Cricket 2013

[Troy]

They passed the follow on target but didn't make it much further than that. Harris picks up the final wicket, and his fourth, and South Africa only made 96! 188 run lead with three and a half days to go. Nathan Lyon didn't even get a bowl since only 24.3 overs were bowled. One of the best bowling performances by an Australian team in the past five years.

Australia can now focus on batting the rest of the day and get a huge lead.

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

Epic bowling from WATTO

 

[Troy]

Damn Watson was just given out and he didn't review the LBW. DRS showed that it wouldn't have hit the stumps and it would have been reversed.

Shaun Marsh didn't field all day because of some back issues and so Ponting is in at 3.

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

Sure has been an entertaining match

 

[Troy]

Hughes was dropped before by Smith, it was an easy catch but Smith someone dropped it. Ponting just got out for a duck LBW to Philander. He reviewed it but it was clipping the stumps and so it was the umpires call.

Ponting is my favourite player but he has to look at retiring from tests. He hasn't been able to find form and as we saw with Shaun Marsh the new players can take their chances. Ponting has many runs in the bank and will still be selected for the next test and the following series but he should be thinking about stepping aside. In ODI's he still has form but he can't seem to get it to work in tests. Admittedly this is a tough pitch to bat on but he needs to at least think about it.

There are a few young batsmen in the domestic league that deserve a chance Khawaja and Ferguson would be my first two choices. Warner would be close behind and Cooper from SA may be a chance in a couple of years he is coming off 98 and 203* in the recent first class match against NSW where Warner also scored a century. Hopefully we start getting that great depth that we used to have in state cricket.

Hughes may have just gotten out. Low catch so they are checking it upstairs. No real good camera angles so this is a tough call. Fielder claimed it right away so I would assume it was a clean catch. Billy Bowden taking his time. Again the camera angles available are bad, not many good clear close-ups to look at. Eventually given out. 13/3 now and the wicket fest continues. How did Clarke and Siddle score so well? Since lunch 12 wickets have fallen for 60 runs!

 

[Troy]

Sure has been an entertaining match

Very entertaining match. Definitely can't see it going into a fourth day.

 

[Troy]

Yesterday was one of the strangest and most entertaining days of cricket I have ever seen. Australia were at one stage 9-21 in the second innings due to some ridiculous shots from the batsmen. Hussey threw his wicket away and Haddin played one of the dumbest shots of all time. We were a lot down for not much and he charged the bowler and tried to hit a six when he was nowhere near it. Thankfully Siddle and Lyon showed some heart and both reached double figures with Lyon top scoring with 14 to take Australia to 47.

South Africa then batted and Siddle picked up an early wicket but that was the only one last night. Harris should have had Amla on the last ball but Hussey dropped one of the easiest catches you will see. This morning Harris got Amla to edge it again but Watson dropped a sitter. South Africa are cruising now at 167/1. Johnson has been pathetic going at 6 an over without looking threatening. Nathan Lyon is finally bowling and bowled a maiden right up.

Hopefully Australia show some fight.

Haddin and Johnson should be getting close to the chopping block. When Paine is fit he should be in for Haddin. Johnson is too hit and miss and he is the attack leader. Copeland's accurate bowling would have been useful on this track.

 

[Troy]

For some reason Clarke took Lyon off and kept Johnson on. Lyon was creating chances and Johnson is just getting smashed. Amla reached his hundred and South Africa are now only 22 runs away from a great victory.

Wonder if these new selectors will have the balls to make the hard decisions on some big names. Not a good example of Clarke's captaincy in this test but hopefully he unleashes on the players in the dressing room after this game. That second batting effort really hurt and dropping the catches got rid of any chance to win. Whenever Australia drops easy chances you know that things are bad.

What a change from day one to day three!

 

[Troy]

Trust me to jinx it. Johnson gets a wicket and I am kind of sad that he did because it means the selectors won't consider moving him on. Nice to see that the captain can catch, he should have shown it to Hussey and Watson.

Humourous that the second wicket fell at double nelson or 222. Brilliant batting by Amla to get 112.

