South Africa in Australia Dec 2008-Jan 2009

[surendar]

If I remember right, Perth is Australia's Den.. Something alarming now since they have lost back-back test matches in Perth? I think after India, did they play anyone at Perth? I don't remember. If I am wrong I am sorry.

Only thing SA can do is, they should stop being over-excited now because of this 1-0 lead and should continue their hard work to achieve something bigger --> 'Australia have never lost a series in home since 17 years'.

 

[barmyarmy]

I think we're going to see more and more successful fourth innings chases in the future. With the higher runrates we have now and the fact that both India and SA have made record chases recently the psychological barrier will be gone and third innings declarations on decent pitches will become a minefield.

 

[IloveGilly]

I was really surprised when they showed that 418 odd was the highest chase. Amazing how SA cruised to victory at 4/414, looked like they could've chased down 550 odd before the close of the day.

 

[smssia0112]

If I remember right, Perth is Australia's Den.. Something alarming now since they have lost back-back test matches in Perth? I think after India, did they play anyone at Perth? I don't remember. If I am wrong I am sorry.

Only thing SA can do is, they should stop being over-excited now because of this 1-0 lead and should continue their hard work to achieve something bigger --> 'Australia have never lost a series in home since 17 years'.

Don't know if any particular ground is like that, I can't remember the last time we lost in Melbourne or Sydney though.

aus5892 added 1 Minutes and 40 Seconds later...

I think we're going to see more and more successful fourth innings chases in the future. With the higher runrates we have now and the fact that both India and SA have made record chases recently the psychological barrier will be gone and third innings declarations on decent pitches will become a minefield.

It definitely feels that way, with batting improving and run rates increasing, and some great bowlers retiring, the game seems to be developing towards higher scoring, and higher chases.

 

[WestIndian]

I was really surprised when they showed that 418 odd was the highest chase. Amazing how SA cruised to victory at 4/414, looked like they could've chased down 550 odd before the close of the day.

Great game by SA, well played and while Prince was not in the line-up, JP hold his own well and Kallis came in and played a vital role just when it was needed, he's been in such poor form of late.
It's the second time that Australia have been at the losing end of the highest run chase, first against West Indies, and now SA.

 

[Sman-21]

The perth pitch hasnt been its old self for about the last 3 years.
It has lost its pace and doesnt have the same bounce as it used to.
Also it now takes turn and spin bowlers have been getting some pretty big wicket hauls in all forms of cricket there.
Which is why other countries are able to do alot better there than in previous years.

Even when Krezja took the big haul of wickets in india i never rated him.
He was going at over 5 runs an over in slow scoring tests.
Plus most his wickets were batsmen mistakes being over aggresive at taking on the poor bowling.
The guy has hardly done a thing at domestic level yet somehow he got the nod from selectors.

Now i know we have to give spin bowlers time because even the great Shane Warne struggled in his first few matches.
But i havent seen anything from krejza that makes me think he is anywhere near the level required for test cricket.
Too many bad balls, not enough variations, seems like he just keeps throwing it up there an preys the batsmen mishit it.

With Watson if he doesnt perform with the bat atleast u know he will get some wickets each match.
So i would drop symo an put watson in.

Lee needs to be dropped trouble is not sure who could replace him.
Hayden should of retired same time as gilly, he is always getting niggly little age related injuries an now his form has gone.

Need a swing bowler to compliment our hit the deck bowlers so drop siddle bring in bracken or hilfy, bollinger etc.

Give a spinner who has been doing well at state level a go that means bye krezja, hauritz, white hello new spinner.

My team would look like this
Katich
Hayden - if he fails next test retire immediatly if he does ok retire end of series.
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey - needs to be dropped back to 5th hasnt been performing aswell since moving to 4
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Lee - needs to be dropped but cant be replaced except by tait who only wants to play 1dayers
Bracken
New spinner - whoever has performed well last domestic season an this season. So no krezja,hauritz or white

 

[angryangy]

Don't know if any particular ground is like that, I can't remember the last time we lost in Melbourne or Sydney though.

Brisbane, for sure. If Australia are in trouble, a thunderstorm will probably bail them out.

