CRICKET Third Test- Australia v South Africa

[holdzy]

Inevitable draw here?

 

[The True King]

I didn't get a chance to watch much today but just saw some highlights. Cummins has just identified Jansen's weakness, short-pitched bowling at his arms around the wicket, watch a lot of teams exploit that now.

Also, that was an outstanding effort by Agar, shame he didn't pull it off.

Smith took a screamer BUT I am ok it wasn't given, it even outs the not out against Labs for SA, so no one can complain there now.

That ball from Lyon was mesmerising. Yes, the batsman made a poor decision but for all intents and purposes, that ball looked like it was comfortably spinning away and it didn't, straight on to the top of off, stunning.

The catch is interesting, on one hand I'm okay with it being not out (strictly based on the rule) but the other hand it looked 100% a genuine catch.

Had that been an English slip taking it against us, I'd have been crying not out but it just feels wrong when it goes against your team. It's also denied an absolute beauty of a catch.

Similar to other sports with slow-mo replays, something feels very artificial about the slowing down of the replay as it takes away from what your eyes tell you in real time. I'm very much at odds with it because I don't think that's the way the rules were intended to be or how the game should be officiated but at the same time understand without it cricket would be almost impossible to adjudicate (things like minor edges/run-outs etc).

Maybe the rule isn't quite right but I really don't know what the fix is. The one thing I do like is that the soft signal basically means nothing, more sports need to adopt that line of thinking.

 

[LockyersLeftBoot]

Inevitable draw here?

 

[ZTop]

Packed house to see south Africa block

 

[holdzy]

We are in the boring to play, boring to watch period now.

 

[BroncsFan]

We are in the boring to play, boring to watch period now.

As evidenced by Cric Info having 1 comment across 10 overs

 

[BroncsFan]

SA are 40 odd runs away from passing the follow on score... if that happens do both teams just call it a day??

They're 5mins away from lunch and Aust still need 13 wickets to win so can both teams just call it now or do they need to get to a certain point before calling it?

 

[Fozz]

Agar was a wasted selection.

 

[holdzy]

Agar was a wasted selection.

Pretty much. Probably worth a trial given the stakes and India coming up but I think it’s clear Marnus, Smith and Head are all handy enough.

 

[BroncsFan]

Pretty much. Probably worth a trial given the stakes and India coming up but I think it’s clear Marnus, Smith and Head are all handy enough.

Scenes if Smith gets a wicket... on top of Head already getting one and having 3 half chances go down within the first hour of today's play

 

[holdzy]

Scenes if Smith gets a wicket... on top of Head already getting one and having 3 half chances go down within the first hour of today's play

So many chances put down since yesterday. A few genuinely hard ones but a few that should have been taken. Motivation wearing thin?

 

[Fozz]

With this lifeless pitch, losing a day and a half to rain was going to make a result impossible.

The Gabba doesn't seem so bad now

 

[BroncsFan]

So many chances put down since yesterday. A few genuinely hard ones but a few that should have been taken. Motivation wearing thin?

Yeah I think if Jansen fell yesterday to those short balls he was fending off with his hands, then we could've picked up a couple more yesterday as there was still 5-8 overs left when Jansen came to the crease and was struggling.

Harmer has been looking very solid in defence though... he's getting across in front of his off stump and leaving anything slightly wide, whilst also closing up the gap between bat and pad.

The pace bowlers probably needed to attack the stumps with him and aim for lbw or caught in front of square.

I think that's where Australian bowling has been going wrong. India came to Australia and won by being relentless on our stumps and forcing us to play. We look to target the 5th stump and get edges behind, which is fine and generally works, but if a batter really applies themselves and is watching the ball close enough then they can get away with leaving a lot of balls and suddenly we never look close to getting a wicket.

 

[holdzy]

Hazlewood: “Hazlewood!”

 

[BroncsFan]

First time old mate leaves a gap between bat and pad, he's bowled playing on.

Good innings that has probably saved them a draw though

 

[The True King]

With this lifeless pitch, losing a day and a half to rain was going to make a result impossible.

The Gabba doesn't seem so bad now

Ironic that all the critics down south are now very quiet about this pitch and the weather.

Agar is a passenger in this side. What a pointless pick.

 

[BroncosFever]

47 overs is plenty of time to bowl them out but we've only got 2 pacers which is a calamity to say the least, the tail of South Africa gave the most resistance, I am suggesting that resistance isn't there with someone throwing them down at 150 clicks.

 

[Browny]

Wow Agar building no pressure