South Africa v Australia, First Test, Centurion

First topic message reminder :

So the much anticipated series is getting underway tomorrow. South Africa, the number 1 side in the world, will be taking on a confident Australia. South Africa have enjoyed a solid stay at the top of the test rankings, for a year and a half, and the Australians are coming into this series after Thumping, Pulverizing, Thrashing, Humiliating and destroying England 5-0 in the recently concluded Ashes series.
Both sides have quality bowling units, and 4 of the top 5 ranked bowlers will be battling it out, and cricinfo points out, that doesn't even include Mitchell Johnson!. And Morne Morkel as well.
Australia are likely to go in with Shaun Marsh and Alex Doolan for the injured Shane Watson and the dropped George Bailey, the rest of their Ashes winning side should stay the same.
South Africa are likely to bring in one of Ryan McLaren and Wayne Parnell, and move Faf du Plessis to 4, as they contemplate life after Kallis. JP Duminy has some injury concerns going into the match, but he is likely to play.

guildfordbat wrote:

Olly wrote:THAT TACHE HAS MAGICAL POWERS

So I think does Amla's beard.

With that profound comment, I'm away for a cuple of hours.

Facial hair is the way forward Guildford   

Firstly the Proteas gotta ensure they get another 161 to save the follow on.

If any of us were wondering whether Johnson would keep his form from the Ashes series ...we have our answer.   

Top order for SA looking pretty feeble today without Kallis . Their best pair at the crease now , but a lot of work to do.

SA have a great record of fighting back from tough situations , so I won't assume an Australian victory here yet. But I think the odds will be getting fairly short with the bookies...

REview from Australia, and Hashim Amla is gone!!. Massive wicket that, and a fine review from Clarke.

Steyn and co should produce another 47 all out if SA are to get out of this one it seems.

No magic in his beard today  

How did the ump miss that one!

Johnson on fire at the start.

Amla now gone, good review from Clarke. Dar probably thought inside edge but it was both pads. Huge wicket.

Johnson for another over or two before tea? Particularly with Duminy (who hasn't always fancied the short stuff) in now...

AB has decided its time to counterattack!.
50 up for SA. Another 150 to avoid the follow-on.

AB has exposed Duminy to Johnson!.

Good move from Clarke to bring MJ back on after so little rest before tea. Worth the gamble with four down and an obvious plan for Duminy.

Maybe SA will be checking KPs eligability after this fiasco

South Africa's number 6 and 7 are not that good as test batsmen for those positions, but their 8 and 9 are pretty good for those positions. Australia are working with a 4 man attack, one so Smith's boys aren't out of it as yet.

SA can chase upto 442 in 4th innning..
Eng fans are exuding a joy screaming " its not just us"....contrary to conventional wisdom of supporting aus's opponent

KP_fan wrote:SA can chase upto 442 in 4th innning..
Eng fans are exuding a joy screaming " its not just us"....contrary to conventional wisdom of supporting aus's opponent

Are we? Also I, like most I expect, am an England supporter not an anyone but Australia supporter. Couldn't give a monkeys who wins this, just want to see a good match

I'm firmly neutral as well.

Will SA offer Flower the job as coach to rescuee them ?

The 50 partnership up between AB and JP, with a big 6 from the latter. SA 98-4.

JP Duminy goes, without converting yet another start. Its that man Mitchell Johnson again, but this time with a very good catch. Lyon gets the breakthrough, and South Africa lost half their side for 110.

ABDV looking to bat out the innings, looked good against MJ too, but can the rest stay with him?

MJ will come back for a few soon though, get AB out and the follow-on could still be on.

Johnson gets his 4th, as Ryan McLaren's off stump went for a little walk. South Africa 126-6.

MJ does his magic again getting McClaren bowled SA 126/6. Follow-on looking likely now with MJ at the bowlers.

Robin Peterson in at 8.

msp83 wrote:Robin Peterson in at 8.

Which is why they miss Kallis's bowling  

Hi folks - return to find I've jinxed South Africa's batting and Amla in particular!   

And that's after Haddin was given the day off from his Superman duties!   

South Africa in a lot of trouble trailing by 267 with only 4 first innings wickets left ....

That hurt!!

That's good Australia - 2 days of making England seem less bad.

When rain forced an early stumps, South Africa were 140-6, 58 away from avoiding the follow-on. AB would resume on 52, and Robin Peterson on 10. Peterson can bat, so can Vernon Philander. If AB could build a couple of decent partnerships and somehow take SA to 250+, then they could hope to organize a revival.

So after destroying the English South Africans, the Aussies have made a good start in their attempt to destroy the South African South Africans

Intresting point was raised on commenatary, about australia's side for 2nd test..

Doolan was always going to play, but Marsh flew back as cover for watson, however with Marsh making 148, does Watson now suddenly come back in for Doolan, or do they leave him out?!

Watson, if at all he has to come back, has to come back as an all-rounder. There were talks of him playing as a batsman only earlier. He's just not worth it.

