South Africa in Australia 2008-09

[pup11]

I didn't call them the only chokers, however. In fact, SA will give us a run for our money this season.

Yeah that could be true, but seeing the way they are struggling in UK atm, i am starting to doubt that a bit now, this is the worst i have seen them play for a while now, but by the time this series starts that all could change, South Africa may come in as a much more hungry and determined side, after the debacle in England.

 

[Speersy]

Yeah that could be true, but seeing the way they are struggling in UK atm, i am starting to doubt that a bit now, this is the worst i have seen them play for a while now, but by the time this series starts that all could change, South Africa may come in as a much more hungry and determined side, after the debacle in England.

They won the test series man, that is the main point. Losing 4 ODI's in a row to England can happen to anyone, especially with Kallis out of form (past his best) and there best player, Smith out for two of those games.

 

[Perm]

Yeah that could be true, but seeing the way they are struggling in UK atm, i am starting to doubt that a bit now, this is the worst i have seen them play for a while now, but by the time this series starts that all could change, South Africa may come in as a much more hungry and determined side, after the debacle in England.

You can hardly call it a 'debacle', they won the Test series with a half-fit captain and their champion batsmen being out of form.

 

[Uppercut]

They won the test series man, that is the main point. Losing 4 ODI's in a row to England can happen to anyone, especially with Kallis out of form (past his best) and there best player, Smith out for two of those games.

I think it's more to do with them having a much better test team than ODI side at the moment now Pollock's gone. Bowler's like Steyn, M Morkel, Ntini are useful in tests because they bowl so quickly and awkwardly that even when they bowl inaccurately they'll still get people out. In ODIs spraying the new ball during powerplays isn't something you get away with. Their batting lineup isn't that similar, McKenzie, Amla and Prince aren't in the team. So tbh i don't think what's happening in the ODIs is relevant.

 

[pup11]

You can hardly call it a 'debacle', they won the Test series with a half-fit captain and their champion batsmen being out of form.

Yeah maybe debacle wasn't the right word, but they still have been way below expectations, they were gritty but also a bit lucky (had Vaughan not made them follow on, England could have been in a better position to win the test) to save the Lord's test, Edgbaston test could also have been a lot more closer had Pietersen not had a brain explosion while he was in the 90's, and of course they were beaten fair and square in the last test.
The way they have been routed by England in the Odi's was even more shocking, as i have always considered South Africa to be one of the most ruthless Odi units, injuries to Smith, Steyn, and Boucher and Kallis' lack of form hasn't helped them either, but the more worrying sign for the South Africans should be how the newcomers have looked completely out of place while playing at international cricket, likes of Duminy, Philander, Morkel (both of 'em), they have been very highly talked off for a while now, but performance wise they weren't really upto the mark.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah that could be true, but seeing the way they are struggling in UK atm, i am starting to doubt that a bit now, this is the worst i have seen them play for a while now, but by the time this series starts that all could change, South Africa may come in as a much more hungry and determined side, after the debacle in England.

LOL, I thought SA thrashed England in the test matches? And one-dayers don't matter yet, just wait until the one-dayers begin.

 

[pup11]

LOL, I thought SA thrashed England in the test matches? And one-dayers don't matter yet, just wait until the one-dayers begin.

I won't exactly call it a trashing, yeah England got trashed in the 2nd test, but at Lord's South Africa more or less came second best were playing most of the game just to survive, Edgabaston test was also a evenly fought one, and there was a time in the South African second innings where they were five down and were in a spot of bother, and hadn't it been for Smith' superb knock they would have lost that game, and in the fourth test which was dead rubber, South africa were pretty badly beaten, so i would hardly say that England were trashed in the test series.