CRICKET Second Test- Australia v South Africa

[Fozz]

He's really sick, he was out on his feet.

Warner was, Smith seemed fine unless there was some hidden drama.

Smith's strike rate was pretty ordinary, it wasn't really the innings of someone in form but he was knuckling down and grafting an innings.

Meanwhile Head is seeing them like basketballs at the moment.

 

[1910]

Warner was, Smith seemed fine unless there was some hidden drama.

Smith's strike rate was pretty ordinary, it wasn't really the innings of someone in form but he was knuckling down and grafting an innings.

Meanwhile Head is seeing them like basketballs at the moment.

Smith has been sick since Saturday night.

 

[BroncosFever]

I think today was the day that broke the back of the series, I don't think any of us expected us to get away from South Africa with the bat, it was always going to be which team can bat best against the opposition fast bowling attack.

Rabada has been very disappointing it has to be said, probably the worst of their quicks. At times he looks disinterested.

 

[holdzy]

I think today was the day that broke the back of the series, I don't think any of us expected us to get away from South Africa with the bat, it was always going to be which team can bat best against the opposition fast bowling attack.

Rabada has been very disappointing it has to be said, probably the worst of their quicks. At times he looks disinterested.

Honestly I was expecting the pitch blaming covering SA’s shitty batting to come to the fore, and quickly.

South Africa’s fast bowling is great, but Australia’s is better. Australia’s batting is a class above.

The anticipated fear of their fast bowling hasn’t materialised.

 

[BooKhaki]

Not the point. Morris has been going great for two or three seasons now and is a lot younger. At some point Australia needs to plan for life after Starc, Hazlewood, Neser and Boland. All are now 32 or 33.

Test caps shouldn't be given away, we should always pick the best side. I'll cop picking for the future if it's a 50/50 call, but Neser is clearly much better. Neser has been a touring squad member for several years and deserves every test he can get.

 

[Sproj]

Test caps shouldn't be given away, we should always pick the best side. I'll cop picking for the future if it's a 50/50 call, but Neser is clearly much better. Neser has been a touring squad member for several years and deserves every test he can get.

Just on that point, how is Neser CLEARLY much better? If you include batting, sure. Bowling wise, their recent performances over the last two years are pretty similar. In fact, Morris might even be slightly better. If you were up against India, sure that batting would be handy but this isn’t India, this is arguably the worst test batting line up in the world. It isn’t giving away a test cap either, its future planning and it isn’t like Morris isn’t going to play at some point unless he breaks down with injury like Richardson who is the best of all three.

 

[BroncosFever]

How about the “flying fox” near on knocking out Nortje, it actually hit him.

I hate it myself, I get what they’re going for but just get rid of it.

 

[BroncosFever]

 

[Sproj]

Wowsers. He’s lucky he wasn’t hurt, that hit him pretty hard.

 

[Allo]

jeez that thing was motoring too. Hope he’s all right.

Dickheads operating it should get sacked for that, or at least from being behind the controls

 

[BroncosFever]

jeez that thing was motoring too. Hope he’s all right.

Dickheads operating it should get sacked for that, or at least from being behind the controls

Of course on twitter, the usual suspects from other countries with the conspiracy theories that this was something planned by Cricket Australia, absolute dickheads.

 

[BroncosFever]

Wowsers. He’s lucky he wasn’t hurt, that hit him pretty hard.

I don’t get why it has to be so damn low, I even think how they interview the player at a drinks break with it is even unsettling to me. You can just tell that the player would rather be focusing on the game than having to sacrifice the couple of minutes he gets to have a drink to have to talk to the commentators.

I think it’s even interfered with play one or two times with the ball either hitting or going very close to hitting the cabling, either way it’s something that the players shouldn’t have to deal with.

 

[BroncsFan]

Green has a fracture on his finger and won’t bowl again this test, also out of the Sydney test. Aust hopeful Starc can do some bowling in the second innings.

Getting the win could be a real slog out there now being two bowlers down.

