CRICKET First Test- Australia v South Africa

[Foordy]

that was pretty poor bowling from Nortje

 

[holdzy]

That was fun

 

[Fernando]

19 extras. Phew.

 

[tommy]

CA have some fucking explaining to do regarding that pitch.

 

[Sproj]

I liked the pitch. As an ex-not very good medium-fast / wrist spin bowler and terrible batsman, I like bowler friendly pitches, can't stand roads.

 

[Fitzy]

CA have some fucking explaining to do regarding that pitch.

They really don’t. I think they were spot on with making it a bowler friendly pitch game 1 of the series to not allow SA batsmen into any form of confidence so the explaining falls completely on the ground staff at the GABBA who took bowling friendly to a new interpretation. You also have to remember the Gabba staff don’t bowl 130+ clicks they can’t go testing how the pitch is playing they can only do there simple tests and by that point there’s not much you can do anyway. Shit happens.

You also have to remember that both teams batted very poorly regardless of the pitch. Also the ball never got past 50 overs old. So every batter had to go out there with bowlers firing on a bowler friendly pitch with a fairly new ball. Shit happens and at the end of the day I would rather 2 days of what we just watched than 4 or 5 days with 1200 runs and a team winning by 250+ runs comfortably. Great weekend of cricket if you ask me.

Australia are 1-0 up and have 3 days off of cricket with so much important cricket in the coming 8-9 months.

 

[Browny]

Don’t forget we had Autumn weather before and during the test

 

[Fozz]

Every short test should have replacement T20 games on the free days

 

[Fernando]

I was planning on going tomorrow and I still liked the pitch. I always enjoy test cricket at the Gabba, it's the best pitch in the world imo.

Would have been funny if it turned into an all time thrilling finish - wasn't too far away from happening.

 

[Sproj]

I just watched another replay of the Van Der Dussen dismissal, ok that batting technique is rubbish but goodness me, how good was that ball. It wobbled the whole way down and then nipped back off the seam. Absolute peach to bring up 300.

 

[Unbreakable]

I just watched another replay of the Van Der Dussen dismissal, ok that batting technique is rubbish but goodness me, how good was that ball. It wobbled the whole way down and then nipped back off the seam. Absolute peach to bring up 300.

They showed the ball tracking for it at one stage, it quite literally pitched outside off. I'm not even sure you can call that a deliberate peach of a delivery, nobody can possibly anticipate a ball turning at a right angle off the pitch like that, demons in the pitch.

 

[1910]

It's all a bit much- was it wet at the start- yep, did it favour bowlers- yep, do you want all of them like that-no but if Australia had batted first and got 4/600 no one would have said a thing and we get those pitches all the time.

Every pitch should be different, when Sydney would break up and turn and part-time spinners take 12 wickets no one said how unfair it was- we celebrated the difference.

That's the skill of cricket, you have to bat well in all conditions on all surfaces. It wasn't dangerous I don't think anyone was hit in the head and Head proved you can get runs and both teams had a chance to win the game.

 

[BroncsFan]

It's all a bit much- was it wet at the start- yep, did it favour bowlers- yep, do you want all of them like that-no but if Australia had batted first and got 4/600 no one would have said a thing and we get those pitches all the time.

Every pitch should be different, when Sydney would break up and turn and part-time spinners take 12 wickets no one said how unfair it was- we celebrated the difference.

That's the skill of cricket, you have to bat well in all conditions on all surfaces. It wasn't dangerous I don't think anyone was hit in the head and Head proved you can get runs and both teams had a chance to win the game.

I was thinking last year the boxing day test finished in 2 days 1 session.... and like first thing in the morning, but the only reason it lasted so long was because Australia were able to bat for 87 overs.... but that was also completely dominated by the ball. But because it's the precious MCG it's all fine

Most of the time tests are only lasting into a 4th/5th day because Aust bat in the 3rd innings instead of enforcing a follow on

 

[BroncosFever]

Had a bit of a giggle seeing Virender "the flat track bully" Sehwag having a go at the pitch

If you get a shocking pitch, you'd rather it be shocking in terms of it being a bowlers paradise as opposed to a Mumbai road where bowlers do themselves in bowling 5 days straight with minimal reward

 

[The True King]

Even the curator has admitted he made a mistake prepping the pitch.

I get the defence of it, I love the Gabba test as much as anyone, but lets be real we would all be up in arms if that sort of green deck was rolled out at Trent Bridge or Edgebaston (admittedly maybe not so much these days with our bowling depth haha).

Can only speak for myself but I was disappointed it was over in two days. The batsmen do have to take responsibility for that but against world class attacks on that pitch almost every third ball was unplayable.

Hopefully we can redeem ourselves next test but for now probably just have to cop the criticism.

 

[Sproj]

I tell you what, England are looking like they might be able to put on a challenge in the next Ashes. Harry Brook looks a superstar in the making.

 

[Mr Fourex]

It's all a bit much- ..................

I blame climate change.......

 

[Alec]

I enjoy bowling dominated pitches a lot. Don't care if the match ends early, every ball looking dangerous just makes it more fun for me.