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KP_fan wrote:

msp83 wrote:So India is getting back on the field tonight, kicking off their WTC campaign. Rohit has already confirmed Jaiswal will open, and Gill drop down to 3. When all the talk of Yashasvi taking over from Pujara at 3 was going on, I felt he should open, particularly since the team views Gill as the eventual successor to Virat Kohli at 4. Going forward, I see a top 4 of Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran/Devdutt Padikkal/Rohan Kunnummal, Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Eswaran has been hard done by......Jaiswal was jumped over him
Mayank Agarwal should not be ruled out...he has batted very well in FC and has a decent test match showing also.

And don't forget the favorite boy of seniors and BCCI in KL Rahul...as soon as he is fit he will walk back into the 11

Its been tough on Easwaran. Think Mayank and KL might find it difficult to now fight their way back in. Particularly if Yashasvi has a good start to his career. KL might still make a comeback when Rohit leaves, but I hope Easwaran, Rohan and even Padikkal will make better cases for themselves.
As for Yashasvi jumping over Abhimanyu, though its tough on the latter, think is the right call. Jaiswal scored hundreds on his Ranji, Duleep and Irani trophy debuts. He's versatile and has shown adaptability as indicated by his IPL success. And, its not much noted these days, but he's a handy parttimer with the ball, he very much was for the U-19s, hope he'll get a few chances right away to work on that secondary skill of his...

Kohli living dangerously, and Shreyas utterly uncomfortable... Without a Jasprit Bumrah rescue act with the bat, this will be an innings defeat.

msp83 wrote:Haven't followed much of Harshit Rana. Cricinfo lists him as right-arm fast! And he has a FC hundred! But even Kuldeep Yadav and Umesh Yadav have Ranji hundreds. Haven't ever watched the lad in action. Any more info than the Cricinfo profile, KPF?

https://www.google.com/search?q=harshit+rana&sca_esv=594225542&rlz=1C1GCEU_en-GBAE821AE821&tbm=nws&sxsrf=AM9HkKmcw-eNOlVTATJx17UpWBRn3d57UA:1703768529769&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp7vuvmLKDAxU3iv0HHX0uDEEQ_AUoAXoECAUQAw&biw=1360&bih=625&dpr=1

If you read some of the news links on the thread...many are talking about the batting potential of Rana.....and he is a genuine 3rd seamer material

Teja.....has a full good session ...he is a defnite white ball level allrounder

Rajvardhan Hangargekar is being talked about in CI article as a potential ....if graduated well from U-19s

Gill always looked like chancing his arm......pre-empting a shade and trying to play the strokes on the length....until he got a full one and was late on it playing across

Totally not comfortable with the pace and bounce

Gill's had a really poor game. playing casual shots both times, to give his wicket away. Only Jaiswal got 2 really good ones. Rohit's 2nd innings one was a good ball from Rabada, but Rohit could have played it better.
With no Jadeja, there is not much hope left for India. When you think about, Jadeja and Rishabh Pant held India's batting together for the last 3 years really. Even when Pant was forced out, Jadeja has been the one stable, and actually calming presence in that middle order. He's a thousand times more valuable asset than the much hyped Hardik Pandya for Indian cricket, even overseas!

Down to the last recognized batters... Jansen didn't take too long to be done with Iyer after Tea... Shreyas is a great option to have at 5 in spinning conditions. He's right up there with the best of them then. But overseas, hard to see scoring too many test runs. They somehow don't rate Sarfaraz, but with his domestic record, would like him to be given an opportunity sooner rather than later.

Kohli going for everything. Rattled along to 44. Had some serious luck on the way, That drop might delay South Africa's push by some way...

Rabada back on, and not before time. Lets see how Kohli goes about things now.

With KL and Kohli at bat, and Gerald Coetzee off the field, presumably injured, there was a small opening where India could have extended South Africa's bowling reserves and seen what happened.

Unfortunately they've lost two in two balls, and this game is all but over

Victory by an innings and 32 runs.

