New Zealand in South Africa

[irottev]

Kallis looks like its not troubling him too much. So hopefully for South Africa he will be fine.

I have to complain about the no-ball calling. Thats the fourth wrongly called no ball so far. I have noticed it happening more and more in recent matches.

Good stuff from Mills.

Oram, Vettori, Mills and Astle very economical. Good to see, especially from Oram.

Things are evenish at the moment. Considering they put us in we are doing nicely.


WOOOOOO!!! Franklin bowls Kallis with a nice yorker. Excellent!!!! Kallis was boring but had just started to turn up the heat when bam, the stumps fly. He was starting to look dangerous.

I am talking to myself here, but De Villiers is now gone. Great delivery from Franklin. He is bowling MUCH better now. Hopefully we can get the tail out cheaply, they did well against Australia. We are in great shape at the moment. Maybe batting first wasn't such a great move Smithy, even though Fleming said he would of done the same. Our attack suits this pitch!




Boucher GONE! That was a funny wicket. Edges to third slip and goes from his hands into Fleming's. Great work from Fleming.

 

[ZexyZahid]

It looks like South Africa should be happy if they reach 300 runs tomorrow. And Boje has scored a lot of runs with the tailenders in previous matches.

 

[James219]

Well, great stuff from New Zealand, Fleming really managed his attack well in order to maintain the pressure. SA are mentally worn from such a long battle with Aus, and not many of their players are fresh or have developed a winning culture recently. Still, it was a scorecard of starts, and atleast one of their bats should have been able to recognize the responsibility and then react by taking it upon himself to guide the innings.

 

[irottev]

This last partnership is a pain in the neck! SA are going to end up with perhaps 20-30 runs more than they should have. We are missing Bond to clean them up.

Its relitievly even at the moment. I rekon Bond would'a had a field day here

I must complain about the commentary. Its perhaps the worst I have ever heard. Richardson is terrible and all the South Africans are apart from Ian Bishop who is alright. The coverage has been cutting out, the speed gun has been reading incorrect speeds - (I doubt Martin bowled a 168km/h delivery :/)

I have that recorded by the way, if you wanted to see the quickest delivery EVER!!!! lol.

 

[Gilchrist]

Yeah, when I was watching the NZ V SA One Day Series, where NZ won 6/1, they showed Kyle Mills bowling at 168 and 154, I didn't believe that at all.

 

[ZexyZahid]

168 kmph. :laugh I wouldn't believe that either.

The only way South Africa can get 300 runs today is if Boje stays till the end of the innings.

 

[irottev]

That Fleming dismissal was an absolutly shocking decision. The current standard of umpiring is at the worst I have seen it. Absolutly shocking.

 

[aussie1st]

SA said it was hard to bat on, looks like they were right. This will be Fulton's time to shine and Styris to show what he can do.

 

[irottev]

Gah, this pitch is getting worse and worse. What a terrible toss to lose.

5 down now for not even 50 runs yet. Still, if we go back to the Fleming shocker, things would of been a lot different.

THe umpires can't even get the no-ball calls correct.

 

[ZexyZahid]

New Zealand 45/5 (12.2 ov)

And New Zealand are in really big trouble. 32 runs needed to avoid the follow-on.

 

[aussie1st]

They will need someone to form a partnership. Probably another special from Vettori too.
Even with Fleming's bad call it doesn't explain the other batsmen getting out.

 

[ZexyZahid]

And Kallis didn't even bowl yet. He seems to be in great shape seeing from the Test matches he played against Australia.

 

[irottev]

Kallis might struggle to bowl if his Arm is being pumped full of anti-flam. But we will have to see.

The new ball is wearing out now and Steyn is being punished. Oram and McCullum look good. We really do bat down to 10. Martin is the only bunny. Vettori opens domestically, Mills bats at 5ish and Franklin has just come off a 200 at home a few months back. These are the dangerous two though.

Marshall has got to go, he shouldn't be in the team. Thats enough chances. Its not ideal conditions, he got one which almost rolled along the ground, but unless theres something amazing in the second innings, bring in Papps.

Styris and Fulton got good balls. Styris's bounced a little more than he expected. Astle needed to use his feet more to a ball which was pitched up. Fleming got a shocker.

 

[James219]

Well McCullum seems to be finding some fluency, he's always been a busy player so there's the element of doubt when watching him bat, but can be a very dangerous player when it comes off and has that ability to really unsettle the bowler and refuse to allow him a consistent rhythm. With that, he's got a solid technique, and if Oram breaks into his natural game after he becomes familiar with the test scene once again, Smith will have some problems. But this is all extremely hypothetical, and SA have a very grip on the match at present. (However, they are known to crumble when the opportunity to wipe out the opposition looms.....)

 

[irottev]

McCullum gone. Another to blame the two-bounce pitch with. He scored a nice 30 odd. We need more aggression. He was a little inpatient and maybe a silly shot option. But still.