***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Hoggy31]

Originally Posted by howardj

I can confirm it will be a 14 man squad which will be picked on Wednesday.

Mine would be:

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
North
Jaques

Haddin

Hauritz
McGain

Johnson
Bracken
Siddle (if fit, otherwise Bollinger)
Hilfenhaus

14? That's pretty light, I assume they're not taking a 2nd keeper then.

[jondavluc]

My guess for the 15 would be:

Katich
Jaques
Hughes
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
Symonds
McDonald
McGain

I Imagine that Hughes will get the chance but I feel sorry for Jaques hasn't really done nothing wrong (also love to watch the bat).Though I wouldn't be surprised if Jaques gets it.
Symonds I think should play the the practice match maybe .If he fails then I would suggest someone else gets his spot until gets some form.As for Bowling I reckon It will be the same as the Sydney test except maybe Hilfenhaus might get in over Bollinger.


South Africa I reckon they should drop Neil since he is useless as far as I'm concerned and put prince back in.I reckon Amla would be a fine replacement.

[chaminda_00]

Originally Posted by Hoggy31

14? That's pretty light, I assume they're not taking a 2nd keeper then.

Phillip Hughes can keep, the guy can do anything.

[oldmancraigy]

Originally Posted by pup11

Haddin just hasn't shown the consistency to be bat in the top 6 though

In the last 2 series, his innings by innings scores are:

6
19
169

46
94
40
10
38

He averaged 65 against the Kiwis and 45(!!) against the South Africans

and those innings by innings scores actually show some consistency as he's grown into the role as a test batsman.

Over the last 3-4 seasons, he's averaged 50+ for NSW batting at 4/5. And he's a more than capable batsman at the top level - since the slow start to his career, he's starting to show the form that makes him a top-level first class batsman!

Having said that - Noffke at 7 and Johnson at 8 doesn't exactly fill me with confidence...

Hope McGain gets a bag of wickets for Vic in this game so that we at least have a slow bowling attacking option that might give us some variation!

[chaminda_00]

Haddin bats at six in FC for NSW, but 4/5 in ODs.

[pasag]

Originally Posted by duffer

These are seriously awesome selection "headaches" for South Africa to have. They've got some nice bench strength now.

Batting they seem to be OK, but not so sure about bowling let's say Steyn went down it would completley transform the side.

[TT Boy]

Carseldine the man for Australia at 6!

[chaminda_00]

Originally Posted by pasag

Batting they seem to be OK, but not so sure about bowling let's say Steyn went down it would completley transform the side.

Andre Nel for mine is still a class above most fringe bowlers around the world. I don't think he has been forgotten about it just their main objective is to find a long term replacement for Ntini. If the series was 1-1 and Steyn or one of seamers were out he would come in for mine.

With the performances of Botha and the potential of Tahir they could play two spinners. Add in Abie Morkel as an experienced seamer now. They got good depth in bowling as well. No doubt losing your best bowler going to hurt, but they have plenty of decent options imo.

It the opening batsmen where they lack depth. Though even there Alma and Gibbs are very good.

[pasag]

Originally Posted by chaminda_00

Andre Nel for mine is still a class above most fringe bowlers around the world. I don't think he has been forgotten about it just their main objective is to find a long term replacement for Ntini. If the series was 1-1 and Steyn or one of seamers were out he would come in for mine.

With the performances of Botha and the potential of Tahir they could play two spinners. Add in Abie Morkel as an experienced seamer now. They got good depth in bowling as well. No doubt losing your best bowler going to hurt, but they have plenty of decent options imo.

It the opening batsmen where they lack depth. Though even there Alma and Gibbs are very good.

Right, they don't look horrible with a Nel-Ntini-Morkel-Harris bowling attack but they don't look best in the world either, anymore.

[pup11]

Luke Pomersbach is the man i am backing to break into the Aussie test middle order in an year or two' time, he is very consistent for an aggressive bastman and though he has had a pretty shoddy OD season, he still is going great guns in FC cricket.

Would be a very good guy to bat at no.6, all he needs to do though is work on his batting against spin.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Originally Posted by pup11

he still is going great guns in FC cricket.

Wouldn't really call his FC season "great guns". Average at best.

[chaminda_00]

Originally Posted by pasag

Right, they don't look horrible with a Nel-Ntini-Morkel-Harris bowling attack but they don't look best in the world either, anymore.

If I told you that at the start of season (or even just after JP's Perth innings) that SA were going in with ODI batting line up of Gibbs-Alma-Kallis-De Villiars-Dummy-McKensie-Boucher-A.Morkel. Would you still think they would have the best batting line up in the world or even just 2nd.

Smith in theory should have made as much difference as potentially Steyn being out. But he didn't. No doubt they might not be the best bowling attack without Steyn, but they can still take 20 wickets withput expectional performances. That bowling attack for mine will still be better then Australia and India.

[chaminda_00]

As much as it is great to have a go at Symonds. He still is the best option at No 6 outside Hodge and Watson. Hussey and North are fast becoming overrated and a case of anyone but Symonds, regardless how inconsistent they might be. Hussey improved his consistency in the last couple seasons, but North still has a bit more do on that front for mine.

[Manee]

Originally Posted by four_or_six

I don't think Bracken has done his test selection any favours in this ODI series. Yes, he's been economical, but the Saffas have seen him off for one wicket in four games at 93. It doesn't really show any penetration.

I think this is empty logic. You either take his ODI career at face value, in which case he should be in the Test team as he is one of the top ODI bowlers, or you don't, in which case, the form in this series has been irrelevant.

[pasag]

Originally Posted by chaminda_00

If I told you that at the start of season (or even just after JP's Perth innings) that SA were going in with ODI batting line up of Gibbs-Alma-Kallis-De Villiars-Dummy-McKensie-Boucher-A.Morkel. Would you still think they would have the best batting line up in the world or even just 2nd.

Smith in theory should have made as much difference as potentially Steyn being out. But he didn't. No doubt they might not be the best bowling attack without Steyn, but they can still take 20 wickets withput expectional performances. That bowling attack for mine will still be better then Australia and India.

Well for one that's one of the poorer of the better ODI batting lineups in the world and if they maintained that line-up they'll start losing a lot more (obviously with Smith coming back this isn't likely to happen). The fact that won the series without Smith was great, but it's not something that'd continue. But we're talking about Tests anyways. Without Steyn their Test bowling doesn't look all that flash and there's no way it's better than a full strength Australian lineup and definitely not better than India's. Steyn transforms their Test side from a good one to an superb one, just like Smith does the same for their ODI side.