Turned into a very memorable debut for Burger, picking up 4/33 and nearly claiming a hat-trick. Kohli and Gill the only two into double figures in that innings.

Would place the blame for India at the feet of their bowlers, excluding Bumrah. Combined figures of 4/285 from the other three seamers isn't close to acceptable on that wicket, no matter how well the batsmen were doing.

And so India's dismal record in South Africa will continue.

South Africa should be making the WTC final. They've got the easiest fixture list, I reckon, of any of the nine teams. This is their toughest series and they've started it with a win. They've also got to play Pakistan and Sri Lanka at home, no demons there, and their away trips are to Bangladesh, the West Indies (the two weakest sides in the competition) and New Zealand (one series win in their last eight attempts).

It'll be curious if SA make the final. On the one hand I like them as a team, on the other it would be a strange advert for the competition that the team that plays the least test cricket in the tournament makes the final.

So yes, good old 90s style thrashing for India! Absolutely awful performance all-in all. Kohli played some good strokes on his way to 76. But India just didn't turn up for this game really. Awful bowling, pathetic batting. only Rahul, Kohli and Bumrah turning up.

Looking forward to the next test, India will have to address combination issues. R Ashwin isn't a replacement for Ravindra Jadeja though its Jadeja's all-round ability that lets India go for a seamer instead of playing one of their test greats in Ashwin. Jadeja is a very fine bowler in his own right, but he is one of the top all-rounders in the world and gets picked in that capacity. Ashwin and Shardul Thakur can't play together in a 5 man bowling lineup. Ashwin is a very handy number 8 and Shardul is a fine option to have at 9. But not in the top 7. So if Jadeja doesn't play, they should go in with a 4 man attack, keep Ashwin in, and play a batter in place of Shardul unless the track is an absolute green top that doesn't need a spinner at all.
The squad isn't very smartly selected, they don't have any proper middle order reserve options available. Should call up Sarfaraz or even Suryakumar. Washington Sundar isn't a bowler who can be spoken about in the same breath alongside Ravichandran Ashwin. but in overseas conditions offering nothing to spinners, he isn't a bad backup for Jadeja. Bowls with discipline, and is a fairly decent batting option. The fundamental mistake of the management was that they didn't really cover for Jadeja, mistook Ashwin as a backup to Jadeja... Its Ashwin v Shardul/any other 4th seamer. Has to be Sundar/Axar backing up for Jadeja. Axar is a very condition specific bowler and isn't as solid with his batting technique. As an overall package, Sundar is better. They should get him back into the test fold...
But Sarfaraz isn't in the squad though he's with the A team, Sundar isn't there and neither is Surya. So the best one can hope for is that Jadeja will be back for the next game. I would seriously consider both him and Ashwin rather than playing Shardul who was absolute rubbish in helpful conditions... Would give Prasidh Krishna another game, hope he can come up with a much better performance. He was only slightly less rubbish than Shardul, probably he'll have to go back and get greater exposure with A Team and his Ranji side...

As for South Africa, skipper Temba Bavuma is ruled out for the next game, and Dean Elgar will lead the side in his absence, in his final test...
Zubayr Hamza has been added to the squad. Will be interesting to see who would come in for Bavuma in the playing 11. Keshav Maharaj should be returning considering its Cape Town that historically have offered something for spinners. Think he should come in for Coetzee who didn't have a good game in favorable conditions. Burger has clearly edged up in the pecking order after that decent debut. There also is Lungi Ngidi, who may be fit for the next game? With Maharaj being a very useful lower order hitter, and Jansen evolving into a proper all-rounder, they can in fact bring in Maharaj for Bavuma... The only problem is that it really is tough to imagine Kyle Verreynne batting 6! I know he hasn't really disgraced himself at the top level, and at the time of his dropping for Heinrich Klaasen, it did seem a rough call on Verreynne. But I am equally disappointed, that they didn't continue with Klaasen and gave him a nice good run. He could have become a Gilchrist-like wicketkeeper batter for them...

