South Africa in Australia (2012)

Fri Nov 2 - Sun Nov 4  23:30 GMT  (prev day) | 10:30 local 05:00 IST Australia A v South Africans Sydney Cricket Ground Fri Nov 9 - Tue Nov 13  00:00 GMT | 10:00 local 05:30 IST 1st Test - Australia v South Africa Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane Thu Nov 22 - Mon Nov 26  00:00 GMT | 10:30 local 05:30 IST 2nd Test - Australia v South Africa Adelaide Oval Fri Nov 30 - Tue Dec 4  02:30 GMT | 10:30 local 08:00 IST 3rd Test - Australia v South Africa Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth

RSA getting slaughtered by a Clarke/Hussey special. Australia has a very decent middle order, with Wade also just coming off a test ton against the Windies and Ponting in sublime domestic form (yes, I do realise he scored a duck - but those things happen). To see Cowan make a ton from the opening position was refreshing. Doesn't drive much, so I'm not sure why they didn't bowl fuller to him (although his forward defence is very tight to be fair), and he's a real grinder. He's a quality guy to have around the team and hope he continues to do well. With Watson to come back, the top order will look better with Cowan and Watson there, while Warner really needs to find some more consistency.

Originally posted by Mikey With Watson to come back, the top order will look better with Cowan and Watson there, while Warner really needs to find some more consistency.

Absolutely Mikey, Watson is a very crucial player, he is one player who moulds into any format seamlessly. 

I have never understood the logic behind playing 4 fast bowlers on what they reckon a seamer friendly wicket, if it really is a seamer friendly wicket then most certainly your best 3 bowlers must be able to bundle out the opposition easily and in this case RSA had arguably the best 3 fast bowlers in the world in Steyn, Morne and Philander... and then they also had Kallis, one of the best allrounders of all time.

SA will consider that they are lucky enough to escape this with a draw.

The idea of checking for a no-ball time and again only when the batsmen is out is absolutely ridiculous, and the number of times the umpires are doing this is disgraceful. As Sanjay Manjrekar once said on air "it just kills the moment", it really does, I can understand this happening once in a while but these days I see it happening every time. 

The thing is Mikey that these days every time you see Hashim Amla or Virat Kohli go out there to bat you'd expect them to get a hundred, such has been their consistency, I'm talking about both ODI's and Tests, clarke hasn't done that well in ODI's as much as he has done in test matches. But anyways I agree, Clarke, Hashim and Virat all of them are pretty much at par at the moment. I won't cpunt Sanga in the same tier, I don't know, I really don't think he has been that consistent.

Originally posted by sam_ahmed The thing is Mikey that these days every time you see Hashim Amla or Virat Kohli go out there to bat you'd expect them to get a hundred, such has been their consistency, I'm talking about both ODI's and Tests, clarke hasn't done that well in ODI's as much as he has done in test matches. But anyways I agree, Clarke, Hashim and Virat all of them are pretty much at par at the moment. I won't cpunt Sanga in the same tier, I don't know, I really don't think he has been that consistent.

Yes Sam but i guess than the same situation is for Kohli too he has done nothing in Test so solo on Odi's cant be good enough that is why -

Amla/Kallis for me are the top 2 players i would want to see they pick in any team and really Kallis is not a single player he is 2in1 be it 1 over match or 100 still Kallis would be good enough. Honestly people say there wont be another Bradman but really if anyone can get half of what Kallis has done he should be given a special award -

I really don't know what special Sanga has done, I do watch SLN cricket but may be I just didn't notice, I really was surprised when he got the player of the year award, I know he is good but I haven't noticed him as much as I have noticed Hashim, Kohli and Clarke. As for Kallis, he is always there, a true legend.

Edited by sam_ahmed - 14 November 2012 at 5:30pm

They can pick a 4th seamer, but he needs to be quality. Kleinveldt was barely hitting 130kph at times, looks so out of shape and was bowling a lot of no balls. I don't know if it was nerves or that he simply is not good enough. Philander and Morkel can both bat, so have them at 8 and 9 - SA has good batting depth in their top 7, especially with AB keeping rather than a keeper-batsman.

Also Sam, you're living under a rock if you haven't seen Kumar in tests lately and adjudged him to be right up there! In his last three tests against Pakistan he scored 192, 199no and 74! C'mon Sam, where are you hiding!?

Edited by Mikey - 15 November 2012 at 3:06am

Why are you directly comparing him to Amla? I never said he was performing better than Amla, all I said was that he is in the top 5 and you can't mention top batsmen without mentioning him. You'd especially mention him before Kohli...

Right at this moment, as in very, very recent performances, I rate Sanga and Clarke. IN terms of the last 12 months I dare say Amla is no.1.

Australia are back and back in a BIG way !!!   It's been a long time since I've seen an attack dismantled throughout 2 and a half sessions !  That the attack is South Africa's makes todays effort all the more extraordinary.  Steyn was okay without really threatening , Kallis was excellent before breaking down , but Morkel and Tahir got the hammering of their careers!
    At the close of play Australia had taken the total to 482-5 when Hussey was out to Steyn 0 a run rate of 5.5 per over!!   This was achieved after floundering at 55-3 !   That wicket of Ponting was a serious error by the visitors because it brought the magician that is Michael Clarke to the wicket.  He must be seeing that ball like a football becuase he caned all bowlers from ball one , recording his 4TH double century of the year - something that's NEVER been done in test cricket before !!  His strokeplay was out of the top drawer and I have to say he's now approaching one of the classiest batsman I've evr seen - truly brilliant!  Strokes all around the wicket , my personal favourite being his inside out drive through the covers - a thing of real beauty.    Not to be outdone , Warner and Hussey also completed their centuries in double quick time too - it really was a slaughter out there!    The pitch is a belter and I'm not saying SA are dead and buried yet , but it's looking like 700 and Kallis won't bowl again. Even Steyn went off with a pulled hamstring , but did come back in the afternoon.   Clarke is still there and a triple century cannot be discounted.  Tahir won't sleep tonight and Morkel will toss and turn as well!
                  I'llbe up at 2am tomorrow - watching Clarke bat is as good as it gets - imagine if they'd made him captain 3 years ago , England wouldn't have won 2 Ashes series !!


Edited by Sledger - 22 November 2012 at 12:07pm

Honestly Sam no matter how good you are its always difficult to comeback in the game while 700 runs in on the board plus i really don't think its a flat pitch if you bowl well you will get rewards. I am sure once Australia comes on to bowl it will look a very different pitch.

Anyone 400 for Clarke?

Edited by mystery - 22 November 2012 at 7:26pm

At 55-3 Aus were reeling, then two big partnership take them to 481 for 4, experts say this could be a run fest at both the ends.