***Official*** Australian Domestic Thread 2012/13

[Top_Cat]

SA following on, 6/103 in the 2nd dig. Conditions have been pretty rank in general, good for bowling in terms of swing but wouldn't be much fun to bowl in otherwise so they can't pin it on that. Awful cricket from SA.

Hughes Cordon Watch - 2nd slip. That's 4/4 in the cordon. Some relevant statistics;

- 50% of those catches were snaffled by Rick Ponting.
- 75% off bowlers who bowl lame seam-up meds
- 100% of Phil Hughes suddenly hearts Arrested Development.



Also, Cal Ferguson needs to give himself an uppercut for getting a start in both digs and not getting to or past 50.

[Ruckus]

why has he made a huge mistake? If he can't score runs for SA, then surely he can't scores runs for anyone.

[Top_Cat]

Without being privy to them, team dynamics. Playing for a team which sucks as hard as SA is likely wear on him. Especially since he has the added pressure of having to fight his way back into Test contention and basically being the only guy in the side likely to get anywhere near 800 runs this season. Anyway, I've said it before but, for mine, moving to SA was basically the exact opposite of what his Test career needed.

It's a different thing that if, for example, you're an incumbent Test bat and you just need a place to keep the miles in the legs when you're not playing for OZ.

[Ruckus]

that might be true, but I've always seen Hughes as someone who paves his own way more or less, and I'm not sure he'd be one to let the effects of a mediocre team wear down his own form. It really depends on how you look at it anyway - on one hand, yeah, they aren't a great side and there will be added pressure on him to recover the team from poor situations a lot of the time, but on the other hand it also means if he can embrace that role he'll really stand out a lot more than if he if was in one of the better sides.

I think a lot of this stuff is over-analysis anyway. The most important thing for his own confidence, and to impress the selectors, is that he needs to get lots of runs. Whether they come from playing for SA, or NSW or whatever, I'm not sure it matters a whole deal.

[Spikey]

South Australia,

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Spikey

South Australia,

He has returned!

[adub]

I can see where TC is coming from, but I'm not sure it will make too much difference to Hughes. One stat that TC has failed to note is that in 3/4 innings Hughes has played for SA he has been their top scorer (75%). I think that more than anything will be a good thing for him. I get the feeling he'd like to be 'da man' and he's not facing much competition at Adelaide. If just being the best in SA is enough to get his test spot back is very debatable, but it would be something to build from.

[Top_Cat]

The SACA organisational malady will get him, you'll see. You'll ALL see. Matter of time before his spirit is so crushed he'll be talked into rolling his arm over and batting 6-9 because the team needs guys who can 'contribute'.

[robelinda]

well that was a spineless performance from SA, abysmal. can focus on watching Wade now.

[adub]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

The SACA organisational malady will get him, you'll see. You'll ALL see.

MUAHAHAHAHA!

The head of the SACA will be the next great Bond villain.

Seriously though I do agree. There is something seriously cancerous going on down there. I was thinking if Hughes was to leave Vic or Qld were the places to go. My fingers are crossed that he is immune to the SA disease.

[adub]

Originally Posted by robelinda

well that was a spineless performance from SA, abysmal. can focus on watching Wade now.

Shame, he thoroughly deserved triple figures.

[NUFAN]

I think SA's batting will improve once they show better aptitude in OD matches - a format that particularly the middle order are miles better at.

They've had a few positives in the two outright loses:

1) Hughes at the Gabba
2) Ludeman showing some fight
3) Some lower order runs from Mennie at the Gabba and Sayers in Perth.

BTW, what's everyone's thoughts on Punter saying the batting order is set in stone for the SA Tests? Personally I think he's giving his state team mate Ed Cowan some assurance/confidence.

[Spikey]

it'd probably help if their number 3 batsman could play good cricket against a team other than NSW (that non-nsw average must be close to under 20 by now)

[uvelocity]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

The SACA organisational malady will get him, you'll see. You'll ALL see. Matter of time before his spirit is so crushed he'll be talked into rolling his arm over and batting 6-9 because the team needs guys who can 'contribute'.

haha gold

[Spikey]

Redbacks are mentally weak: Botha | Domestic Cricket | Fox Sports

make your own south africa joke