Story SouthAfrica's International Diary(ICC CT 2009) - Boucher tries to Steady the Ship

[IloveGilly]

Wow. You put a great deal of effort into this. Nice job.

 

[Highlander999]

Hmm, not a brilliant total by South Africa. They are going to have to bowl well to try and restrict the Aussies.

Nice work as usual

 

[Akash00]

Your previews are great, waiting for the next update.

 

[Storer11]

Awesome work. Can't wait for next update.

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Aussies come out to bat​

Aussies bowled superbly with the new ball this morning and wrapped up the South African tail for 269 runs but at one stage it was looking as if South Africans will score over 300 but Lee and Johnson took quick wickets this morning and did a good job to the Aussies in command. On the other hand Proteas have one of the best bowling attack in recent times and certainly Aussie batsmen will be facing tough times ahead with the new ball. Aussies need to score runs as well as keep some wickets and get a huge lead.

The Australian openers are out their in the middle with Matthew Hayden on strike and Simon Katich at the non-strikers end.​

Hayden who has the second highest scorer in a single innings, has been out of form since the Indian tour and hasn't perform at all in 2008 scoring just 486 runs in 10 matches at an average of 28.58 and that truly shows how poor he has been this year. But still Hayden must be thinking one good innings could regain his lost form back.

On the other hand Simon Katich, has been in the best form of his career scoring 1129 runs in the year at an average of 56.45 and also has four hundred and one fifty to his name this year. Katich should be hoping he would continue his form in this test match also.

South Africa's best bowler at the moment Dale Steyn was given the new ball. Steyn who has 154 wickets in his 30 test matches has taken 63 wickets in 2008 with an average of 22.18 which is very impressive. His pace and swing really troubles the openers and would be vital for the Proteas today.

Q:Which South African Bowler will take the most Number of Wickets in the Innings
a)Dale Steyn
b)Makhaya Ntini
c)Morne Morkel
d)Paul Harris
e)Jaques Kallis
​

 

[saladguy]

Makhaya Ntini will take the most wickets :happy

 

[gutterman]

great update. i think dale steyn will have the most wickets as he will surely trouble the Aussie Batsmen

 

[Akash00]

Dale Steyn will be the leading wicket taker.
Waiting for the update.

 

[Zohaib]

M.Morne will get the most wickets

 

[Jaztheman]

I'll go for Dale Steyn as leading wicket taker. Australia definitely need over 300 like you said but they wrapped South Africa up for 269 so might be able to get a 100 run lead or there abouts. It's definitely going to be interesting.

Good luck Shan, and great presentation.

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Aussies in Deep Deep Trouble​

Everything for the start of the Australia innings with Dale Steyn bowling the 1st over. Australia made the worst possible start to their innings. Hayden started off with a confident shot through the covers for four but Dale Steyn got the better of out of form and under pressure Hayden. Steyn pitched it short and Hayden went for the pull shot, got the top edged and went high up in the air only to be easily caught by Dale Steyn. Hayden's miserable form continued as Aussies were 4 for 1 at the end of first over with Ricky Ponting the Aussie skipper coming in much earlier than expected to bat.

There was no surprise as Makhaya Ntini was given the new ball to share with Dale Steyn as he has been the key weapon for the South Africans throughout the years.

Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting looked confident after an early blow and started scoring some runs. Katich got the of the mark with a couple towards deep point and the next ball hit it through covers all the way for four. Ricky Ponting to got of the mark with a couple towards fine leg. The new ball was doing little bit in the air but was coming nicely onto the bat. As the partnership was gathering some runs in ones and twos Dale Styen struck again. Dale Steyn needed a brilliant delivery to get rid of the Australian skipper as he mistimed it and was clean bowled. Punted departed for just 3 runs as the Michael Hussey came in to bat.

Michael Hussey commonly known as "Mr Cricket" in Australia, plays for the home side Retravision Warriors and received huge cheers as he walked in.

Australians were in deep trouble at 16 for the loss of two wickets but didn't seem to add any pressure on Simon Katich as he smashed Dale Steyn for two consecutive fours. The first one was pure timing between point and covers and the second one beat the mid-on fielder for four. Katich was looking in fine nick as he had been throughout this year scoring over 1000 runs. But Makhaya Ntini provided the breakthrough for the South Africans by trapping Simon Katich in front of the stumps. The ball was pitched on middle stump and it just straightened a bit and Katich was plum in front of the stumps. The umpire had no doubts and even the hawkeye shewed it would have hit the middle and off stump.

