Alester Florent Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 On another note, how many more years of test cricket has Duminy bought himself with this century? Too many? I've never understood why SA keep Duminy around. Averaging not much more than 30 with the bat, over 40 with the ball, three centuries, no five-fors, slowish scorer, ok in the field, but hardly exceptional, and he's at the sort of age and experience you'd expect him to be at his peak. He looks like the sort of bits-and-pieces player England used to try back in the Dark Years in the hope they'd turn up the next Frank Woolley. Do SA really have nobody better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arya_underfoot Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I've lost track of how many catches SA have dropped now. I have a feeling this last one courtesy of Peterson is going to cost them big, given how Smith is batting at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Morne Morkel's been decidedly hostile in this test, best I've seen him bowl for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Well well, this is really on now. Plenty of time left in the test - 7.5 sessions in the second innings, assuming this last wicket is wrapped up shortly. Barring a major collapse on their part, South Africa are going to have to figure out how they want to set this target. They can't afford to score as slowly as they did on the first day - it would really help if Smith were to fire, since he usually scores quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 SA firmly in control at the moment. I would think a lead of between 450 and 500 should suffice. This pitch isn't going to get any easier to bat on. Regarding Duminy I think his place is safe for the moment. Elgar has thrown his name into the hat for opening the batting although CSA has opted not to renew his contract. Another option would be to drop Duminy in favour of Elgar at No.7 with Alviro Peterson opening with Smith. Eta. These two Tests has been the worst fielding performance from SA that I have seen for quite some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 This is interesting, if Parnell can't bowl at all then Australia may still have a ray of hope, even though the target is 448. Duminy is not really a frontline spinner so the onus will be on the three existing pacemen (Steyn, Morkel, Philander) to get wickets. Fourth innings chases can all unravel very quickly though. All of those chasing records are records for a reason - I don't think South Africa should be too worried yet (still 363 more runs to get, which is an awful lot). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 It's gone wrong a bit quickly for the Australians. I'd stopped watching because they looked so comfortable and when I switch back they're six down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Magnificent victory for South Africa and with a bowler short to boot. The team showed great character to respond in this manner after the disaster at Centurion. All square heading to Cape Town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 It's an impressive fightback from SA, although it just makes it more of a travesty that this isn't a five-match series considering it's turning out to be infinitely more competitive than the Ashes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 That makes Capetown a shade more interesting. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKing Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Typical - I go to bed with Australia 1/130 and when I wake up this morning we're all out and the test is gone. We really have a problem with low, slow pitches it seems (both batting and bowling). I guess there won't be much of a bouncy deck to look forward to for the next test either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Although it doesn't give me great pleasure to say "I told you so" it does seem our fourth innings run chase unravelled all too quickly! Clarke comes under a bit of scrutiny now - 11 innings without passing 25. Before that he had centuries in the first two Ashes tests but it's been a lean five Tests since without a half century. He's been as much of a problem with the top order as the others. Warner/Rogers have been getting centuries lately but 3 and 4 haven't been particulary productive of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arya_underfoot Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Impressive stuff from Steyn and co. I agree with the comment about Morkel. He's bowled ferociously without getting a bagful of wickets. Even in the India tests, he was fabulous despite not getting a commensurate reward in the wickets column. I wonder how much of Philander's phenomenal success has resulted from gliding in Morne's slipstream and being in the right place at the right time. Lehmann is now talking about bringing Watson back in, which makes sense from a bowling point of view. I think he's one of Australia's best bowlers on slowish wickets because of his accurate cutters. Unfortunately I can't see him making much more of an impact than Doolan with the bat (I'm assuming they won't drop Marsh so soon after his recall). Also, it looks like Pattinson might have a chance of playing, which I think is crucial. Harris is clearly not as effective as he was in the England tests. He looked run down, exhausted and very much in need of a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Lets hope for a low, slow wicket in Cape Town. SA has the superior pace attack. Take away pace and bounce and the Aussie pace attack is decidedly ordinary. The South African pace trio have proved themselves over a number of years and in different conditions. The Aussie pace trio otoh is one dimensional - they are only effective on a surface with enough pace and bounce. I'm hoping for another awesome Test in Cape Town. The last test between these two nations in Cape Town was incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 That makes Capetown a shade more interesting. ;) That's going to be a great test match. Can't wait. The last test between Aus and SA in Cape Town was brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brAnthelAstgreenseer Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 The crowd in Bangladesh is amazing . Nowhere in the world would you have such a strong crowd for a neutral . I don't think there would so many people supprtong Sri-Lanka if this match was taking place at their home . Edit : Sangakkara is killing it . Its in the bag for SL . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 This is truly pathetic. Eight wickets in hand, one a ball required, way ahead on the run rate and instead of grinding them into the dust they pushed the ball around and defended until the rate went to 9 and they lost 6 wickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 This should rule out Giles ever being in charge of anything. Utterly woeful . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 This is truly pathetic. Eight wickets in hand, one a ball required, way ahead on the run rate and instead of grinding them into the dust they pushed the ball around and defended until the rate went to 9 and they lost 6 wickets. It does sound like more of the same. Lumb and Ali's opening partnership was impressive from the two debutants but everything seems to have fallen apart after that. I wonder if Lumb will get a longer-term chance in ODIs after scoring a century on debut, it's fairly obvious that he was only selected as preparation for the T20 World Cup but now he might be in with a chance of moving beyond being a T20 specialist. It's a pity Alex Hales was injured, I think he should really be in the ODI squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arya_underfoot Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 The Newlands pitch looks pretty good so far. From memory, last time around the first innings total was decent as well with Clarke getting a ton. Also, English boarders, what is the process involved in knighting cricketers. I noticed that Ambrose got knighted yesterday along with Roberts and Richardson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.