South Africa v Australia at Port Elizabeth: 2nd Test

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Can South Africa fight back? Must say I was surprised just how easily Australia won that 1st Test. I reckoned they would be a handful for SA but not that Aus would win about as comprehensively as they did against England.
OK, SA are now Kallis-less and there have been question marks about health/fitness of their fast bowlers. But they are at home and they are, for the time being, the number one side in the world.
AB looked great in that first Test but hardly anyone else did. They are going to have to find a way to deal with Mitchell J. Taking evasive action and then getting out just doesn't cut it (or hook it!). What was unfamiliar, and just a tad shocking, was how SA's fielding disintegrated in that Aus second innings. That's another area they are going to have to improve on.
SA teams far inferior to this present one always had plenty of fight and constantly played above themselves. It's time for the current lot to step up. This could easily be 3-0 to the Australians if SA get off on the wrong foot in Port Elizabeth.

SA's first session win since the first morning at Centurion.

A good fightback from SA after being 11/2. 145/3 at tea.

slow, slow pitch. Is it always like this here or was this an effort to diminish the Johnson factor from SA? In any case it seems to be working, and now the ball has softened there's not much in it for the bowlers. Not easy to bat on really either as the ball isn't coming onto the bat and the outfield isn't that quick. Aus are playing more of a waiting game, understandably so. SA will be thinking that if they can give their bowlers something to work at this pitch won't suit the Aus batsmen either, and that line-up isn't invulnerable. Worth remembering that the one time England batted first in the Ashes they got to an average total and still managed a lead, so SA will feel they've built the platform for a decent position here.

Dean Elgar has hold out!!. Poor way to end an otherwise fine innings.

If you lose patience on this pitch it is gonna cost you

The pressure of not being able to score at a fair clip got to Elgar. He took the blows, stood up to Mitchell Johnson's terror helped his side overcome the 2 early losses, put together couple of important partnerships that brought his side back into the game, and just when a first test hundred came in sight after he scored his first test runs against Australia, he just gave it all away with a premeditated nothing shot.

Nice shot from QdK to get off the mark and get his first Tests runs and playing with intent.

Elgar has a 103no against NZ, should have had his second after doing all the hard yards but he helped get SA out of a hole.

MJ with the new cherry soon.

Three bad balls from Smith then bags QdK being too intent and skying one. SA 200/5.

Not good there. Can Clarke do no wrong.

SA did not need that with the new ball and MJ soon.


Maybe not, too dark. Spinners staying on.

That really was a poor shot from de Kock. The over had already produced 7 runs, AB was well established, Quinton himself was looking comfortable, and the new ball was just a few overs away. Totally unwanted shot, and he played into Michael Clarke's hands so easily. I am sure de Kock will learn from this experience, but a poor effort nevertheless. JP Duminy who hasn't been scoring many test runs of late, is in the middle with AB.

Smith getting more spin than Lyon and the odd good ball amongst his usual dross.

World record for AB, I think. First man to score 50s in 12 successive Tests.

Medium track bully   

Another excellent innings by AB de Villiers.

300/330 will be a very good total on this pitch

They are off for bad light, and that has to be it for the day.
The 2 poor shots from Elgar and de Kock make It Australia's day in the end. They will now be able to start with a brand new ball tomorrow morning. They would hope to bowl SA out under 270-280. SA would want to push that total close to 350. AB is the key for them. If he can start all over again tomorrow and build partnerships with Duminy, Parnell and Philander, SA can put up a decent total. But if Johnson gets a wicket or 2 early in the morming, then it could get over rather quickly.

i was following on CI only....and must say Lyon continues to over perform........3 wickets for spinners.

Clarke shows ( if Dhoni was watching) how to keep attacking and create wickets even on less responsive pitches.

Having seen off the fast bowlers.......giving away 3 wickets to spinners makes it still Aus's day inspite of a pro- SA headline from CI.
SA could still be bowled out for less than 300

Problemis we gifted Lyon two of his wickets.

On THAT pitch this was definitely Australias day. Once the ball gets to be over 15 overs old, it is hard for the bowlers. No movement and 5kph slower than Centurion. No bounce for Lyon together with not much spin.

Hard for the batsmen too with the slow pace coming onto the bat.

Smith and Amla got fine balls that moved just enough early on but Faf, Elgar and QdK were all gifts to Lyon and Smith.

How on earth does Smith keep on getting the odd wkt with the dross he bowls? Do the batsman just think they can hit him for a boundary every ball. Just wait for the three short ones every over. Although when he does bowl a rare decent one, he spins it more than Lyon.

The new ball will need early wkts tomorrow otherwise SA could still post 350. Then SA are going to have to hope that a few Aussies give SA a few presents too.

skyeman wrote:

How on earth does Smith keep on getting the odd wkt with the dross he bowls? Do the batsman just think they can hit him for a boundary every ball. Just wait for the three short ones every over. Although when he does bowl a rare decent one, he spins it more than Lyon.

.

Smith is a much better bowler than people think he is because batting is his primary trait.....and he doesn't even play as a batting all rounder but a pure batsman who occasionally bowls.

However on ability as a leggie......in terms of action, pivot, side on delivery stride, the revs he gets on the ball, the turn he extracts.....the ability to flight and get a googly in...he is far better than many a leggies playing test cricket as specialist bowlers such as Borthwick, Ish sodhi and Imran Tahir.

