Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

[Short Leg]

The High?s And Low?s Of Kallis​

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

A moment to savor for South African fan?s in Cape Town as there hasn?t been to much to cheer about. Jacques Kallis reaches 50 in what?s basically a lost cause for the home side. Maybe this innings from Kallis can spark some belief in the South Africa room?s that runs aren?t impossible to come by.

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Kallis reaches a rare milestone for South Africa​

Sadly enough for Kallis he didn?t last all that long after reaching the milestone and was out stumped off the bowling of Warne as he looked to up the ante. The 3rd umpire showed that Kallis was just short of his ground after the straighter one from Warne got past him.

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Gilchrist takes off the bails and Kallis is gone​

South Africa 4/84
4:30pm ? Day 4
38 over

Kallis 60(101)
Prince 20(85)*

Lee 2/28
Kasprowicz 1/22
Clark 0/19
Warne 1/23

South Africa require 348 runs to win

 

[Short Leg]

Prince Bring's Up Second 50​

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

After staying in single figures for almost 50 balls Ashwell Pince has exploded at Cape Town to be the second half centurion of the South African second dig. Michael Kasprowicz worn the brunt of the attack being plastered allover the ground. It looks like the home team want?s to have some fun before inevitably losing the first test.

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Prince is congratulated by Lee after reaching 50​

South Africa 4/131
5:04pm ? Day 4
45 over

Prince 54(104)*
Rudolph 0(20)*

Lee 2/28
Kasprowicz 1/49
Clark 0/19
Warne 1/24
Synonds 0/6

South Africa require 314 runs to win

 

[ashu2411]

Good inning by Prince. SA can still win the match.

 

[MWaugh]

300 is a long way away with only 6 wickets left. i think they will probably fall around 150 runs short

 

[Short Leg]

Put The Drinks On Ice​

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

It wasn?t easy but finally Shane Warne has his man. Ashwell Prince never came to terms with the champion leg spinner and eventually it caused his downfall. Out in much the same was he was in the first innings bowled by Warne from around the wicket. A big dint in South Africa?s chances as surely all hope of even a draw is gone now.

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Warne had Prince in a spell all day and finally got rid of him​

Warne has broken the game open now with two wickets in the same over after bowling through this whole session. This time Boucher came charging down the pitch and missed it by a mile losing leg stump in the process. South Africa showing their true colours here as know one has been keen to hang around for a long time to fight Australia. Ducks are everywhere here at the Newlands and it wont be long now before this one is over. Meanwhile Rudolph is all defence against Australia playing for the draw as the drinks are put on ice in the Australian dressing room.

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What the hell was he doing?​

A very special effort from Warne here that will give the hosts sleepless nights ahead of next match because there plan to doctor the pitch against Warne has backfired here.


South Africa 6/157
5:42pm ? Day 4
54 over

Prince 72(131)
Rudolph 1(46)*
Boucher 0(2)

Lee 2/28
Kasprowicz 1/49
Clark 0/19
Warne 3/35
Symonds 0/15

South Africa require 288 runs to win

 

[Short Leg]

Stumps The Magical Word For South Africa​

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

Stumps have been called at the Newlands after Bucknor and Hair have decided not to take the extra half hour tonight in a bid to get a result. Rudolph and Pollock will face the music tomorrow with Australia needing 4 wickets to wrap up the match.

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Darell Hair removes the bails at stumps on day 4​

A better start for South Africa and a few more wickets in the bag may have meant they would have a chance going into the final days play with 279 runs to get but that?s not the case. Very few spectators are tipped to turn up tomorrow with no points on offer for the hosts and a lot of blocking expected.

South Africa 6/166
Stumps ? Day 4
59 over

Rudolph 10(67)*
Pollock 0(11)*

Lee 2/31
Kasprowicz 1/49
Clark 0/19
Warne 3/41
Synonds 0/15

South Africa require 279 runs to win

 

[Short Leg]

Beneath the Southern Cross I Stand​

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

Proving that it never goes the way you planned even when you?re on top South Africa fought hard. It took just under an hour for Australia to record their first wicket of the session. An unlikely way to get out especially when runs are worthless none the less the third umpire informed Rudolph that he was short of his ground and out for.

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Rudolph run out despite not needing any runs​

Pollock became the 4th victim of LBW in the innings again on the back foot against the cutting ball mad him a sitting duck for Darell Hair?s raised finger.

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Pollock the 4th victim of LBW​

Ntini wasn?t expected to hang around long and he did the punters proud edging to Hayden who took a sharp catch behind the wicket. One to go for Australia as they began rubbing it into the South Africans and new batsman Andre Nel.