The concerns around JP Duminy won't go away after his performance. Can South Africa accommodate a batsman who averages in the early 30s in his test career, who seems to have specialized in not converting starts, just because he bowls a bit of offspin? From whatever I've seen of Dean Elgar, he doesn't quite come across as test class. They have to graduate Quinton de Kock sooner rather than later.

msp83 wrote:Watson, if at all he has to come back, has to come back as an all-rounder. There were talks of him playing as a batsman only earlier. He's just not worth it.

I agree, if he can't bowl, what is the point of him.

This could be the beginning of the end for SA with JP, Petersen and McClaren in the team.

Perhaps by the end of the series, SA will get stronger with de Kock, Harmer and Morris/Parnell in.

Duminy is a frustrating cricketer, he has the technqiue, the talent and the drive to go with test cricket, but he finds ways to get out!!

Peterson plays at home and Tahir plays in spinning conditions...

McLaren, is the best of the all-rounders at the moment..

now


De Kock has to be in there sooner rather than later, and taking the gloves..

Morris could bat 7 but im not sure if he's ready for tests...parnell isnt good enough for test cricket.

Just noticed that Chris Morris is out injured, and he has a 6 month lay off period ahead of him. That really is unfortunate.

Let's see what sort of 1st innings total SA can make this morning.

AB is a total champion. Can he give some back to the Aussies after the nasty hit he took on the elbow from Mitch?

skyeman wrote:

msp83 wrote:Watson, if at all he has to come back, has to come back as an all-rounder. There were talks of him playing as a batsman only earlier. He's just not worth it.

I agree, if he can't bowl, what is the point of him.

People really have it n for him as a batsman, he still managed to average better than Clarke in the Ashes series.
The side is full of pretty dubious batsmen ..I dont get why people have such a crush on Steve Smith when he still averages in the mid 30s, Doolans first class average is down there and its highly unlikely his test average will be much above.
Its fair to say that Watsons bowling has given him more chances in the side than he wouldve got otherwise but its not like theres awesome competition for batting spots ...although Marsh has upset things by getting an uncharacteristically good score ..andother guy who averages in the mid 30s in first class.
So whats the point? Hes every bit as good a batsman as several others in the side currently and wasnt in bad knick against England.
I do wonder though if his fitness is making him a liability now. Its rare he gets through a series unscathed. Not worth the risk and they aint going to drop Marsh after batting his heart out here. Im still going to stubbornly cling to the notion that this isnt exactly a world class Aussie batting line up though.

Robin Peterson didn't last too long, Johnson did him in with another absolutely vicious short ball. SA 146-7, AB and Philander, South Africa's last hopes to put a half-decent total on the board, out in the middle.

OK, Johnson is on fire and it can't be too pleasant facing him. But why are people not trying to hook him ? They are getting out taking evasive action so they might as well try to hit the ball. AB is looking good, though.

Nasty ball to poor Peterson...bit much for a "bowler who can bat" to handle first up in the morning.

De Villiers seems to be playing in a different dimension from the others. If he can get some support from the tail he could still get this score over 200 ; but they are looking at trailing by quite a few anyway. Doubt Clarke would be enforcing the follow on even if he gets the chance.

sirfredperry wrote:OK, Johnson is on fire and it can't be too pleasant facing him. But why are people not trying to hook him ? They are getting out taking evasive action so they might as well try to hit the ball. AB is looking good, though.
 

Not much time to make that decision though , Sir Fred...and I think they are a bit unused to facing extreme pace , having come off a series against India - and actually not much Test Cricket lately at all. Might see them a bit more ready next time around ?
Mind you , Johnson with that left arm angle is an awkward one to hook when his bouncers are on target ; which most of them have been in this innings !

Good point, Alfie. Wonder if the Test batsmen of late have had it a tad easy compared with days of yore when many sides, including thos in English county cricket, had a "fast and nasty" in their side.
Some of the 1980s county matches were a real test of courage with the likes of Sylv Clarke, Marshall, Daniel, Croft, Garner and co around.
Loved to have seen the likes of Roy Fredericks or Alvin K taking on Johnson. Doubt if they would have been ducking and weaving.

sirfredperry wrote:Good point, Alfie. Wonder if the Test batsmen of late have had it a tad easy compared with days of yore when many sides, including thos in English county cricket, had a "fast and nasty" in their side.
  Some of the 1980s county matches were a real test of courage with the likes of Sylv Clarke, Marshall, Daniel, Croft, Garner and co around.
  Loved to have seen the likes of Roy Fredericks or Alvin K taking on Johnson. Doubt if they would have been ducking and weaving.

Or Viv...

I blame this on the t20 our entire squad was playing a week before this tour

Lyon with the important breakthrough, halting a dangerous partnership.

Clarke getting good at these reviews these days. SA 189/8.

Time to bring the monster back on to mop up?

think there was a very clear instruction from upstairs to leave Mitchell Johnson. thing is, it's not just his radar that's improved, his stamina is ridiculous, can't wait him out

Yeah, only AB has the skill and nerve to take the contest to him. The rest are pure cannon fodder.

Wow, what a catch from Warner!

Awww the century would have been well deserved. Class.

The only shining star in a black sky.