India did not turn up with the seriousness and prep that they used to go into foreign tours with in Eng, Aus and even last time to SA.

Batters lacked the application, termination bloody minded grit to see off the bad balls........instead they continued in the semi-relaxed ODI mode.....flashing their bats around and hoping that it will get them to useful 30s and 40s...and if they get lucky ODI like flashy 100

On top of that Rohit was still in self pity for having lost the world cup he was entitled to and deserved to win...

Bowlers Bumrah & Siraj tried too hard .....Prasidh does not know how to bowl test match line & lengths....Ashwin was a totally flawed selection and all of them collectively lacked the controlled aggression & discipline to put ball after ball in the right place and let pitch do the rest.

Coaching staff and captain just hadn't mentally prepared the team for grit and grind.
And today they just gave up.....first with the ball and then with the bat.
They really needed a 5 test series to come out of sulk, wake up, acclimatize, get disciplined and fight

Anything other than walking thru the motions in T2 will be a surprise

msp83 wrote:Looking forward to the next test, India will have to address combination issues. R Ashwin isn't a replacement for Ravindra Jadeja though its Jadeja's all-round ability that lets India go for a seamer instead of playing one of their test greats in Ashwin. Jadeja is a very fine bowler in his own right, but he is one of the top all-rounders in the world and gets picked in that capacity. Ashwin and Shardul Thakur can't play together in a 5 man bowling lineup. Ashwin is a very handy number 8 and Shardul is a fine option to have at 9. But not in the top 7. So if Jadeja doesn't play, they should go in with a 4 man attack, keep Ashwin in, and play a batter in place of Shardul unless the track is an absolute green top that doesn't need a spinner at all.
The squad isn't very smartly selected, they don't have any proper middle order reserve options available. Should call up Sarfaraz or even Suryakumar. Washington Sundar isn't a bowler who can be spoken about in the same breath alongside Ravichandran Ashwin. but in overseas conditions offering nothing to spinners, he isn't a bad backup for Jadeja. Bowls with discipline, and is a fairly decent batting option. The fundamental mistake of the management was that they didn't really cover for Jadeja, mistook Ashwin as a backup to Jadeja... Its Ashwin v Shardul/any other 4th seamer. Has to be Sundar/Axar backing up for Jadeja. Axar is a very condition specific bowler and isn't as solid with his batting technique. As an overall package, Sundar is better. They should get him back into the test fold...
But Sarfaraz isn't in the squad though he's with the A team, Sundar isn't there and neither is Surya. So the best one can hope for is that Jadeja will be back for the next game. I would seriously consider both him and Ashwin rather than playing Shardul who was absolute rubbish in helpful conditions... Would give Prasidh Krishna another game, hope he can come up with a much better performance. He was only slightly less rubbish than Shardul, probably he'll have to go back and get greater exposure with A Team and his Ranji side...

Yup the team for next test will be tricky.....you have identified all the right points of dilemma
Jadeja should be fit.....he had only a neck spasm
India should carry Washington as backup for Jadeja in overseas tours
and bring in Mukesh for Prasidh next test
If jadeja is not fit....then a batter for Ashwin.
Now who could be that batter?
Sarfaraz and Rinku are in SA still
They should have retained Ishan in the squad....I think he was asked to make himself unavailable so that management does not have to play him under any circumstances ...because him scoring runs would have made Rahul more dispensable.

India-A is playing vs SA-A now in Benoni and this 3 day game will finish before the start of T2......Washington is around

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-a-in-south-africa-2023-24-1412200/south-africa-a-vs-india-a-2nd-unofficial-test-1412203/full-scorecard

further on our discussion on bowling allroudners msp..........see Akash deep's profile listed as a fast bowling allrounder and opening the bowling for India-A in this game vs SA-A

https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/akash-deep-1176959

Nice little half-century by Carey has pushed Australia's lead over 300.

317 for Pakistan to get. Very steep ordeal. Hope they put up more of a show than the 89 in the first test.

