bowl first, poor captaincy in my view.

 

[Left_Hander]

I was extremely surprised to wake up this morning and seeing Australia only 4 down still, after being only 4/100 odd. Real fight being shown by Marsh and Smith. I wasn't a fan of picking Marsh but he has shown what he can do here, after the selection roundabout before this tour. Also happy for Smith as he continues his solid run of form. Is a changed player and I've thought that since his 92 in Mohali this year. He has always shown potential but I feel he is being picked on ability now rather than potential.

Should be another interesting night (from over here) of Test cricket. Hopefully Australia will push past 400 and set themselves up nicely for victory.

 

[Lebanna]

With Smith gone, Australia still need another partnership. Not because they need hundreds more runs but otherwise their entire innings was based on one massive partnership.

If they are bowled out for say 380 then this partnership would have made 61% of the runs.

e: The Haddin wicket emphasises my point, so far there have only been 2 scores over 30 for Aus. (Admittedly way over 30). But this is the problem that Aus has been having, only 2 batsman stick in and therefore they are really vulnerable if it doesn't come off.

I posted a comment over on the cricinfo commentary yesterday that in the last 27 innings (since the start of the tour to India last year) their number 6 has walked in with the score:

<100 - 11 times
>100 & <150 - 11 times

ie a total of 22 times with the score less than 150. You would really hope that your first 4 partnerships can average more than 25-30.

e2: Just to add to what I said earlier, excluding the Smith/Marsh parternship, Aus averaged just 18 runs per wicket. If SA fire like they did in the pre and post lunch half an hours in the next match I'm not confident on Aus posting another ~400 first innings score.

 

[ferg512]

Wow absolute snorter from Johnson, good luck Hashim.

 

[Lebanna]

Wow absolute snorter from Johnson, good luck Hashim.

This is the battle I've been looking forward to ever since that first English innings in the Ashes. Hashim (and Ab) are potentially 2 of the best batsman in Test cricket at the moment and watching them handle Johnson at his hostile best is a treat.

 

[Lebanna]

Wow who would have thought that England would be an a better place than SA at this point! In the first Ashes test, England kept Aus to 295 (102 runs less) and were 82-3 rather than 23-3!

 

[ferg512]

Yeah this partnership right now is so crucial, SA batting lineup starting to look a bit thin not too much left.

Anyone else finding Mark Nicholas on commentary more nauseating than usual? The guy just doesn't stop talking.

 

[Hooper]

hehehehhe...

----------

But yeah... how good is this?

Australia killing it again.. so im back amongst it while it lasts!

Again, like always, we lose a few quick early wickets then 2 middle order batsman decide we'll chuck on a legendary record-setting partnership then saves us.. Well done Marsh and Smitty!

Now Johnson still in 5th gear and the other bowlers chipping in. Dont see Lyon having a huge impact today! This pitch looks tough to play, South Africa need a decent partnership, theyre in a worse position then we were yesterday..

England absolutely spanked.. Now South Africa on theyre soil! Life as an Australian cricket fan is back to normal.

 

[Griffo]

de Villiers is looking quality here... looks like he has all day to play the ball against Mitch

 

[GlitchInTheMatrix]

SA are sinking like England.

 

[Lebanna]

SA are sinking like England.

It is nice to know that we are not the only ones looking like deer caught in Johnson's headlights!