Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

[Short Leg]

Hussey At It Again​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Mike Hussey is hot on the heels of his team mate Damien Martyn as there partnership lengthens and can only spell headaches for Graeme Smith?s men on what is defiantly a new ball wicket. Smith needs to go into the holding pattern now to stop the batsman scoring at will.

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The Hussey fist pump shows courage under fire​

Hussey sent the message to his dressing room with a fist pump upon reaching the milestone ensuring that he is in it for the long haul. It could be a long day for South Africa if they don?t break this partnership soon.

Australia 3/172
3:21pm - Day 1
52 overs

Martyn 76(119)*
Hussey 52(113)*

Pollock 0/38
Ntini 2/38
Nel 0/35
Kallis 1/28
Boje 0/25

 

[MWaugh]

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Martyn and Hussey are keen to get to lunch after an average first session​

Why is marto taking a stump to lunch? lol

This is a great read though. IMO between you and cricket_60 for the best thread but this is so accurate its a really top read. Really realistic.

Keep up the top effort mate

 

[Short Leg]

Thanks mate, I reckon Marto was so happy with the way he was batting he thought he deserved a stump.

 

[Short Leg]

Hussey And Martyn Keep A Wicketless Session​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Damien Martyn who has moved to 86 and Hussey on an unbeaten 59 have batted through the session for Australia and have the visitors right back in the match. It wasn?t looking good after the first session but some wayward bowling leaves it back on level pegging.

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Ntini is the danger man here and may just hold the key for South Africa. It will be interesting to see who Graeme Smith gives the ball to in the final session on day 1.

Australia 3/189
Tea - Day 1
57 overs

Martyn 86(140)*
Hussey 59 (122)*

Pollock 0/49
Ntini 2/39
Nel 0/35
Kallis 1/28
Boje 0/35

 

[Short Leg]

South Africa Breaks Through​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

As Damien Martyn entered the 90?s he was clearly nervous and the South Africans smelt it. Smith brought all his men into the infield in an attempt to force Martyn to go over the top. It almost ended for the West Australian on 96 when Nel got one to cut back in and the ball missed off peg by a cote of varnish.

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Martyn avoids a near miss from Nel​

It wasn?t long before Smith gave himself a gig with the leather and produced a breakthrough in the next over. Mike Hussey couldn?t believe how softly he?d been dismissed when he paddled one around the corner straight to Ntini. The partnership ended at 161.

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A soft dismissal for Hussey who looked the goods ​

I have lost count over how many times I?ve said Andrew Symonds is playing for his spot in this innings but this must be the do or die for Roy now. Michael Clarke will be watching this one carefully as his ticket back to the top may rest on Symonds failure here.

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Australia 4/205
4:36pm - Day 1
66 overs

Martyn 96(168)*
Hussey 65 (143)

Pollock 0/53
Ntini 2/39
Nel 0/41
Kallis 1/28
Boje 0/31
Smith 1/5

 

[Short Leg]

Ntini Shows The Way​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Makhaya Ntini pointed the way of the pavilion when he had his man out for 111. Ntini used the short ball effectively as Martyn went for the hook shot but was unsuccessful when the ball just slightly left him.

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Ntini sends off Martyn after a brilliant 111.​

Andrew Symonds has reached a quick 40 in the mean time and is now joined by Adam Gilchrist. If Gilchrist gets going aswell this could be a very interest three quarters of an hour until stumps.

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Gilchrist and Symonds. A partnership to fear.​

Australia 5/262
5:17pm - Day 1
76 overs

Martyn 111(192)
Symonds 40(37)*

Pollock 0/53
Ntini 3/39
Nel 0/42
Kallis 1/40
Boje 0/31
Smith 1/47

 

[Short Leg]

Ntini Strike Terror Through The Australian Spine​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Ntini has provided an inspirational spell of fast bowling in the short period before stumps on day 1. In the space of 2 overs he has picked up 3 wickets for just 1 run. He had Gilchrist trapped infront LBW for just 2.Ntini got a few to nip away from Gilchrist and they followed it up with a full and straight one which had the wicket keeper batsman caught on the crease infront of his stumps.

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Gilchrist was set up easily by Ntini​

Shane Warne came to the crease needing to play out the day to have Australia in a good position. The king of spin has been playing well with bat and ball in recent times so he would be backing himself in this situation.

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Warne comes to the crease in good touch and needs to last until stumps​

Ntini made short work of Warney and had him caught behind within balls to have two wickets in the over and the Australian dressing room in a state of shock. Another beauty of a delivery that would have had a top order batsman in 2 minds. The pill pitched on a length and they left the leg spinner to find the edge.