 

[PegasusKid]

Well that was a very weird test with the way. No idea what happened to Aus in that second Innings was just pathetic to be honest. Its life hopefully they can regroup and play like they did in the first innings for the next game. I dont know if we will see much movement because of the sudden turn But will be interesting what selectors choose to do with the line up.

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

Johnson must be dropped, he offers nothing positive to our bowling attack, and is not a good enough batsmen to be considered an "all-rounder."

 

[Troy]

It was a pathetic performance in the end and some changes need to be made. Johnson doesn't really deserve to hold his spot and Haddin shouldn't after playing another reckless innings. Shame Paine is injured as he would automatically get the spot, Matthew Wade should get the spot until Paine is healthy. Ponting should announce that the next australian summer will be his last. Watson admitted that bowling affects his batting mindset so maybe he should drop down the order as well.

A potential late 2012 line-up that I would like to see is;

Warner
Khawaja/Hughes
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Hussey/Ferguson
Paine
Harris
Copeland
Lyon
Siddle/Cummins


Would like to see the selectors take a stance on Johnson and Haddin and stop rewarding them for poor performances. Give some more younger guys a chance in the team so that we can create a strong unit. Hughes needs more runs at the top to hold his place and if not Warner and Khawaja have to come into consideration. I like Marsh at 3 so I wouldn't move him. Watson at 4 should be considered if Clarke is going to bowl him regularly. Clarke at 5 is a given. Hussey should be at 6 but if he goes then Ferguson would be a good replacement. With the bowlers Copeland/Siddle/Cummins can fight it out for the last two spots.

What would you like the line-up to be?

 

[Troy]

David Warner has been called up to the test squad to replace Shaun Marsh who has had to head home due to a back injury. Khawaja will no doubt play the second test and Warner will basically have flown over there just to run out the drinks. Be interesting to see what position they play Khawaja in, if they put him at three to replace Marsh or instead play him at four with Ponting back at three for this game.

 

[ants]

Always going to be backlash after getting bowled out for 47. The fact of the matter is though, this is the first test we've lost since Clarke has been given the job permanently and despite everyone saying this is the worst side we've had in years, fact remains we bowled a side out for under 100 on the second day. The second best test nation in the world mind you. I won't buy into all these big changes, I will put it down to a bad day. It happens, we move on and deal with it.

I honestly think Warner has surpassed Hughes as our test opener. He has been very consistent since being given his chance at the top order for NSW and in the series a few months ago for Australia A. I still like Watson at the top of the order, I'm not changing my mind on that. Marsh has been in top form so he stays at three. Ponting is being made the scapegoat, the fact remains, he got good balls. It happens. He's still got plenty to offer. Clarke no comment, hes our best bat. Hussey looked un-Hussey like, I'll reserve judgement until after this series. Haddin. F***. He has lost the plot. Ive been starting to think were into the tail every time he comes into bat lately, and thats not a good thing for our keeper. Who do we replace him with? Paine, Wade, Dunk are the top three candidates. Paine if fit. Not as worried about the bowling, Johnson I've been calling for his dismissal for years, and Siddle doesn't look in good form, but i still think with Harris there probably our three main options. Cummins not yet, Copeland isn't going to be a wicket taker against the good sides. I think James Pattinson would be a good fit. And then Lyon.

Warner
Watson
Marsh
Ponting- Khawaja if need be
Clarke
Hussey- Khawaja if need be
Paine
Harris
Lyon
Siddle/Johnson/Pattinson
Siddle/Johnson/Pattinson

 

[Troy]

The final two innings of that game did show some glaring issues that have been covered up in recent matches by some excellent individual performances.

Paine is the best option if fit but Wade would be able to do the job for now. Wade has been in great form with the bat and the gloves this season, and last season, so he has certainly moved up in terms of the next Australian keeper. I agree that it now feels like when he is batting that we will be into the bowlers shortly.

Johnson has gotten a huge run in the team and surely they have to try a new option. He has been trying to get in form for two years now and he shows patches but he isn't consistent.

I still can't wait for the second test to see how the players fight back. I read that there was an optional training session set up by Clarke on what would have been the fourth day of the test. The only players of the playing eleven to attend were Watson, Hughes, Ponting, Lyon and Copeland. Disappointing that Haddin, Johnson and Siddle weren't there because none had standout games in the first test.