Australia tour of South Africa, 2008/09

[stefan]

I guess the presidents 11 tonking mcgain all over the park wasn't a fluke, he really is a poor bowler. Great going by the guys too bad its all too late.

But congrats to prince he should have secured the opening spot next to smith for the next series vs england at least.

 

[Dare]

Yea good comeback by Prince, really pleased to see him score that century after being left out. Always thought it as harsh to leave him out after the form he showed in 2007/08. He definitely earned a spot in the team when England come to South Africa. A really underrated batsman.

 

[aussie1st]

Thank you SA selectors for not picking Prince until the series was a dead rubber
Can't believe how crap McGain went, it must be a Victorian thing as a number of their players have failed to step up lately. The only positive in playing McDonald at 7 is we can cover McGain spell but the damage has been done.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

Poor Bryce McGain. I expected him to do better than this but these things happen when you are a leg spinner. Even SK Warne got fair bit of tap in his first test , he took 1 for plenty. I just hope selectors dont write him off after just 1 innings becuase he is a better bowler than this. Maybe he was bit nervous and the pressure just got to him. Age is the only thing against him because ive got no doubt about his talent.

Ps - Thank god they didnt pick Prince for the first 2 tests. Oh and well done to Kallis , his first ton vs Aussies in a long time. His a good player but always go missing when the pressure is on (vs Australia that is).

 

[RoboRocks]

I think the pressure had got to McGain. He has played only 20 matches and perhaps that lack of experience came to the fore on this occasion.

 

[stefan]

He got smashed in the warmup as well. Was there massive pressure on him then??

Warnie was a young guy still learning the ropes during his first test, mcgain is 36 years old and should better prepared than what warnie was.

 

[aussie1st]

Sadly for McGain it would now be too risky for him to be taken to the Ashes. And that is the only series that I really saw a need for him. After that we need to go back to looking for a spinner.

 

[karnog]

I think its high time to ignore having a spinner in the side till the Ashes are over. Maybe Hauritz in the 15 just in case England dish up a good, spinning wicket. Fact of the matter is our fast bowlers will have far more impact than any spinner in the domestic comp. Congrats to Prince. Showed his class. Destroyed Mcgain and nullified anything Johnson dished up. Siddle is showing some good consistancy and penetration.

 

[angryangy]

Not enough credit being given to the batsmen on a very good day for batting. There were about half a dozen short ones that got eaten up, but about twice as many deliveries were hit on the charge. Part timers get more respect than that and its not because they bowl better balls. It signifies that dismantling McGain is a very important team order.

Similarly, they've started playing Siddle like he's the pope. You can be sure that these things do not happen in isolation. One weaker bowler gets targeted, so the dangerous one is kept at bay.

 

[surendar]

It's too late for SA to do anything. When the situation needed a quality batting, they did not come up with that.. What's the use of doing it now? Preventing the whitewash eh? I am totally disappointed with the way SA lost this series!

 

[Sman-21]

Can probably blame merv hughes for macdonald being in the team, hes a victorian an he was desperate to get some vics in the team.

Mcgain never should have been slected to tour too old no experience, has no future and really just isnt that good despite having good stats.
Think hes 37 now also.
So unlike when warne first started we cant wait an let this guy develop into a test cricketer. By the time that happens he will be close to 38 an will be breaking down with all the muscle issues older players have.

And i never want to see Hauritz in the team either.

If we have no specialist spinners we can play we choose our best 4 bowlers on bowling ability alone, ignore there batting ability.
So our bowling lineup would be something like this for ashes
Johnson
Siddle
Hilfy (swing in england)
4th bowling spot a fight between Lee an Clark
Then we have 6 batters +keeper.
Guys like Katcih,North and Clarke will have to do the spinners job.
An they can do it just as well as hauritz or any other spinner we have tried so we lose nothing but gain longer batting lineup + stronger pace attack with lots of variation.

I do believe we NEED a full time spinner in the team but we dont really have any good enough so until then we need to go without.
Trouble is we need to make state teams play full time spinners so they have a chance to develop an get noticed.

 

[IloveGilly]

It's really all the selectors fault. They persisted with pace and maintained McDonald. Turning to North and Katich? I don't think so. Both players get mediocre turn and don't really put much pressure on.

Then again, they chose McGain when Australia are desperately trying rebuild, so thats a step up. Should persist with him a little longer.

 

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

Katich/Jaques
Hughes
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds/White/Watson/North
Haddin
Lee
Johnson
Clark/Hilfenhaus
Siddle



This should be our lineup

 

[Sman-21]

Hopefully Sth africa mainly thanks to devilliers has smashed Macdonald out of the aussie test team.
In 1 over he went
6 6 6 6 1 but then morkel completely played down the wrong line ball didnt move or anything an he was clean bolwed.
25 an a wicket off the over.

 

[Will_NA]

DeVilliers stopped trying 50 runs ago. Hope McGain's playing in the Ashes