South Africa in Australia Dec 2008-Jan 2009

[nikhil_99]

For Aus,its very hard to digest,after setting 400+ target,and SA chased it with ease...Aus will come back hard...

 

[aussie1st]

Cricinfo - Ponting ponders Hilfenhaus or Bollinger for Melbourne

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

Finally, it's taken 3 test losses but maybe the Aussie selectors/captain are seeing the light. Don't mind which of Hilfy or Bollinger get picked as long as one of them get picked.

aussie1st added 24 Minutes and 37 Seconds later...

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.

That's been my theory with off spinners as well. I never see them being dangerous as they always spin the ball into the right handers.

Still I'll give Krejza the series, I don't remember him bowling that many short balls in India so on two less bouncy tracks we should be able to see how he goes.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Off-spinners never have success on Australian soil, just take a look at Murali's and Harbhajan's statistics in Australia.

 

[SaiSrini]

Well done South Africa. I believed Australia could pull this off, but SA have proved that they are getting there to being the best in the world. Its a wonderful competition now between Australia, South Africa and India for the top 3 slots in world cricket as far as tests are concerned. Australia have now become so much beatable and South Africa/India are breathing down their neck. Test cricket has never been so much exciting and entertaining.

 

[Slowcoach]

I think Brett Lee should shorten his run up by a few paces, he looks like he is labouring by the time he gets to the crease.

It is impossible to bowl with any rhythm if you are exhausted before you even reach the bowling crease.

There is no point reaching top running speed halfway into your run up and then running another 15 or 20 metres at the same speed.

His run up is too long, and his strides are too long, he has to realise he is not 21 anymore.

 

[ajdude]

Cricinfo - Hilfenhaus in for MCG as Krejza dropped

Krejza out, Hauritz in, and Hilfenhaus in, though I'd imagine Hilfy would get culled from the 12 man squad. Can't see Pete not playing, and it'd be a choice between Watson and Hauritz, I'd go with Hauritz tbh, handy with the bat and more than handy with the ball, what did he take in New Zealand's second innings, something like 2/22 from 20 overs?

 

[aussie_ben91]

Get Hilfenhaus in there. His caused Matthew Hayden problems in the past in State Cricket and he can potentially cause Smith problems the same way that Hoggard did.

Bollinger is overrated. I never saw him in first-class matches but in the one-dayers he doesn't swing the ball much, doesn't seam it and isn't all that fast. I can't quite understand why his had so much success in first-class cricket. Bit harsh considering I play for the same grade club as him.

 

[irottev]

Hauritz isn't a good selection. He bowled average against NZ. Our batsmen just threw their wickets away against him. Hilfy is a great bowler. I was very impressed when I saw him play. He's a good selection and should have played more games by now.

 

[aussie1st]

Oh please get Hilfy in there, hope they haven't just tempted us then don't pick him. And they better not pick Watson for one of the bowlers.

 

[Raj_Aryan]

If B Lee gets his form again,Aus wont have to panic here,Aus needs a bowler here who can take wickets,Lee is fast,he can do it.
Aus have lost 2 matches on trot (if i am not wrong here) on Perth,Last year to India,now to SA.

 

[smssia0112]

The changes I'd make with that squad in mind:
Watson in for Symonds - much better 5th bowling option than Symonds and the batting difference isn't too high.
Then bring Hilfenhaus in for Krejza, the MCG has been great for pacemen this past week but ordinary for spinners, Victoria didn't even pick Holland. Hauritz won't do well there.

 

[Cricketdude]

Hilfenhaus use to be my uncle's tenant. Hilfy lived upstairs with his girlfriend(until he dumped her) its pretty dam big. Like upstairs as in a door not stairs.

 

[karnog]

i can't help but feel Lee is going down the Gillespie route. If the selectors want Lee to keep playing stick him in the domestic league and let him regain the rhythm he seriously is lacking. Interesting what SA might do. Do they keep Harris or drop them for one of their fringe pace bowlers.

 

[Left_Hander]

I would of thought Krejza would of been picked till the end of the series. Sydney probably would assisted him.

Oh please get Hilfy in there, hope they haven't just tempted us then don't pick him. And they better not pick Watson for one of the bowlers.

So drop Siddle? Johnson can't be dropped after taking 11 wickets and was the only threating bowler and I doubt the selectors are game enough to drop Lee.

 

[angryangy]

It's hard to tell if it's really been bad for spin, with the spinners always being an afterthought. Holland got 2/59 in 29 overs when he did get picked, which isn't too bad, but that's the most any of them have been allowed to bowl so far. If Hauritz keeps his end tight, then I would consider it a good job, because there usually is enough in the wicket for good pace bowling to get the wickets. Solid chance he doesn't get picked, though.

Mind you, if you want to play it on performances, why have we got Hilfenhaus in? He doesn't have a good track record at Melbourne. I'd still be leaning towards height and bounce, just because it doesn't require mysticism like swing.

Not sure if it will be obvious how it is going to play, as it has also had appealing characteristics for batsmen in a couple of matches, but recent Tests have shown a bit of seam movement or uneven bounce off the surface. Either way, it's going to be hot and sunny all week and so I can see no threat of under-preparation.