There was a huge roar when Michael Clarke walked in to bat. Aussies were in deep trouble at 26 for 3 and Clarke had rescued the Aussies many-a-times before and hoped to do the same.

Clarke straight away got of the mark with a great shot through the point for four. Next ball Clarke gave the strike the but it was a leg bye and gave Michael Hussey who had just face 3 balls. But at the end of the next ball it were the Proteas who celebrated again as they saw the back of Michael Hussey. Ntini pitched it short and Hussey hooked it away but didn't hit as he would have liked and straight in the hands of Ashwell Prince at fine leg. Hussey went for one and Australians were in deep deep trouble at 31 for 4.

Australia: 31/4(10 overs, 1st Innings)
M.Clarke: 4(6)
A.Symonds: 0(8)
Extras: 1

Last Wickets:
M.Hussey c Prince b Ntini 1(4)
S.Katich lbw b Ntini 18(28)
R.Ponting b Steyn 3(8)
M.Hayden c & b Steyn 4(6)

 

[saladguy]

Haha lol 31/4 They need a mammoth innings from Clarke along with support from Andrew Symonds to get this innings back on track

 

[Jaztheman]

Awesome update and presentation Shan, good mix of Graphics and writing. I said Steyn would get the most wickets, which he has so far, albeit joint, and he has got the most important wickets. The top order has failed for Australia and they will now need their top order to perform explicably well and to get some big innings and partnerships. South Africa in complete control.

 

[Roofrom50]

Australia are in shaky grounds here. Pup needs to bring them back to earth, and with Symmo.. it should/hopefully be a good partnership. Let's just hope they don't fall like Ponting and the rest have.

Always brilliant updates mate, you make it look like the real thing.
Keep up the good work :happy

 

[shantanu_rooney]

South Africans in the Driving Seat at Lunch​

Having lost four wickets Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich and Michael Hussey in the first ten overs, Aussies were on the backfoot with Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds in the middle. After destroying Australia's top order the Proteas were on top and it was reflected by some brilliant bowling by Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini who continued to trouble two batsman with their pace as well as line and length. The runs were becoming difficult to come by but were coming. Clarke gave something for the Aussie supporters to cheers with his two consecutive boundaries of Steyn's over.

First was pulled in the vacant mid-wicket area for four and the next one was hammered through the covers for four. As Clarke had put his leg on the accelerator Symonds was not gonna sit back and watch and he also joined the party with a slog shot over mid-wicket of Ntini's over for four. The two had put one 20 runs in quick time and the partnership was giving the home side some home. Graeme Smith made his first bowling change by bringing on Morne Morkel to replace Makahay Ntini and the bowling changed worked. Michael Clarke tried to flick it of the bats to fine leg but the ball hits his pads and went on the stumps. The unluckiest way for a batsman to be dismissed and that showed how lucky the South Africans were today.

Keeper-batsman Brad Haddin was the next man in. Aussies were in deep trouble at 51 for the loss of 5 wickets. But Haddin had the ability along with Symonds to bat for a long period and go as closer as possible to the South African total. But their main objective was surviving the remaining over in the first session and they did achieve it. Symonds and Haddin both scored runs and kept the scoreboard ticking towards the end of the first session on day 2. The two also entertained the Aussie supporters with some boundaries towards the end lead by Roy.

Symonds was in aggressive mode as he smashed Morkel for two boundaries in the same over on the offside. First one was smashed through the covers and second one was a bit lucky as he got the outside edge and flew pass gully for four. Haddin to joined the party with a leg glance for four through the empty mid-wicket area in last over of the first session. It was an entertaining first session on day two which had seen 8 wickets fall but unfortunately for the home crowd 5 of those were the Australian wickets. Smith and his boys looked happy with their performance and the Proteas were in the driving seat for sure.

Australia: 68/5 (18 overs, 1st Innings)
A.Symonds: 15(27)
B.Haddin: 6(19)
Extras: 6

Last Wicket
M.Clarke b Morkel 15(16)

Australia trail by 201 runs