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Ntini edges early​

There was a lot of fist pumping going on around the bat when Nel popped up the simplest of catches to Ricky Ponting and Australia won the game by a mammoth total of 245 runs.

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Ponting excepts the Nel offering​

The victorious Australia?s shook hands and went back into the dressing room linked arms and sang those great words with a cold beer.

Beneath the Southern Cross I stand
A sprig of wattle in my hand
A native of my native land
Australia you f---in beauty

Australia win by 245 runs

Points: Australia 5 points, South Africa 0 points

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Match presentation to follow shortly

 

[Short Leg]

1st Castle Lager Test Match Presentation​

Mike Haysman is down on the ground joined by the two teams and first of all he is joined by the victorious captain Ricky Ponting.

Well Ricky what a great performance by your team through all 5 days

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Yeah thanks Mike I can honestly say that all 11 of us contributed to this win in one way or another and we produced some of the best cricket that we have played in a long time and got a fitting result. The weather was good to us as well it just all fell into place in this first match.

I would now like to invite Graeme Smith the losing captain to say a few words and well Graeme a tough loss here can you bounce back in the next match?

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Yeah look we didn?t have the best conditions in this match and the odd?s were against us all the way but that?s cricket. We will be back stronger in the next match and we urge all our fans in Jo?burg to get down and support us.

Finally here from the presentation we have our Castle Lager man of the match and our panel has decided that man is Brett Lee for his 8 wickets in the match. Well Brett a fantastic bowling display from you in both innings.

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Yeah it?s defiantly the best ive felt bowling in a long time. The ball came out well all match and as a result I got my best figures. It?s really rewarding to play a big part in a great win for the team.

That?s it from down here in Cape Town and we?ll see you in Johannesburg for the 2nd match in the Castle Lager series that promises o be a big fight back from a disappointing effort from the host nation.

 

[Short Leg]

Kallis Holds The Key​

With South Africa and Australia now on a plane to Johannesburg the experts are saying that the host nation?s chances of beating the world champions are rested on the shoulders of Jacques Kallis. Former Australian batsman Ian Chappell had this to say.

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For me they (South Africa) don?t have the bowling attack to beat Australia but if by some chance they do win it will be because of Jacques Kallis. He is the only capable batsman against a world class attack. Kallis proved to be the rock of the innings and was the only one that didn?t look like getting out he simply just through his wicket away in both innings.

Chappell also commented on the captain Graeme Smith?s antics off the field.

If that?s how he get?s himself going before a match that?s fine but he hasn?t shown anything on the field. He?s just made a pair and captained a team that?s lost by 245 runs that?s a disgrace. A captain can?t just come out and start talking rubbish and if anything it has a negative effect on the dressing room. His players start to lose faith in him and they go nowhere as a team.

 

[Short Leg]

The New Daryl?​

With Shane Warne picking up 6 wickets on a pitch that the ground staff openly admitted was doctored against Warne the leg spinner has decided to have something to say about it.

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They haven?t proved anything by preparing a green pitch except that their batting is no good on anything but flat tracks. I?ll gladly rock up to Johannesburg and play on a green deck and take no wickets. It?ll just mean our quick?s rip through them and we win after 3 days and I get to play golf on day 4 and 5.

Warne then went on to talk about the man he claims is his new Daryl Cullinan.

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If there?s one thing im assured of going into the next match that?s the wicket of Ashwell Prince he?s the new Daryl. I reckon I had him figured out after a couple of balls and he just didn?t play any shots against me and in the end I had him out in both innings. I can?t get him out if he just blocks all day but that just defeats his purpose of turning up.

 

[Short Leg]

Attack The Best Form Of Defence​

Just because all the test playing nations are up against each other playing for the ICC Best Of The Rest Championship doesn?t mean that they can?t offer a bit of advice when it?s needed. England?s captain Michael Vaughan still with his ashes hangover reckons he knows how South Africa can beat the world champions.

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When we beat Australia in the ashes we played good hard competitive cricket. My advice to Graeme and South Africa is to play aggressive cricket. We actually got a highlights package over the news of the game here in England and from what I sore they were all defence. They need to get on the front foot because I sore a lot of LBW?s from their top order when they were playing back. South Africa can win if they play with confidence and play aggressive cricket.

Fair?d incom you win one ashes series out of a squillion and you?re an expert aren?t you Michael? Anyway that was Vaughan?s advice to the Protease but will they take it ahead of the 2nd Castle Lager test match in Johannesburg.

