***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Have the comms mentioned it at all? Would be weird rambling on about an old match vs England and a Shaun Pollock 6fer and not one of the biggest things in cricket history.

Yeah they mentioned it very early when someone noticed Ntini wasn't wearing one (I can only presume he changed shirts before going out and forgot).

 

[Steulen]

Kat edges to slip.

SA might claw their way back in if they can get two more wickets quickly. Hussey still not looking good, so there is a window of opportunity here.

 

[pasag]

Clarke with an eye on the clock?

 

[popepouri]

Harro!

 

[Steulen]

Clarke...how on earth did he miss that? Pitched on off and straightened, Clarke defending outside leg stump...amazing dismissal.

 

[social]

Oz need 500 to put series and ranking out of SA's reach

Big toss to win on a flat deck with tired bowlers - SA have had really bad luck in that regard

Hughes' innings MAY be the most important played by an Australian for many years as everything points towards him being an absolute champion BUT time will tell

 

[TT Boy]

Someone needs to put a fork in Ntini, his done.

 

[pasag]

Great day overall though the first half was a lot better than the second. Hopefully we can see off the new ball tomorrow and then these two and Haddin, McDonald and Johnson can make merry.

 

[The Sean]

Had we lost another wicket it would have almost turned the day into a disappointment - overall though I'll take 4/303 thank you very much. Plenty of batting still to come and there's no reason in the world we shouldn't be looking at 500+.

 

[social]

Someone needs to put a fork in Ntini, his done.

Yep, at the risk of a 5 - fer tomorrow, he's had it

I can see another case of "so near and yet so far" for SA

Unless they win this series, they may not get to no.1 for a long time

 

[TT Boy]

Well it could have been worse, Aus could have been 400 by the close but South Africa will have to play very well (and still hope for a **** up) to get back into this game now. 450 is no trouble for Aus.

 

[Ikki]

I can see another case of "so near and yet so far" for SA

LOL, in other words: choking again.

 

[Xuhaib]

How come Australia play so well in SA, I know they have been a champion team for over a decade and are bound to play better in SA then any other side which visits there but what I mean is they just literally slap SA around like a bitch there performance in the away leg is always better then in the home leg.

 

[Uppercut]

How come Australia play so well in SA, I know they have been a champion team for over a decade and are bound to play better in SA then any other side which visits there but what I mean is they just literally slap SA around like a bitch there performance in the away leg is always better then in the home leg.

Sometimes i think people don't know the meaning of the word "literally"

 

[Burgey]

Amazing contrast in spells from Steyn today. Somebody tell him a pre-lunch fire-up is OK.

And MJ CLarke, in a career that's already very metrosexual, that was surely the g-hayest shot he's played.

 

[Burgey]

He has been lucky over the years.

I wonder if anyone has ever had a worse day's bowling than Morkel?

Chris Matthews, Australia. Mid-80s v England (I think).

 

[Burgey]

Yep, at the risk of a 5 - fer tomorrow, he's had it

I can see another case of "so near and yet so far" for SA

Unless they win this series, they may not get to no.1 for a long time

Yeah, they said on the radio they don't play tests for a while after this, so by the time they kick off again, they could be well behind India and Aus, who apparently both have full schedules in that time.

 

[Manee]

Amazing contrast in spells from Steyn today. Somebody tell him a pre-lunch fire-up is OK.

Steyn bowls the odd toothless spell, but the amazing thing is that he almost always manages at least a semi-competant spell once an innings to pick up a shedload of wickets each time.

 

[howardj]

Phillip Joel Hughes - has arrived.

 

[Burgey]

Steyn bowls the odd toothless spell, but the amazing thing is that he almost always manages at least a semi-competant spell once an innings to pick up a shedload of wickets each time.

Oh, I'm not doubting his bona fides at all - it was just like he was two different bowlers between morning and afternoon. I'd like ot bottle what he had at lunch. Great turnaround (misd you they needed it).