Well at mid day drinks they are (for now) staying in the contest. 68/2 , with both Masood and Babar looking to score wherever possible. 317 looks a tall order ; but the pitch doesn't seem to have developed too many gremlins so not impossible. Just unlikely.

Carey indeed got runs valuable to his team , and significantly to his own position : he's been a walking wicket lately , and for all the supportive comments from management you'd think he would have been under some pressure for his place had the slump continued too long. Pakistan bowled pretty well for most of that innings ; and had it not been for the one big partnership they might have been looking at a fairly straightforward chase. As it is , someone will have to go big to haul this in.

But for now , they are indeed taking the fight up to the Aussies - Masood going to a nice fifty from just 57 balls even as I type

Babar a bit less assured but keeping him company with 15 from 29 balls - as Lyon returns to the action at 89/2 from 23 overs.

However it goes from here (and obviously the home team are still strong favourite ) , this has been a very good Test Match

Cummins does it again for Australia ! Draws the edge and a terrific low catch at second slip by Smith sees Masood gone for 60... 110/3 now ; but that partnership was really moving Pakistan forward - and exciting their supporters. Hard to keep it going like that against Australia on their home grounds...

Another 207 looking a long way off now. Cummins has been immense for his team in this match

Didn't watch much of the Indian innings : was pretty sure they'd struggle to get back in the game but I wasn't expecting them to fold up like that ! Very disappointing with the bat save for Rahul and Kohli : assuming they have now permanently "moved on" from Pujara and Rahane , they will need one or two of these young guns to step up with a bit of consistency- though of course when Pant returns the middle order will be significantly bolstered.

SA look a bit light for serious bats too (and Elgar's impending retirement won't help) ; so a good first knock by Bedingham was encouraging for them. Hope the second Test is more closely contested.

Tea here at 129/3 , Pakistan still fighting , with Babar looking more settled on 35 and Shakeel starting positively - but a long way to go. They've played Lyon pretty well so far - I had thought he might be the main danger man , and he may well be later on ; but it's been the Aussie skipper the outstanding bowler in that session with two wickets. Back in twenty minutes...

Some good tight bowling from Hazlewood keeping the runs down since tea ; but Shakeel and Babar are playing watchfully while still looking to score. On to 145/3 now : you'd think these two need to be still together at the close if Pakistan are to have any chance of winning this . Sure the next two can bat , and we saw in the first innings that Jamal and Afridi can show a bit of spirit - but I think this is the partnership...

... "Was" the partnership ! Hazlewood scoots one through Babar's guard and it's 146/4 . Big wicket...and maybe that is the blow that will finally derail the Pakistan challenge. Like to see a replay of that ball...

Great bit of bowling from Hazlewood. Babar was starting to look pretty dangerous , on 41 and seemingly fairly composed. Took a good ball to get him (came in a long way - though he could arguably have got across further to cover his off stump )...the bowler was delighted.

Rizwan seems to have decided aggression is the way to go : off the mark by depositing Lyon into the crowd at mid wicket , and looking to do similar to Hazlewood but only getting it away for a single.

155/4 . So nearly half way.

Lyon off again , in favour of Starc. Thought they might have invited Rizwan to try it again but I guess Cummins thinks his fast men are the better bet to the new batsman. Rizwan immediately greets him with a firm off drive for four so clearly is intending to go after whoever is bowling anyway...

With the deficit now down to 158 , the value of that Smith/Marsh stand - which dwarfed any other partnership in this match - is ever more apparent. Not to mention the extravagant donation of extras by Pakistan's bowlers in the first Australian innings

Halfway with the wickets now too as Starc justifies his return to the attack , inducing a Shakeel edge to Carey from a shortish delivery...

Another promising start to an innings not converted into anything serious , out for 24. The big partnership that Pakistan needed just hasn't come about : they've fought hard , but haven't been able to wear down this very good Australian attack. Still need 154 and I'm not seeing that happening...indeed if one of these goes soon we might see an end this evening.

