South Africa vs Australia 1st Test

[Pup]

Not sure what to make of this, is it a lack of application or is the pitch becoming problematic?

South Africa have bowled very well, much more of what everyone expected before the tour. They will be a bit dirty they could not do this in the first innings.

North was the only dismissal that the pitch probably affected.

[FlyingHigh]

Simply swap Clarke and Hussey. Clarke at 4 and Hussey at 5 just feels like a better balance and that we're taking on the opposition more. Clarke obviously has superior talent and needs to bat at 4, much in the same vein as Mark Waugh. Hussey at 5, help us dig us out of trouble if we are 3 for not-many, more like Steve Waugh. Seems as though Hussey feels he has to play differently batting at 4.

I agree with this. Hussey at 4 and Clarke at 5 was the right thing to do at the time but it is now the time for Clarke to assume the role he was born to do and that is bat at 4 for Australia. He has served his apprenticeship now and perhaps getting the responsibility of batting at 4 might help eradicate those brain snaps of his. Those brain snaps are all that is stopping him from becoming the best player in the world IMHO.

Yep, keeping him at 5 gives him a licence to bat in the "cavalier" attitude of someone like Doug Walters. Mind you, Doug had the Chappells and Redpath to bat around him and a different era, different professionalism required. If he doesn't become one of the world's leading batsmen for a couple of years, then it is talent somewhat unfulfilled - he is not quite at that level yet.

[spell_check]

If Steyn was smart, that first ball to Siddle should have been a yorker.

[FlyingHigh]

Haven't read all the posts on previous pages, but there is no way Johnson is our next all-rounder like the Sunday Mail was trying argue. Number 8 is the ideal spot, using it as an extra advantage in the way Gilchrist was correctly by always staying at 7. Unfortunately it doesn't look good for McDondald, unless he is going to consistently bowl at least 15 overs out of 80.

[Dutchy]

If Steyn was smart, that first ball to Siddle should have been a yorker.

Why is that Spelly?

[spell_check]

If Steyn was smart, that first ball to Siddle should have been a yorker.

Why is that Spelly?

Siddle would know what to expect after the SA innings - a bouncer. He got one and ducked it easily.

[Dutchy]

A quicky aint going to let an opportunity like that go without serving up a bit of his own treatment, a yorker is unlikely to hurt him either....

in saying that the short balls were not of high quality

[panther]

If Steyn was smart, that first ball to Siddle should have been a yorker.

Why is that Spelly?

Siddle would know what to expect after the SA innings - a bouncer. He got one and ducked it easily.

Einsteyn ?

[spell_check]

Getting your nemesis out first ball would feel pretty good too.

[Dutchy]

Getting your nemesis out first ball would feel pretty good too.

nemesis?

[purch]

Haven't read all the posts on previous pages, but there is no way Johnson is our next all-rounder...

Not sure what you mean by that comment. Statistically he is an all-rounder. Test batting average in of 30 and bowling ave of 27.5 gives him that status IMO. These numbers are very similar to Ian Botham's and Kapil Dev's career averages

Just because he gets out for 1 in this innings doesn't detract from what he's already achieved in the test match:

4/25 and 96*

That looks like an all-rounder to me. MOTM stuff too.

p.s. He's scored more runs than Hughes, Katich, Clarke and Hussey in this test.

[CoverKing]

Brett Geeves is flying to south africa tonight or tomorrow after his 6 wicket haul today. covering for bollinger who has an abdominal strain!

thought maybe magoffin woulda got the call but i guess he has been struggling of late! its about doing it at the right time like geeves did today!

[NFC]

Pidge has been copping the wrath of posters on here which is why he is lashing out a bit. He is entitled to his opinion but as it is not the popular one he just gets called names and cops abuse. Bit unfair IMHO. I don't agree with Pidge's view on Hughes but he has never said he is no good. He jokingly suggested it on another thread but if people can't see that was tongue in cheek they clearly take life too seriously. Perhaps rather than calling him names and abusing Pidge people may wish to post their thoughts on why Hughes should be in the team and let him respond.

How about FC average of 60, been in red hot form while Jaques hasn't. Enough?

[NFC]

Haven't read all the posts on previous pages, but there is no way Johnson is our next all-rounder like the Sunday Mail was trying argue. Number 8 is the ideal spot, using it as an extra advantage in the way Gilchrist was correctly by always staying at 7. Unfortunately it doesn't look good for McDondald, unless he is going to consistently bowl at least 15 overs out of 80.

I laugh at the Johnson all-rounder talk. He is FAR from an all-rounder, just a handy lower order batsman. With the bat he's just a rich mans Lee and Lee is no AR.

He's far too inconsistent to be classified as one.

[Pup]

Haven't read all the posts on previous pages, but there is no way Johnson is our next all-rounder like the Sunday Mail was trying argue. Number 8 is the ideal spot, using it as an extra advantage in the way Gilchrist was correctly by always staying at 7. Unfortunately it doesn't look good for McDondald, unless he is going to consistently bowl at least 15 overs out of 80.

I laugh at the Johnson all-rounder talk. He is FAR from an all-rounder, just a handy lower order batsman. With the bat he's just a rich mans Lee and Lee is no AR.

He's far too inconsistent to be classified as one.

Exactly.

He is better at number 8 where his runs are a bonus rather than people expecting him to score runs week in week out.

[FlyingHigh]

Haven't read all the posts on previous pages, but there is no way Johnson is our next all-rounder like the Sunday Mail was trying argue. Number 8 is the ideal spot, using it as an extra advantage in the way Gilchrist was correctly by always staying at 7. Unfortunately it doesn't look good for McDondald, unless he is going to consistently bowl at least 15 overs out of 80.

I laugh at the Johnson all-rounder talk. He is FAR from an all-rounder, just a handy lower order batsman. With the bat he's just a rich mans Lee and Lee is no AR.

He's far too inconsistent to be classified as one.

Exactly.

He is better at number 8 where his runs are a bonus rather than people expecting him to score runs week in week out.

Yep, these were my thoughts too. He can hit the ball cleanly and well, but does not have the defensive technique to be able to say he can hold his place in the team as a batsman, which is a requirement of a general all rounder.

I still enjoy watching him, and the runs a down the order are great, but not an allrounder.

[Pup]

Surely they can declare rather than let Siddle and Hilfenhaus scratch around for another half an hour.

Already 441 in front, which would be a world record chase anyway. If we can not defend that on this pitch then we have nothing to complain about.

[FD88]

Sids and Hilfy are frustrating the heck out of the Saffers here. Siddle just belted a six, and the partnership is 32 off 20 balls!

[magpie in the 80's]

s.a. need 453 to win

[NFC]

Saw nothing wrong with that. If they came out and just wanted to hang around then I would've been annoyed but 33 runs in 20 mins is good. I feel a bit safer with another 33 runs, makes the total look even more insanely bigger.