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[smokem]

Saffers bowling defensively and Peterson getting called for wides down leg side... Yawn.......

[smilley792]

Booooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggg

[smilley792]

Crap ball wicket, crap ball wicket.



That's all you need on your debut when heading towards a ton, test killing tactics getting you out.

[Cedrictoad]

Should have promoted Johnson or Haddin!

[cleanbowled]

Why should Watson get back in? Not been scoring runs and his bowling is just a bonus. You cant drop Rodgers after 1 bad game. Wasnt he the leading scorer over both Ashes series? With Doolan and Marsh batting well he waita for another go surely.

Not saying Rodgers will be dropped by any stretch. Will also depend on whether Watto can bowl - if he can I think he will play 100%. It gets much trickier if you have to assess his value to the team as a pure batsman. I think he still might get in anyway, but I am not sure who they can or will drop.

[cleanbowled]

SA nearing the 500 behind mark, think Clarke will declare overnight.

[smokem]

SA nearing the 500 behind mark, think Clarke will declare overnight.

I reckon an hour before lunch tmr. Fairly standard Aussie declaration when they're in that position.

[Gerry SA]

I've been bitterly disappointed with the brainless tactics the Proteas bowlers have employed in this Test.

Steyn and Philander are pitch up bowlers, yes Steyn can bowl 150kph+, but both are as their best when they've have the batsmen coming forward.

Steyn, a little undercooked and ill, but Philander has no excuse. Once you're playing Philander of the back foot, you've won half the battle.

I'm starting to wonder whether Morne has every learnt the meaning 'adjust to conditions'. This pitch isn't suited to whacking it in half way down. He should've been at least 12'-18' fuller.

McLaren, sadly, the control to be a forth seamer. He's again a pitch up bowler, yet has been pounding it half way down.

Australia have played well and punished the wayward bowling. And kudos to them.

I'll back Steyn and Vern to correct their errors in Port Elizabeth. But I think it's time Morne was sent back to Titans to develop more skills.

And I want to see Parnell replace McLaren. Left arm option adds variety.

 

[Gerry SA]

And alarmingly only 6-8% of all balls bowled by the Proteas seamers are hitting the stumps...

[The_Bird]

And alarmingly only 6-8% of all balls bowled by the Proteas seamers are hitting the stumps...

The English bowlers had a very similar stat in the recent series. Do we put it down to SA being slow starters? They started slowly against the Indians as well recently.

[Gerry SA]

The English bowlers had a very similar stat in the recent series. Do we put it down to SA being slow starters? They started slowly against the Indians as well recently.

If Biff/Domingo put it down to 'slow starters' I'll more than a little pissed.

We started slowly in Abu Dhabi. Slow start again India, but they played well and blunted Steyn/Philander.

It's getting into a bad habit and not acceptable

[cleanbowled]

I think SA generally do seem to start many series like that, not that that's a good thing as it is much harder to catch up especially in the shorter series if you go down 1-0. Of course, it is a 3 match series so they can still come back and win (I think its fair to assume barring some sort of miracle that they will go down in this one).

I am sure they will come back stronger in the second. I think their team selection is interesting, Parnell may be better as he is left handed so provides variety. What about Robin Peterson, I think JP can pretty much do his role. I don't see any point in having a spinner just for the sake of it.

[Gerry SA]

I think SA generally do seem to start many series like that, not that that's a good thing as it is much harder to catch up especially in the shorter series if you go down 1-0. Of course, it is a 3 match series so they can still come back and win (I think its fair to assume barring some sort of miracle that they will go down in this one).

I am sure they will come back stronger in the second. I think their team selection is interesting, Parnell may be better as he is left handed so provides variety. What about Robin Peterson, I think JP can pretty much do his role. I don't see any point in having a spinner just for the sake of it.

TBH Jean-Paul Duminy's lucky to even be in the side.

His batting has been on the decline for a while now.

Had the King not retired, Duminy would've been axed for Quinton de Kock.

Robin Peterson's is also on borrowed time.

I'd bring in Parnell for McLaren and QdK for JPD

[The_Bird]

Would be a good series to blood De Cock, would he keep Gerry?

[cleanbowled]

Maybe they should bring Quinton in. Not sure its worth risking some sort of injury to AB which affects his batting or has him out for any length of time. Saw him cop a few bad bounces today which hurt. The bloke is the best batsman in the world atm in terms of rankings, why risk him, and while he can handle the workload right now it might dull his batting down the line. Plus Quinton seems a very good batman from what I saw in the one dayers against India.