Presume Rizwan will keep playing his shots . Guess he might as well . Unless he can somehow magic his way to 100 I reckon this is done...

Salman battling away , 7 from 22 and just copped one to the helmet so getting some attention from the physio. Rizwan continues to play positively , though not taking any crazy risks , on to 22. Pace from both ends still , Starc with two wickets but relatively expensive , 55 from 13 overs, while Hazlewood is a model of economy, 1/20 from 12 , back at the other end. Lyon , surprisingly after his first innings efforts , has been the most expensive with 0/54 from 12...but is now coming back on at 186/5...

183/5.

The bowling changes have brought about a few breaks today so will be interesting to see whether Lyon will have success now...or whether Rizwan will go hard at him. Still twenty overs due today though I doubt we will get them in. Pakistan fans in a group giving vociferous support as these two strive to keep the game alive...and suddenly Mr Economy, Hazlewood, has gone for ten off an over - though he might have had Rizwan had they not taken out the third slip in order to place a leg slip...

198/5

Pak need 116 more 5 wickets in hand
Last pair of specialists batsmen but their bowlers can bat a bit too.
Good game

No luck for Lyon as he finds the edge but Carey shells the chance and the ball runs away wide of slip... Hazlewood comes back to his parsimonious best with a maiden. And now Salman goes after Lyon with successive boundaries - one driven , one cut. Partnership 49 and clearly these two haven't given it away. Twenty two overs to another new ball and Pakistan need anou106 for a surprise win...

I still feel the home side will break through and take this ; but credit the visitors they are taking the game deep

Cummins brings himself back at 211/5

Hi KP_fan .... Nice to have some company on here . Have you been watching long ?

alfie wrote:Hi KP_fan ....  Nice to have some company on here . Have you been watching long ?

Nope not watching
Woke up 20 min back and reading your summaries and CI to get head around this match situation
After Ind's tame show this one look set for a cracking finish
Pak need only 100 now and played good cricket so far

Was Rizwan out alfie?

Yes it has been a fascinating contest. Australia might be getting a bit nervous with the target under a hundred now...field has retreated to mostly boundary saving positions for Lyon , and Cummins , while not scattering them to the fence , has dispensed with most of his close fielders...

Now : is this a glove behind ? Yes ! Review will do for Rizwan I think...though he seems to believe it is off his arm...tough one for the TV umpire ...

Given out ! Rizwan angry but the technology suggests it clipped the wristband so he's gone for a fighting 35 . Vital wicket , once again it is Cummins doing the trick - and another Pakistan partnership threatening but not finishing the job...

219/6 and pretty much all up to Salman now.

Apparently the hotspot was definitely showing a little touch on the wristband (my eyes aren't good enough to be sure of some of these tiny details but the commentators were ok with it). Rizwan was adamant it hit his arm - and to be honest it looked to me that it was above the wrist so not sure there was enough definite evidence to overturn the not out call. Doubtless this one will be debated online for days

But he's out in the scorebook so all academic now. Relief for Australia as they'd have had a nervous night had Pakistan gone in still five down !

...and now seven down as Jamal falls to a Cummins short ball...still could end tonight ?

The 3rd umpire should as a principle overturn onfield umpire only if there is definitive evidence.
It's agha salman vs Aus now as he is seemingly taking the bowling on.
Ali and afridi can bat a bit but looks like Pak might fall short by 20 to 30

With the extra half hour now taken thanks to that seventh wicket , we could see either a quick finish or the prospect of a very brief session tomorrow. Salman is continuing to attack and on to 48 , with the target down to 82...

From the neutral spectator perspective, it is a pity Jamal came and went so quickly as a last day target of 90 with four in hand might have been attractive. Hard to see Salman getting enough support from the last three to get up to 317 , though no doubt Afridi will do his best . Guess the ground authorities would like these two to keep the match alive so they can collect another days gate takings tomorrow

Fifty for Salman . Has been an admirable effort.

If Pakistan do fall short by 30 or do those first innings extras will be a big factor ...

