South Africa in Australia Dec 2008-Jan 2009

[nikhil_99]

SA tail has done well this time,they are making runs and good partnerships,that is frustrating Aus bowlers,Duminy is not afraid of giving strike to Steyn(19 runs so far),Aus still have 3-4 overs before lunch break,they need to pick at least 1 wicket before lunch...

 

[aussie1st]

We need a 500 run lead to make sure we don't lose, a 400 run lead will see a repeat of Perth. And SA tail has done the damage so if these two fall soon they will know they have done their job. Great batting by JP a real star of the future.

 

[nikhil_99]

Agreeed they need 500 runs (at least 450),right now they lead by 100,still they need 2 more wickets,they need to pick those 2 wickets quickly,this partnership so far has added crucial 40 runs.I had thought that Aus would be battig at end of 1st session today,they just needed 3 wickets,but so far they have got only 1 wicket,and also their lead is now just close to 100.

This is Duminy's 2nd test and he has played relly well

 

[Highlander999]

If I was South Africa I would be really tempted to drop McKenzie for JP when Prince returns from injury and open with Amla.

Must say I am enjoying watching the Aussies toil recently. It's not that I don't like Australia, but after them dominating for the last few years it is good to see them having to put up a fight now, to get results.

 

[aussie1st]

And JP is showing what we should have at our number 6. A proper batsmen, our number 6 hardly ever is there long enough to be with the tail. Not to mention hes consistent with these runs.

 

[nikhil_99]

This session definately belonged to SA,they lost only 1 wicket,and they have also reduced the lead to just 90 runs,thanks to Duminy,Harris,Steyn..Aus need to do something special in 2nd session,if SA reach to 330-350,then that would be really interesting

 

[venom2011]

Awesome session for SA and this series gets yet another twist. Great stuff from the young left-hander...who's arguably the most talented batsman in South Africa. If SA get the lead down to 50 it's difficult (but far from impossible) to see Aus getting a result here. Pitch looks good and they're a bowler down so they'll need 480 minimum, and that would leave SA with the option to draw the game.

It's time for Hayden and Hussey to stand up and be counted.

 

[Raj_Aryan]

SA scored 106 runs and lost lost just 1 wicket! Aus need to pick 2 wickets quickly in next session

 

[WestIndian]

Awesome session for SA and this series gets yet another twist. Great stuff from the young left-hander...who's arguably the most talented batsman in South Africa. If SA get the lead down to 50 it's difficult (but far from impossible) to see Aus getting a result here. Pitch looks good and they're a bowler down so they'll need 480 minimum, and that would leave SA with the option to draw the game.

It's time for Hayden and Hussey to stand up and be counted.

Yes it is very, very arguably, after just 2 test inning, infact he is not, please get real!!!
And one would have thought you would be cheering for SA instead you are calling for Hayden and Mr. Cricket to be counted, what's up with that, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it!!!

 

[aussie_ben91]

Hopefully Hayden makes a century like Steve Waugh did at the SCG in 2002.

He'll probably get a duck now that I said that.

 

[venom2011]

Yes it is very, very arguably, after just 2 test inning, infact he is not, please get real!!!
And one would have thought you would be cheering for SA instead you are calling for Hayden and Mr. Cricket to be counted, what's up with that, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it!!!

No not very arguably. I've watched his whole career and not just two test innings. He's the only other player, besides Kallis, in SA cricket to average more than 50....and there's not many flat pitches in SA.

Im not cheering for Aus, I just want to see a good contest and I'm simply pointing out that in order for that to happen, Hayden and Hussey need to make a contribution of some kind.

 

[angryangy]

The lifeline for South Africa would be that the Australians didn't quite go for the killer blows like they could have. In the second innings at Perth, much of the collapse came from deliveries targeting the body, with the batsman forced to react with survival in mind.

Well, this lifeline was taken. Although some of the balls were well directed, by and large, this morning's bowling was rather loose. Lee was missing and though some would say it's a good thing, it really isn't. There is every chance he might have bowled a decent spell and if not, his presence at mid-on is an aura of command for the bowlers. Further worsening the state of affairs was that Symonds is also unable to bowl, playing with an injured knee.

Although effective, the tailenders continue to look like tailenders. In spite of what Bill Lawry says, they've played with hackish technique, rarely straight bats, often playing awkwardly and Steyn is probably lucky to survive some umpteen edges played between cover point and fine leg. Even on a good wicket, there should be plenty of weakness to exploit here and even if they take a brace of wickets immediately after lunch, the damage has been done.

One feels the second new ball has not been treated like a new ball, rather more like a multiball in a pinball machine. It's been bonus points time. They haven't really probed on a line or length, perhaps trying too hard to hit the deck and get those last wickets.

Of course, they're not even home and hosed once it's time to bat. It's high time that Hayden scored some runs and Hussey has been on a dry run for too long as well. Ponting produced in the first innings, but he's been up and down this year, a single figure score could well await him and one wicket becoming two becoming three would be all too familiar. Symonds also needs to justify his place as a one-legged batsman.

 

[aussie_ben91]

No not very arguably. I've watched his whole career and not just two test innings. He's the only other player, besides Kallis, in SA cricket to average more than 50....and there's not many flat pitches in SA.

Im not cheering for Aus, I just want to see a good contest and I'm simply pointing out that in order for that to happen, Hayden and Hussey need to make a contribution of some kind.

What about Graeme Smith? If you take his Test statistics out of his First-Class statistics then he averages 51.

I've heard that pitches in South Africa aren't to different from the ones in Australia. Infact, they're probably easier to bat on because the ball doesn't bounce as much.

 

[Cricketman]

LOLOLOL @ Hussey!!!!

Funniest thing on the field i've seen in a while! LOL!

 

[nikhil_99]

I feel this whole 1st session have changed the course of game and possibly series,last 3 Aus inngs we have seen that they give away or loose wickets (whatever),they might have thought that they would be coming to bat in 1st session itself,now that the lead is close to 50,and with Perth loss,they would certianly like to get 450-500 runs,for that they need close to 4-5 sessions (if at all they bat well,and at good rate),even their bowlers are not that effective to get 10 wickets of SA cheaply (Johnson was effective for just 1 inngs,even he didnt get wickets later).If Aus wants to win this series,they need to win this match,as well as next one,time is now passing by,as well a their lead,if they draw this one,they need to win next one to draw the series,so thats why i feel this 1 session has definately affected them