He is a mercurial cricketer.........reminds of of Tendulkar's leg-breaks........much better than many a specialist spinners

Must say the Tendulkar comparison is quite apt. Sachin could produce balls that could rival those of Warne at times. Smith is not as accurate as even Sachin was, but when he gets it right, he really can get the ball to do things. In fact during India's 4-0 whitewash of Australia last year, Tendulkar, fresh from a refreshing 81 in the previous game and well set on 30 odd, was done in by a fantastic ball from Smith that beat the master in flight and turn. Smith's batting has come a long way, his bowling has stagnated and even went back a bit. But the ingredients are there and hopefully he'll keep working on it so that he could become a batsman who bowls regularly and produce impact performances every now and then with the ball as well. We should remember Tendulkar's contributions with the ball in India's Kolkata epic or the Adelaide win, and the ball he produced that dismissed Moin Khan last ball of the day that opened up the Pak batting for the take at Multan. Smith is a bowler capable of producing such moments, his bowling does have that touch of quality about it.

So now Steve Smith is Warne and Tendulkar?
No wonder SA miss Kallis

"Bright start for JP...its not all Gloom and Duminy" like it  


Could be a long, long Test match. The groundsman has done a great job to neutralise MJ but not for for exciting cricket.

Smith    

The PE pitch has always been on the slow side. Most coastal pitches are. Smith didn't need to say a word to the groundsman

kingraf wrote:The PE pitch has always been on the slow side. Most coastal pitches are. Smith didn't need to say a word to the groundsman

Smith      Was for Steven Smith being compared to an even half decent spinner. I did not make it clear ss.


Worse this time though, wkts still normally tumble here. Very turgid this time.

Duminy getting to that dodgy score for him recently.

SA have moved onto 255-5 AB 64* JP 30*

What a field for AB. Three in a row at mid-wkt, worth a punt if the bowlers can bowl to it.

What a class act AB is. He's fast laying a claim to being the best in the world at the moment. Wonder how long his new world record (most successive Tests scoring a 50) will last?

sirfredperry wrote:What a class act AB is. He's fast laying a claim to being the best in the world at the moment. Wonder how long his new world record (most successive Tests scoring a 50) will last?  

Especially mostly against the other top teams.

A record that will be hard to beat. What a run of form.

AB de Villiers has the hint of genius Lara/Tendulkar/Ponting had. 

A real gem to world cricket. 

Nathan Lyon is pretty ordinary. Unless Johnson is scaring batsmen into batsmen giving their wickets away to Lyon, he's very limited in skill.

AB closing in on his century! 95*  JP 45* on route too a much needed half century!

On a deck like this even MJ looks ordinary. All Lyon can do is be economical which he has been.

SA having a great morning session . Haven't looked in any trouble and raised the 300 ...will need to push on after lunch ; but with five wickets in hand they could well do so. Pitch may be flat but a sizeable first innings score could still put some pressure on the Australian batting.
De Villiers showing why he's on top of the rankings at the moment   

And Duminy (who cops a lot of criticism : not unfairly - he has not lived up to his talent in Test cricket do far ; and was arguably running out of chances ) has played very well ...goes to fifty   

skyeman wrote:On a deck like this even MJ looks ordinary. All Lyon can do is be economical which he has been.

TBH, even in the Ashes, Lyon was gifted many wickets.

Yesterday both Faf and Elgar gave it away.

kingraf wrote:The PE pitch has always been on the slow side. Most coastal pitches are. Smith didn't need to say a word to the groundsman

It's an incredibly dull and slow wicket. SA must be going for another draw!   

Would like to see how SA bowls and Australia bats on this one. I might have to wait until Sunday though.

Well played Jean-Paul Duminy.

I've been critical of JPD, but it's been a very mature innings.

Good 50 from JP   under pressure.

I know he is my countryman, but JP is a flat track bully, as soon as he gets to a lively wicket he is useless.

Hundred for AB ! Well played   

AB      

19th Test hundred for AB de Villiers. Excellent and elegant as ever.

Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

Biltong wrote:I know he is my countryman, but JP is a flat track bully, as soon as he gets to a lively wicket he is useless.

May be the case but there are plenty of tried and failed Test batsman out there who couldn't score on flat or lively pitches. I think JP has a level of talent that is worth persisting with.

skyeman wrote:Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

They haven't even warmed up yet buddy!

Gerry SA wrote:

skyeman wrote:Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

They haven't even warmed up yet buddy!

   

In that case, GB going for curling gold this afternoon. 

Gerry SA wrote:

skyeman wrote:Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

They haven't even warmed up yet buddy!

Their music is as flat as this pitch...

Linebreaker wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:

skyeman wrote:Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

They haven't even warmed up yet buddy!

Their music is as flat as this pitch...

     

skyeman wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:

Gerry SA wrote:

skyeman wrote:Why are that frigging band playing for so long during the play. Call me a killjoy  

They haven't even warmed up yet buddy!

Their music is as flat as this pitch...

     

skye - I had to switch over to watch some ski-cross spills... so exciting to watch the ladies face plough!   

(also Mark Nicholas is getting on my nerves now.  I tried... and I tried... to be patient and neutral for many years... but the guy is as boring as an old plum in the fridge... which never stops talking)

Very much SA session. Aussies looking a bit flat , and even the patented Clarke funky fielding positions aren't making any impression.

Wonder how aggressive they'll be after lunch ?

alfie wrote: Very much SA session.  Aussies looking a bit flat , and even the patented Clarke funky fielding positions aren't making any impression.

Wonder how aggressive they'll be after lunch ?

Who, the batsmen or the bowlers?   

Reckon SA should kick on and make some hay. The Aussies look so knackered and bereft of energy. (unlike Jenny in the ski-cross)

What's PE like as a holiday destination? Is it safe? Does everyone drive around at 20mph?   

Ha...both ? I did mean the batsmen actually ...if they want to win the match , SA need to get up over 400 quick as they can ; as you wouldn't think they could expect to skittle Australia on this...

But Australia probably need to have a real go after the break , rather than just wait for something to happen.