Though I suspect it won't be that close , as Cummins has bagged Afridi in identical manner to the wicket of Jamal...bounce too much for the tail ender , who has popped it up for an easy catch.

237/8 and the End is Nigh...

...even more nigh now as Salman is caught well at third man by Marsh off a short ball from the recalled Starc...

And two in two balls , another short ball , popped up for Smith to dive and take...all done and dusted

219-5
237 all out

In the end,  the end came quite fast as Pak fought hard had moments of ascendancy that they could not hold on to.
A 5 test series might have given pak chance to finish 2-2
Aus have a super good attack for all conditions and man how Cummins is in a purple patch as a captain and bowler now

Congratulations to Australia- especially Cummins with his ten wickets

Pakistan might feel a little unlucky , being on the wrong side of some very close decisions- notably that possibly controversial dismissal of Rizwan. But better catching and relentless bowling from the whole group earned Australia the spoils ...and the series. Well done them !

Only regret is that the Sydney Test is now a "dead " one except for being a send off for wee Davey... Part of me would have liked to see a decider at 1-1. But thoroughly enjoyed this one

Very good effort from Pakistan. The third and sixth wicket pairings put Pakistan in a good position but, as is often the way with these large chases, a couple of spells of wickets in bunches meant Pakistan fell short.

Masood 60, Babar 41 (despite not looking in good form), Rizwan 35, Salman 50 -  but none of those pushing on to the three figure score needed to take this target down.

Cummins has a superb record at the MCG and again displayed it with a match winning 10/97. Though the key may have just been the fielding. Australia's catching was typically excellent, while the awful drop of Marsh was perhaps the key moment of a very good test, which had a nice balance between bat and ball throughout.

Hope Pakistan don't lose heart, even though the series is gone, for the third game.

Vaughan also went up in my estimation as he piled into India during the lunch break.

SA may be off to a great start in their home Test series against India : not sure I fancy their chances on the upcoming tour of NZ though. They have (due to the priority given to their new domestic t20 competition) named the most inexperienced squad I can recall seeing for any major Test playing nation in decades. Seven of the 14 are yet to play a Test - and probably many wouldn't be near the Test arena were it not for the paucity of available options.
The captain (!) is Neil Brand - a 27yo allrounder as yet uncapped at International level , who averages a decent but unremarkable 39 with the bat and 30 with the ball in domestic cricket. He has apparently got strong leadership credentials ; but still...

The bowling attack includes none of the recognized regular names. And most of the batsmen have either none or a mere handful of Tests under their belts. I think only Duanne Olivier - who has a respectable Test record from his 15 matches and will presumably lead the bowling ; and Keegan Petersen (one of just three players currently in action against India) have played more than ten Tests.

Maybe they will unearth some new gems. But I fear they could easily be embarrassed.

Meanwhile , as David Warner's Test Retirement looms ever closer , virtually everybody in and around Australian cricket seems to be voicing statements about his successor - from Warner himself (anointing Harris) , to contender Bancroft : "should be a specialist" (a view endorsed by several past luminaries such as Ponting and Langer) ... while others (mainly journalists , perhaps ?) keep floating the notion that Cam Green is the Player of the Future and should be inserted at the top of the order immediately as a means of fitting both him and Mitch Marsh in the same side. The actual selectors and coaches are deliberately not ruling that one out...

Personally doubtful the square peg/round hole plan is ideal - though who knows ?  Green might surprise ; though I fancy a lot of new ball bowlers might reckon they'd have a good chance to pick him up early , based on what I have seen of him in Tests when there has been anything in the pitch for the bowlers. The counter argument is that none of the "specialist" options have shown much at the top level - all average under 30 and have just one Test century between them from some 38 combined matches...so is not any other choice as likely to work out ?
And Mark Taylor has (perhaps predictably ) pushed the claims of an uncapped NSW player whose name momentarily escapes me as his man for the future...while some Victorian scribes keep muttering about Pucovski ...

