***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Spikey]

if we play MJ and Siddle in the same attack again I will straight up murder benchmark00

[benchmark00]

I'm invincible!

[Spikey]

[Briony]

Johnson has to be picked based on his previous performances against SA. It's horses for courses surely with the Lankan pitches hardly suiting him.

[andruid]

If they could only throw a warm up game or two up our way here in Kenya. Either way S. Africa to edge the test regres after being shocked in the limited overs stuff.

[SeamUp]

Is it true that because this tour is only two tests, the next time Australia tour SAF there will be four tests because it would be owed due to the FTP?

I remember hearing that somewhere.

[Jayzamann]

Originally Posted by SeamUp

Is it true that because this tour is only two tests, the next time Australia tour SAF there will be four tests because it would be owed due to the FTP?

I remember hearing that somewhere.

I read that these tests are outside the FTP, as they'd already played each other enough. This is sort of a conciliatory gesture for Australia not being all that enthused about being in SA for Boxing Day and New Years.

[SeamUp]

Originally Posted by Jayzamann

I read that these tests are outside the FTP, as they'd already played each other enough. This is sort of a conciliatory gesture for Australia not being all that enthused about being in SA for Boxing Day and New Years.

This is what I thought.

In the FTP, you're supposed to play each other twice in four years.

A big problem was that AUS v SAF series were back-to-back and obviously now with CSA wanting Aus to tour South Africa over Xmas-New year every other tour and CA denying the request, it has made the two boards & ICC have to agree new schedules for the FTP.

So now, it would be that they play each other every two years, once in South Africa and once in Australia so maybe this is the start of the new cycle?

So then Aus will play an extra test, the next time they tour SAF.

[stephen]

I will be ropable if Copeland gets dropped for SA. He's exactly the type of bowler that succeeds there. Accurate bowlers who can swing it get piles of wickets in that country. Siddle obviously has more potential than Copes due to his speed but Copeland is the better bowler right now, one four wicket haul notwithstanding. If anyone should be looking at facing the axe for the next series it should be Johnson. Clarke needs to give Copeland longer spells while we're at it.

[stephen]

I mean one of the things that has been touted as the reason we won in Sri Lanka was the extra control that our bowling attack had compared to the past. That control has largely come by dropping one of MJ/Siddle and picking Copeland instead. Dropping Copeland would show that the selectors have learned nothing at all.

[SeamUp]

Australia has to play Copeland. Why chop and change when he hasn't done anything wrong yet and has provided balance to the attack.

It will be interesting to see how the test pitches will be early seasonish.

[BlazeDragon]

Originally Posted by centurymaker

Johnson
Siddle/Bollinger (how is he?)
Harris

In place of Copeland?

[centurymaker]

Originally Posted by BlazeDragon

In place of Copeland?

it's southafrica not some low and slow subcontinental country. you should play quick bowlers..

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by centurymaker

it's southafrica not some low and slow subcontinental country. you should play quick bowlers..

Copeland gets much more movement than Siddle though and he'll be able to use the conditions better.

[BlazeDragon]

Originally Posted by centurymaker

it's southafrica not some low and slow subcontinental country. you should play quick bowlers..

Copeland is not a spinner he is as much of a fast bowler as Brett Lee. What is his speed is has nothing to do with it.