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Warne chases the seaming ball and is out​

Brett Lee is the new man in and has 35 minutes to bat out with Ntini on fire. The go to man Ntini now has a bag of 5 and is looking unstoppable. A huge shock to Australia who had batted o well all day and now have lost 3 wickets in a row.

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35 minutes for Brett Lee​

Australia 7/264
5:25pm - Day 1
78 overs

Symonds 40(37)*
Gilchrist 2(7)
Warne 0(2)

Pollock 0/53
Ntini 5/40
Nel 0/42
Kallis 1/40
Boje 0/32
Smith 1/47

 

[Short Leg]

Nel Explodes Into Abuse​

Graeme Smith threw the ball to Andre Nel for one last fiery spell before stumps little did he know how fiery it would be.

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Andre Nel reaches a new point of anger​

Having bowled a few balls that beat the bat Nel all of a sudden had a brain explosion and started abusing Australian paceman Brett Lee. Stump microphone heard it all and so did the viewers watching around the world. Due to the expletives that Nel used Supersport is unable to play the audio stump mic captured by it was a very personal attack on Brett Lee. The argument from the players before the match that the stump mic was turned up to loud may just be blown out of proportion here.

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Teammates hold back the aggravated Andre Nel.​

Umpire Darrel Hair stepped in and has apparently reported the incident to the match referee to come under review after stumps on day 2 he may even face suspension for the crap he has been carrying on with.

 

[Short Leg]

Umpires Remove The Bails​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Andrew Symonds is the last of the specialist batsman at the crease but a brave knock from Brett Lee has seen the tourists to stumps on day 1. Ntini was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa but received some support from the other end at times.

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Symonds will hold the key for Australia tomorrow morning​

With rain forecast for tomorrow South Africa will be looking to pick up the final three wickets as soon as possible. A bit of juice in the wicket may offer something to the bowlers so the decision to bat first from Ricky Ponting may have been a very intelligent one.

Australia 7/285
Stumps - Day 1
82 overs

Symonds 43(48)*
Lee 17(26)*

Pollock 0/53
Ntini 5/53
Nel 0/49
Kallis 1/40
Boje 0/32
Smith 1/47

 

[Short Leg]

Smith Defends Countryman​

After the Andre Nel incident late on day one captain Graeme Smith has defended his teammate on local South African radio after stumps on the first day. It is expected the Andre Nel will suffer a strong reprimand or even possible suspension.

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Andre is Andre people shouldn?t take to much out of what happened today. He was fired up and im sure he regrets what he did but I think everyone should forget it. He was just frustrated that we had Australia dominated all day and he couldn?t pick up a wicket.

Smith went on to talk about his teams chances in this match

In our minds we are defiantly ontop. This isn?t the same Australian side we have played in the past and as a lot of teams have showed in recent times if you put them under pressure they crumble. If we pick up the last three wickets early tomorrow we will be in good position to post a big lead.

 

[Wildwil]

Well done SA. Great presentation Short Leg

 

[MWaugh]

lovely thread mate. i like the nel incident. hes a sook at the best of times

 

[Short Leg]

Cherers boys yeah it just wouldn't be a tour to South Africa if there wasn't an Andre Nel blow up.

 

[Short Leg]

Ntini Picks Up Lucky 6​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Not such a great start to the second day of test cricket for Australia as Brett Lee is out early attempting to drive. Ntini the wicket taker again picking up his 6th and showing how many wickets you can take if you can get the ball to leave the batsman fractionally. Andrew Symonds might need to open the shoulders now in a bid for a few extra runs.

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Australia 8/296
11:05am - Day 2
84 overs

Symonds 47(52)*
Lee 23(33)*

Pollock 0/56
Ntini 6/61
Nel 0/49
Kallis 1/40
Boje 0/32
Smith 1/47

 

[Short Leg]

Curtains For Australia​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

Andrew Symonds reached what is possible a career saving half century for him as he was starring down the barrel as far as his place in the team goes. He played with more caution this morning as the ball was really seaming around a hell of a lot with the overcast conditions.

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Michael Kasprowicz was all defence on test recall as he tried to give Symonds every opportunity to score big runs with the tail. However any success was short lived as Kaspa was lulled into a halfhearted drive and got the edge.

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Kaprowicz was all defence until he was suckered in​

It was curtains for Australia when Stuart Clark was out third ball but had a minor victory sending his first one to the boundary. Pollock gets the edge and Boucher did the rest behind the stumps.

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Clark didn't last long​

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Australia finally all out after 53 minutes of action on the second day. The bad news is that the rain is coming down at The Newlands and South Africa won?t be starting there innings any time soon.

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The rain comes down at the Newlands​