Anyone's guess who gets first shot.  But with Khawaja - admittedly playing his best ever cricket , but still 37 years old - as the other incumbent , the importance of the position can't be overstated. Seems fairly clear from comments that neither Labuschagne nor Marsh relish the idea of moving from their current spots so a decision on who comes in will have to be made for the West Indies visit in a couple of weeks. Think I will leave it to the selectors...

KP_fan wrote:further on our discussion on bowling allroudners msp..........see Akash deep's profile listed as a fast bowling allrounder and opening the bowling for India-A in this game vs SA-A

https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/akash-deep-1176959

Think Cricinfo made a mistake there. A batting average of 12 with a solitary test 50 and a top score of 53 after 26 FC games can't make you a bowling all-rounder. Umesh Yadav has to be aproper all-rounder by that standard! But as a bowler, his record is impressive.
The one good thing the selectors have done is to add Avesh Khan into the test squad. He's been around the test squad for long, has plenty more experience than Prasidh. Had a fine ODI series prior to the tests and had a fine game for the A team. So recent form, experience, and lots of good qualities to gain consideration in the first place. Think he should slot in straight away for Prasidh. If the Cape Town track has something for the spinner, and Jadeja is ready to go, then he should replace Shardul rather than Ashwin.

Another thing in Avesh's favor is that he's more of a number 10 than a number 11. For a side with 3 number 11s otherwise, that is surely something.

alfie wrote:SA may be off to a great start in their home Test series against India : not sure I fancy their chances on the upcoming tour of NZ though. They have (due to the priority given to their new domestic t20 competition) named the most inexperienced squad I can recall seeing for any major Test playing nation in decades. Seven of the 14 are yet to play a Test - and probably many wouldn't be near the Test arena were it not for the paucity of available options.
The captain (!) is Neil Brand - a 27yo allrounder as yet uncapped at International level , who averages a decent but unremarkable 39 with the bat and 30 with the ball in domestic cricket. He has apparently got strong leadership credentials ; but still...

The bowling attack includes none of the recognized regular names. And most of the batsmen have either none or a mere handful of Tests under their belts. I think only Duanne Olivier - who has a respectable Test record from his 15 matches and will presumably lead the bowling ;  and Keegan Petersen (one of just three players currently in action against India) have played more than ten Tests.

Maybe they will unearth some new gems.  But I fear they could easily be embarrassed.

Agree with all that, Alfie.
But I was looking through the profiles of some of them, South Africa still have those all-rounders. Perhaps not from the league of yester years, but, Brand, de Swart, Von Berg, and of course the upcoming talent, the young Malali Mpongwana. All with digrees of all-round abilities. Hope they go in for a longish batting lineup, don't see this attack taking too many wickets that easily. But as tracks in New Zealand of late, tend to go flat as a road as the test progresses, the long batting lineup can possibly help them limit first innings damages that can be decisive, and use the flat conditions to fight on later on to survive. Hope this lineup can earn a draw at least.

alfie wrote:Meanwhile , as David Warner's Test Retirement looms ever closer , virtually everybody in and around Australian cricket seems to be voicing statements about his successor - from Warner himself (anointing Harris) , to contender Bancroft : "should be a specialist" (a view endorsed by several past luminaries such as Ponting and Langer) ... while others (mainly journalists , perhaps ?) keep floating the notion that Cam Green is the Player of the Future and should be inserted at the top of the order immediately as a means of fitting both him and Mitch Marsh in the same side. The actual selectors and coaches are deliberately not ruling that one out...

Personally doubtful the square peg/round hole plan is ideal - though who knows ?  Green might surprise ; though I fancy a lot of new ball bowlers might reckon they'd have a good chance to pick him up early , based on what I have seen of him in Tests when there has been anything in the pitch for the bowlers. The counter argument is that none of the "specialist" options have shown much at the top level - all average under 30 and have just one Test century between them from some 38 combined matches...so is not any other choice as likely to work out ?
And Mark Taylor has (perhaps predictably ) pushed the claims of an uncapped NSW player whose name momentarily escapes me as his man for the future...while some Victorian scribes keep muttering about Pucovski ...