The terrifying bounce is always talked up, but in those days we always used to lose to the West Indies at the WACA. The recent Test strips have not had anywhere near enough life for those sorts of scenarios. Even with Warne and McGrath, South Africa drew in 2005 and NZ in 2001 also drew in a rain affected match, but not before making 500 in the first innings.

I'm not at all unsympathetic to Pontings comments on the pitch, it gives Perth a 5 day Test match, but at what cost? It's not like anyone turned up for day 5 anyway. It can't be terribly easy to pick a team for the WACA when the resulting surface doesn't match predictions or even the performances in first class cricket. Last year they went in with 4 pacemen and it just didn't have the juice for that, although the new ball did swing and it was a short, entertaining game. This year they went in with a 3 quicks and spinner, but in the end it seemed like a pitch that warranted five bowlers.

Still, bowlers continue to be a handful in the first two innings. Earlier this year, 13 of the 40 wickets were caught behind, while 7 were adjudged lbw, suggesting some reasonable movement both through the air and off the pitch. The pitch in 2005 was more similar to this one. A lot of batsmen got out trying to play a cross batted shot. Is it just complacency or something more?

 

[aditya123]

I am not a bandwagon :

WORLD CHAMPIONS added 2 Minutes and 11 Seconds later...

Don't talk crap :

We are still NO 1. We have great bowlers. Just need to get rid of this Krejza. 1 win and will once again abck in our usual track. Tbh we will win our Boxing day test match.

[sarcasm]I know that.You are a human-being and not some inanimate object.:
I don`t think a `bandwagon` would so passionately support Australia.[sarcasm]

Anyway, there has never been a better time to join the India bandwagon though,has there ? WorldChampions,I would still offer you a berth in it !

 

[Chetan0304]

I didn't watch the match from day 1 but from day 3 onwards! Excellent spell by M Johnson.


What a match, Truly a Entertaining nail biting game as the RSA Vs Aus are always .

RSA are the top Test team at the moment. India to defeated Aussies on Perth .the Lucky charm for the Kangaroos is Gone!!

 

[sohum]

Krejza has now "scored" 4 centuries in the four Test innings he's bowled.

He got a double-ton in his debut (8/215) followed by a brilliant century (4/143). He followed that up with a couple of twin tons in this match versus South Africa: 1/102 and 0/102. The biggest problem? He's going at 4.5 runs an over.

By the way, I was just thinking about this after the English bowling at Chennai and the Australian bowling here. Australia have a really strong tail and I was wondering if these blokes aren't putting enough effort into their bowling in the nets. Mitch, Krezja and Lee would probably be batting at number 8 for most international teams.

 

[stefan]

Great win for my boys. Going to be interesting to see what aus will do. This attack doesn't look capable of bowling SA out twice.

While no of our bowlers dominated all of them made a good contribution and that was a big difference imho.

 

[Adarsh]

An offspinner should have more control than Krejza has. I don't rate traditional off-spinners , tbh, I doubt they'd make a big impact on present day cricket. It's just too easy to play them. Spinners need something extra, especially on modern day pitches. Paul Harris, Swann, Monty, Krejza are never going to be very good bowlers. They'll do a decent job at best, imo, and perhaps only ever seem threatening on dusty

You need someone with real variation or big spin, imo.

 

[mattfb]

My team would look like this
Katich
Hayden - if he fails next test retire immediatly if he does ok retire end of series.
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey - needs to be dropped back to 5th hasnt been performing aswell since moving to 4
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Lee - needs to be dropped but cant be replaced except by tait who only wants to play 1dayers
Bracken
New spinner - whoever has performed well last domestic season an this season. So no krezja,hauritz or white

Your right about Hussey. His career average is 61, and at number 4 he averages 55 and at number 5 he averages 78. They are all still very impressive though.

But you have to remember Clarkey as well. His career average is 46, but in the 5 matches he has batted at 4 he averages 16 compared to his average of 51 at 5 and 48 at 6. I think it will be better to leave them where they are.

 

[ajdude]

Cricinfo - Ponting ponders Hilfenhaus or Bollinger for Melbourne

Bollinger for Lee IMO, Siddle's new, and he needs to play a home test. :P

 

[shravi]

Did cricinfo not get the rights for the match photos?