***Official*** South Africa in Australia 2012

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

Neither was Hilf, tbh. Bowled well in the Shield game in Bellerive on a great pitch for pace. Can't we just accept that the Saffers were too good against solid bowling today? I mean, they didn't get to 300 in the day, not as if they were allowed to just run away with the game. The Aussies were good, just that the Saffers were really good.

Yeah it's hard to feel too disappointed with this. They weren't at their absolute peak but between a few self-inflicted injuries and the fact that Amla/Kallis are just in "unfair" mode atm, it's hard to get too worked up about today.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

Neither was Hilf, tbh. Bowled well in the Shield game in Bellerive on a great pitch for pace. Can't we just accept that the Saffers were too good against solid bowling today? I mean, they didn't get to 300 in the day, not as if they were allowed to just run away with the game. The Aussies were good, just that the Saffers were really good.

I'd agree that more of the result today was to do with excellent batting rather than poor bowling. These are players of the highest class at the top of their game, so it's really not very surprising, especially given the nature of the pitch. That being said though, I wouldn't go so far as to say the bowling was good. I'd say it was a passable performance, with definite areas of note that could have been better (and have been better in the past). The main problem was the use of the new ball - felt like the bowlers were too caught up on preconceived tactics and failed to find the right length early enough. So it was wasted in a way. Also, Siddle's and Hilf's pace down, and generally not enough intensity after the early overs. Hilf's action looked like it had started to slip back into old habits as well, so he clearly needs to work on that. Thought Patto and Lyon generally did a good job though, and can't really ask for more there given the pitch.

[Top_Cat]

Honestly, the Saffers batting well is something of a bonus so I'm not that invested in getting a handle on who bowled what, why and where because even if they collapse hard for < 400, it's irrelevant. When they get the ball in hand, that's where they'll show up where the real differences between the two sides lie.

[flibbertyjibber]

Would it be fair to say the Aussies didn't bowl the same as last year when they had so much success? Lots of balls short of a length when it was balls that were pitched up that were doing the business last year. Loss of McDermott a bigger factor than some realised maybe?

[uvelocity]

caveat:drunk

test cricket is all about making the most of patience, waiting for the time to mount your attack,

saffers are the weakest ****s in cricket. biggest and best batting lineup in world cricket is 2/slow as a wet week

our challenge is to be equally dour. can we manage? hope not.

such a poor advertisment for cricket in general. not sure of the exact figures but lyon on the first day plus part timers18 odd overs for a third of their runs, pathetic. weak as piss.want to kill something

[benchmark00]

Jam it ****.

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by flibbertyjibber

Would it be fair to say the Aussies didn't bowl the same as last year when they had so much success? Lots of balls short of a length when it was balls that were pitched up that were doing the business last year. Loss of McDermott a bigger factor than some realised maybe?

Yeah but hang on a bit, we're talking professional Test bowlers here. Are we really to assume that once McDermott finished (), they just fell in a heap () and forgot how to bowl in good areas?

[Spikey]

I mean, they basically went at the same RR as Cook and Trott...

I dunno know, Clarkeh played it defensive (deep point, no gaps in the covers and down the ground), it's not really a surprise there were some dour moments

[flibbertyjibber]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

Yeah but hang on a bit, we're talking professional Test bowlers here. Are we really to assume that once McDermott finished (), they just fell in a heap () and forgot how to bowl in good areas?

I don't know, was just asking you guys who saw more of the play than I did. What I saw was pretty ordinary from the Aussie attack bar Pattinson. Could just be the flattest of flat wickets though, be interesting to see how Steyn and co go.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by Spikey

I mean, they basically went at the same RR as Cook and Trott...

I dunno know, Clarkeh played it defensive (deep point, no gaps in the covers and down the ground), it's not really a surprise there were some dour moments

I've been meaning to ask for a while, are you saying 'don't know' or 'dont know now' ??

SA were good today but it could have been so different. Reckon other batsman with a different technique may have been lbw when Amla narrowly survived on 0. But yeah SA deserve to be in the box seat, anyone know how Duminy is?

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

I've been meaning to ask for a while, are you saying 'don't know' or 'dont know now' ??

SA were good today but it could have been so different. Reckon other batsman with a different technique may have been lbw when Amla narrowly survived on 0. But yeah SA deserve to be in the box seat, anyone know how Duminy is?

No official word that I can see, but Graeme Smith says that 'he feels for him' whatever that means.

[uvelocity]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Yeah, exactly.

so glad someone else saw that. deep point at the time i was wtf when the hand went up for byes. took a long time to convince the scorers too, probably because everyone knew it was a tough drop

[Spikey]

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by Spikey

Don't you follow Duminys doctor?

[vic_orthdox]

JP - achilles. Six months.