Anyone's guess who gets first shot.  But with Khawaja - admittedly playing his best ever cricket , but still 37 years old - as the other incumbent , the importance of the position can't be overstated. Seems fairly clear from comments that neither Labuschagne nor Marsh relish the idea of moving from their current spots so a decision on who comes in will have to be made for the West Indies visit in a couple of weeks. Think I will leave it to the selectors...

Pucovski? Is he still around? Has there been another top level cricketer who has been knocked about as much? Seems to have a magnet on his head that can attract cricket balls! Hope they don't consider him, mostly for his own safety.

alfie wrote:SA may be off to a great start in their home Test series against India : not sure I fancy their chances on the upcoming tour of NZ though. They have (due to the priority given to their new domestic t20 competition) named the most inexperienced squad I can recall seeing for any major Test playing nation in decades. Seven of the 14 are yet to play a Test - and probably many wouldn't be near the Test arena were it not for the paucity of available options.
The captain (!) is Neil Brand - a 27yo allrounder as yet uncapped at International level , who averages a decent but unremarkable 39 with the bat and 30 with the ball in domestic cricket. He has apparently got strong leadership credentials ; but still...

The bowling attack includes none of the recognized regular names. And most of the batsmen have either none or a mere handful of Tests under their belts. I think only Duanne Olivier - who has a respectable Test record from his 15 matches and will presumably lead the bowling ;  and Keegan Petersen (one of just three players currently in action against India) have played more than ten Tests.

Maybe they will unearth some new gems.  But I fear they could easily be embarrassed.

It's not too dissimilar to the West Indies squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, they've also named seven uncapped players for that test series, and it's certainly a great shame to see the South Africa team reduced to this because of T20 nonsense. But that's the way the game is.

Third and final test between Australia and Pakistan starts tonight.

Australia, boring as ever, are unchanged. It's no fun when your brilliant arsenal of bowlers manages to stay fit!

Couple of changes for Pakistan. The biggest is Shaheen being rested and Sajid Khan coming in, that's a big loss to the bowling, and also Imam has been dropped for Saim Ayub at the top of the order. It will be Ayub's test debut. He has a respectable FC average of 46, with three centuries in 26 innings, but this is a monumental step up.

All set for Australia to win it 3-0.

Well it certainly started out as an Australian walkover , with both Pakistan openers out for ducks (not a great intro for the new boy Ayub ) ; and with Cummins getting in on the act to remove Babar and Skakeel as well , the lunch score of 70/4 had the tourists in all sorts of trouble. When Masood nicked off from Marsh it was even worse at 96/5 ; but the combative Rizwan and Salman fought back with a fast partnership (Lyon coming in for some rough treatment) and at one stage it looked as if they'd be in a good position at tea. But then along came Cummins again : bouncer attack and Rizwan fell hooking once too often for a fine 88. Cummins went on to take two more , and despite Salman's 53 , Pakistan found themselves 227/9 on a pretty benign pitch...

But Jamal has since dominated an extraordinary last wicket stand with Hamza - who is 7 from 35 balls : the young number nine has now reached an excellent 69 from 84 balls to raise the 300 ! He just reverse swept Lyon for six to add a few extra style points .

Cummins is back now after some experimentation with Marnus and his rubbish. Pat has been far the best bowler - again - and might fancy getting the number 11 ; but the Aussies are certainly looking a bit frustrated.

Not calling this stand exactly a "game changer" , as I'd expect Australia to score big on this track. But it has been a remarkable exhibition of spirited tail end batting and has at least saved this match from being a total dud.

Jamal launches Lyon for yet another six as I type...and follows with a four to move to 80

312/9 now . Lyon's figures an untidy 0/74 from 17 overs. And this stand now worth 87 !

Head having a bowl now , with the new ball still four overs away. Just about everyone has had a bowl - except Warner