South Africa V Australia test series

[Mister Wright]

Hayden said on the Back Page tonight that the pitch has always been a slow one. Maybe they made it slower, but I think this test showed that it doesn't matter what the pitch is, we just don't have batsmen who are quality enough to make enough runs when it mattters. Too many times did Johnson & Haddin save our batsmen from tough questions throughout the Ashes series.

 

[Bull Shark]

Hayden said on the Back Page tonight that the pitch has always been a slow one. Maybe they made it slower, but I think this test showed that it doesn't matter what the pitch is, we just don't have batsmen who are quality enough to make enough runs when it mattters. Too many times did Johnson & Haddin save our batsmen from tough questions throughout the Ashes series.

yeah that pitch looked to have a pretty easy pace about it .. watching on tv it looked like the ball was slowing up a lot after it pitched , like playing on a slab of abrasive concrete .. so absolutely terrible for Mitchell Johnson who relies on brute force but for someone like Steyn who has a bit more skill, he found a way to make it work.

the South African grounds that are nearby the ocean like Port Elizabeth, Durban & Newlands tend to be pretty slow, while the grounds on the highveld like the Wanderers and Centurion (both are around 2km above sea level I think) are zipper / springier

 

[Bull Shark]

great start for Australia - winning the toss and batting.

interesting selection with Pattinson coming in for Siddle ... At his best Pattinson is a serious bowler but can't help but feel he's underdone for this situation ... hope I'm wrong, time will tell.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Pitch looks good so far. The ground in cape town is on the bucket list. So picturesque

 

[Broncoman]

Barely saw any of the second test but I'll try to watch the 3rd test as much as possible. It will mean a lot for Australian cricket if we can win this series.

 

[Bull Shark]

Steyn has his tail up now ... Doolan looked like a deer in the headlights in the second innings of the last test, big test for him here to resist these guys.

 

[Ari Gold]

Words cannot express how happy I am that Marsh has been dropped!

Like Bull Shark, I'm a bit uncertain about the Pattinson selection. I think he's a much more talented player and a better prospect than Siddle, and even though I'm not Pete's biggest fan it's pretty harsh that he's been dropped. A sentiment I won't share about Marsh even though he made a ton recently because 6 ducks in 15 digs is just piss poor, as is his 25 average this FC season.

 

[Dexter]

Pretty good first session by our boys, great to be 1 for at lunch and scoring quickly. No excuses for any of the middle order now. 450 minimum looks a real chance...... unless they get it to reverse again.

 

[Bull Shark]

Words cannot express how happy I am that Marsh has been dropped!

Like Bull Shark, I'm a bit uncertain about the Pattinson selection. I think he's a much more talented player and a better prospect than Siddle, and even though I'm not Pete's biggest fan it's pretty harsh that he's been dropped. A sentiment I won't share about Marsh even though he made a ton recently because 6 ducks in 15 digs is just piss poor, as is his 25 average this FC season.

they're an interesting case study the Marsh family .. Shaun, Mitch and Melissa (plays in the WNBL for the West Coast Waves) have all had issues with their discipline and professionalism.

Shaun and Mitch have under achieved thus far (Mitch to a lesser extent I suppose due to his age) and have had trouble curbing their love for extra curricular activities. Melissa, who has just retired from basketball, had a fair bit of talent, certainly enough to be there or thereabouts with the Opals, but she was plagued by problems with her fitness (not the injury kind) and weight and in the end she played out her days captaining the perennial easy beats of the WNBL.

They're obviously a very talented bunch no question, but they all seem to have sold themselves a little short due to their own doing.

 

[Ari Gold]

Pretty poor dismissal from Doolan. Not just the way it occurred but just the fact that it has the potential to force Warner to restrain himself a little. Poor partnership batting.

 

[Sproj]

Doolan gets himself out. Collapse time with Clarke out there and hopelessly out of form?

 

[Sproj]

I gotta say, at least Patti offers another genuine batting tail option, he'll get a ton or three before his career is over.

 

[Socnorb]

Warner continues to impress with the bat, if not with the mouth.

 

[Sproj]

Warner ton!!

 

[ivanhungryjak]

You got to hand it to him. He shot his mouth off and had to back it up. Scoring a ton is the best way to keep the opposition quiet.

 

[Ari Gold]

Largely impressed with Warner in this series. The next thing he needs to do is make a big one. He may have made a ton but the team still needs a lot more from him.

Looks like Steyn has gone off the field. Huge blow if he can't bowl the rest of this match.

 

[Broncoman]

Clarke is being bombarded by short balls here but is still fighting on.

Come on skipper

 

[Ari Gold]

Clarke is being made to look like a real bunny at the minute. Fascinating test cricket.