Marnus and Smudge might get some overs

 

[Fitzy]

Test caps shouldn't be given away, we should always pick the best side. I'll cop picking for the future if it's a 50/50 call, but Neser is clearly much better. Neser has been a touring squad member for several years and deserves every test he can get.

Just on that point, how is Neser CLEARLY much better? If you include batting, sure. Bowling wise, their recent performances over the last two years are pretty similar. In fact, Morris might even be slightly better. If you were up against India, sure that batting would be handy but this isn’t India, this is arguably the worst test batting line up in the world. It isn’t giving away a test cap either, its future planning and it isn’t like Morris isn’t going to play at some point unless he breaks down with injury like Richardson who is the best of all three.

It’s not about the next man up always. At the minute the likely side will be Cummins, Hazlewood and Boland. Interchange any one of those players with Neser and you have the same issue. The issue that they are all line and length ‘handkerchief bowlers’. Cummins is a little bit less handkerchief since he likes to variate his lengths a bit more so that when he bowls the handkerchief ball he increases the likelihood of a wicket. Regardless none of them are intimidators, look you very well could get away with it against this batting from SA but if you don’t tactically play smart against teams you can win without having to just so someone who in my opinion deserves it can’t wear a baggy green.

Cummins, Hazlewood and Morris for mine next test match.

 

[Fitzy]

Green has a fracture on his finger and won’t bowl again this test, also out of the Sydney test. Aust hopeful Starc can do some bowling in the second innings.

Getting the win could be a real slog out there now being two bowlers down.

Marnus and Smudge might get some overs

Interesting to see who they pick in replacement. Either way I probably won’t like it. If they go two spinners I will go ape shit though cause neither Murphy or Swepson are good enough to go double spinners in Australia. Could very well go Agar since he can bat and then bowl him spin. Wouldn’t be handing out a test cap that way as well. I like that the most of the two spinner route. They could just go a straight batsmen. Likely Handscomb in that scenario. Unlikely but possible they blood an opener and play Khawaja in the middle order for a test. Than they also could go the all-rounder route of Neser (not all-rounder enough imo) or Hardie.

In regards to the rest of the test I think Marnus will be bowling his seam up’s for a bit of variety and Travis will be bowling fairly significant overs with his spin as I think he has become the best part timer by a long shot.

 

[BroncsFan]

Interesting to see who they pick in replacement. Either way I probably won’t like it. If they go two spinners I will go ape shit though cause neither Murphy or Swepson are good enough to go double spinners in Australia. Could very well go Agar since he can bat and then bowl him spin. Wouldn’t be handing out a test cap that way as well. I like that the most of the two spinner route. They could just go a straight batsmen. Likely Handscomb in that scenario. Unlikely but possible they blood an opener and play Khawaja in the middle order for a test. Than they also could go the all-rounder route of Neser (not all-rounder enough imo) or Hardie.

In regards to the rest of the test I think Marnus will be bowling his seam up’s for a bit of variety and Travis will be bowling fairly significant overs with his spin as I think he has become the best part timer by a long shot.

True forgot about Head... he'll definitely get some overs... or the attack of Cummins, Boland and Lyon will just rip through them haha

 

[Sproj]

Interesting to see who they pick in replacement. Either way I probably won’t like it. If they go two spinners I will go ape shit though cause neither Murphy or Swepson are good enough to go double spinners in Australia. Could very well go Agar since he can bat and then bowl him spin. Wouldn’t be handing out a test cap that way as well. I like that the most of the two spinner route. They could just go a straight batsmen. Likely Handscomb in that scenario. Unlikely but possible they blood an opener and play Khawaja in the middle order for a test. Than they also could go the all-rounder route of Neser (not all-rounder enough imo) or Hardie.

In regards to the rest of the test I think Marnus will be bowling his seam up’s for a bit of variety and Travis will be bowling fairly significant overs with his spin as I think he has become the best part timer by a long shot.

Murphy looks pretty good, pretty good clone of Lyon.

As for Green’s replacement, I really hope they go Hardie.

 

[Sproj]

True forgot about Head... he'll definitely get some overs... or the attack of Cummins, Boland and Lyon will just rip through them haha

Scotty will only need 3 overs.