 

[Cricket_60]

Nice work by Warney

 

[Short Leg]

Selectors Shock Announcement​

You never know which was the Australian selectors are going to turn these days and to prove that they have announced the shock decision to drop all rounder Andrew Symonds for the 2nd Castle Lager test match. New top dog at the selection table Andrew Hilditch spoke on the decision

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The other selectors and myself have decided that Andrew isn?t our best option for the second test. We don?t feel his style of cricket is best suited to the position in the team that we which to fill. Michael Clarke will be his replacement for the next match and we feel we have made the right decision Michael has worked very hard to get back in the team for a long time and im sure wont disappoint. Jason Gillespie has also been recalled to the squad but a decision wont be made on his role until the morning of the game.

There you have it a big shock considering Symonds has just made over a hundred runs in the first test and taken a few wickets. It will be up to Roy to fight back into the team now.

The media was at the scene as usual before Michael Clarke left from Sydney airport to join his teammates in Johannesburg.

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I have to admit it was a bit of a shock at first because you don?t expect to many dramatic changes after a team wins by 245 runs. Im thrilled to be part of it again. You keep telling yourself that you can make it back after you?ve been dropped but you can never be sure. Im just really happy to get the opportunity to play for this great country again.

That might even be the last change made before the 2nd test as Jason Gillespie has also been flow across to South Africa as a possible fast bowling option. Dizzy has regained form since his ashes nightmare and is competing for a place with Michael Kasprowicz.

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Im not getting to excite about my chances of playing. The boys have just had a 245 run win so I reckon im no chance to play.

 

[Short Leg]

2nd Castle Lager Test Match
The Wanderers, Johannesburg
South Africa Vs Australia

Welcome to the second test of the Castle Lager series here in Johannesburg. Australia is currently 1-0 up in the series on the back of a 245 run thrashing in the first test. Will South Africa be hot on the heals of the Australians in this match having learned a lesson.

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Gareth Flusk Pitch Report

It?s good to be here in Johannesburg for my first pitch report and an interesting pitch it is. It will provide something for both batsman and bowlers. The South Africans have learned their lesson from the green pitch in the first match. It will be interesting to see what the captain winning the toss elects to do as there may be a bit of movement around this morning.

Conditions

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Weather Report

Good weather is predicted for all 5 days so we can expect a result in this one.

Day 1 ? Fine, Sunny 25
Day 2 - Fine, Sunny 23
Day 3 - Fine, Sunny 23
Day 4 - Fine, Sunny 21
Day 5 - Fine, Sunny 24

Umpires

Aleem Dar and Billy Bowden

Coin Toss

Heads is the call from Ricky Ponting and it is a tail.

We?re going to have a bat first. I think the time is right and ultimately it gives us the best chance to win a test match. We have put the first test behind us as a one out the bag poor performance but we promise it will be a different story in this match.

Yeah, We would have batted first but there might be a bit of juice in the wicket for the seam bowlers. The boys are ready to go and hopefully we pick up where we left off in Cape Town. A few changes which you will hear about for this game will keep it interesting.

South Africa Line-up

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Just one change surprisingly from the poor performance in the first match and that is the forced change for the suspended Andre Nel who has a one match ban. AJ Hall fills his spot and will lengthen the batting line-up as well as provide a bowling option. Will Smith put in for his team here after a first test pair? A big opportunity for South Africa to post a big first innings score.

Australia Line-up

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As we heard before the game Michael Clarke makes a much awaited return to the test team but the hard part starts now. A big surprise from the selectors because guess what! He?s back. Jason Gillespie is drafted in for Kasprowicz who may be dirty after bowling well in the first test. This team will take some beating and will look for early wickets with Lee and Dizzy.

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It wont be the same one sided affair that featured in the first test but will the Proteas take Michael Vaughan?s advice. No promises on Graeme Smith getting amongst the run scorers as he looks a shot duck upon coming out to bat. Don?t go anywhere because Brett Lee has the new ball inhand at the top of his run.

 

[Short Leg]

Captain Out Early Again​

2nd Castle Lager Test Match
The Wanderers, Johannesburg
South Africa Vs Australia

It?s the same old story for Graeme Smith at The Wanderers. What time to get out with the new ball zipping around. Dizzy Gillespie has taken the edge and it was just Smith?s luck that Hayden hung onto a one handed blinder at gully. The skipper hasn?t learned anything form the first match as he was on the back foot again.

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Smith out thanks to of a Matthew Hayden blinder​

The catch also sent Tony Greig off his nut in the commentary box as well as bringing in Herschelle Gibbs early. The worst possible start for the home side as they need to go into consolidation mode for a while.

What a catch what a catch. That?s as good a catch as you will see and oh dear Graeme Smith is having a horrible time on this tour. These Australian?s really are showing that they are the best side in the world. Matthew Hayden has taken a blinder and South Africa is 1/4.

South Africa 1/4
11:08am - Day 1
3 overs

Smith 4(8)
De Villiers 0(6)

Lee 0/0
Gillespie 1/4