So it looks like

Ray

the Australians like the bowlers of the no 1 test side in the world.

Bob-Dubery

X-rated Bob's two rules of evaluating a cricket test match:
1) The second innings puts the first into context
2) The match does not start to take shape until at least the third day.

These apply to matches where there is some sort of parity between the teams involved. It doesn't apply to, say, Oz V Bangladesh.

That said, 5 an over for a whole day does not speak well of the SA bowling.

Bob-Dubery

A ton for Smith. That might even shut Ponting up - for a while.

flatfourfan

1) The second innings puts the first into context

amen.........when I saw the initial score, the first thing that I thought was that it's gotta be one hell of a batting wicket. May get worse over the next few days, but only after today will you get a better idea of the outcome.

Ray

I've been working so hard and I dont know what's happening with the cricket but last I heard early this morning was SA semed to be doing OK?

Bob-Dubery

217/2 at stumps. Smith 111 not out. But they scored significantly slower than Oz. Which may be OK, there's still 3 days to go. Pitch looks flat, but it may be one of those that is lively early on each day. Kallis is injured and will not bat higher than 7. I doubt he'll bowl again in this series.

Bob-Dubery

Shoo! Faf du Plessis is playing a great defensive knock. The new boy in the team showing everybody else how it's done with a 50 and a ton on debut, both times under considerable pressure.

Bob-Dubery

X-rated Bob wrote Shoo! Faf du Plessis is playing a great defensive knock. The new boy in the team showing everybody else how it's done with a 50 and a ton on debut, both times under considerable pressure.

And there's the draw! One of the best drawn games, I think, since Atherton's match at the Wanderers.

Wizard

X-rated Bob wrote
X-rated Bob wrote Shoo! Faf du Plessis is playing a great defensive knock. The new boy in the team showing everybody else how it's done with a 50 and a ton on debut, both times under considerable pressure.
And there's the draw! One of the best drawn games, I think, since Atherton's match at the Wanderers.

chris77

Ja, well done to our batsmen, Faf in particular, for pulling this one out of the fire 8)
How do you guys reckon the team will look like for the final test? Philander should be back, so that makes it interesting. Do we keep Kleinveldt in for Kallis to play four seemers or do we play Elgar? Pietersen in for Tahir seems a given. Also, do we stick with AB as keeper or do we promote him to 4 and play Thami? Some interesting choices...
My team would be:
Pietersen
Smith
Amla
Rudolph
De Villiers
Du Plessis
Pietersen
Philander
Steyn
Kleinveldt
Morkel

Bob-Dubery

The big question marks are against Rudolph, Tahir and de Villiers, or so I'd think. AB will get another chance, even though he's nowhere near his best at the moment. A lot depends on if Kallis is fit to bowl or not. That effects the balance of the side quite a lot. Rudolph, I think, will get another shot as well. Elgar will be off the plane, no match practice... Unless Kallis can't play at all I don't see Elgar getting a game.

I'd think
Petersen
Smith
Amla
Kallis
de Villiers
du Plessis
Rudolph
Philander
Steyn
Kleinveldt
Morkel

With Faf, Petersen, Smith and maybe Rudolph having to do a bit of bowling.

If Kallis can't play at all then Elgar comes in.

Tsolekile is a better 'keeper than AB, but I don't think SA will take a chance on his batting with everything hanging on the last match.

Bob-Dubery

Australia have a lot of changes to their bowling attack for the deciding test. Pattinson broke down at Adelaide, and that left Siddle and Hilfenhaus to do a lot of work in SA's 2nd innings. Now Siddle and Hilfenhaus are too fatigued to play, so that's at least three changes. Four if they leave out Lyons on what is usually a fast bowler's strip.

Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson (a Perth specialist) will both come in. There'll probably be at least one new cap amongst the bowlers. Batting wise it's simpler - Watson in and Quiney out (it's not known yet if Watson is fit to bowl).

For SA Philander is fit again. The big question mark is whether or not Kallis can play. He certainly won't bowl, but having him play just as a batsman seems to be better than any of the alternatives.

chris77

It's going to be a cracker allright. If Kallis is fit to play as a batsmen only, we should then make space for four seemers - Steyn, Morkel, Philander and Kleinveldt. But I still like the balance a spinner offers, so maybe Peterson in for Rudolph as well?

Bob-Dubery

chris77 wrote It's going to be a cracker allright. If Kallis is fit to play as a batsmen only, we should then make space for four seemers - Steyn, Morkel, Philander and Kleinveldt. But I still like the balance a spinner offers, so maybe Peterson in for Rudolph as well?

You want pace at Perth. You could rely on the part-time spin of Smith, Rudolph and Faf. Peterson in for Rudolph probably wouldn't weaken the batting much on current form, and would give us 5 bowlers. That's the more attacking selection as it gives us more ways to take the 20 wickets we must take.

Bob-Dubery

Ha! A fat lot I know. Peterson is turning out to be an at least useful component of the attack.

Nice to see the Proteas form a guard of honour for Ricky Ponting as he went out for his last innings. I was sort of hoping for a big SA win with Ponting 150 not out, but it was not to be. The ovation that he got as he walked off was amazing. And justifiable, he was been a superb batsman for Australia, and as Smith acknowledged, one of the very best of his time.

briang-telkomsa-net

Seems you enjoy your cricket Bob - test cricket is the ultimate I think

Great fighting spirit shown by the Proteas throughout the series - looks like they will finally come out on top.
Did not see the "guard of honour" thing - nice touch.

Petersen has "paid his dues" and can only be successful at this level plus providing additional batting - with his international carreer ups and downs he could've been a "bluesman"?

Bob-Dubery

briang wrote Seems you enjoy your cricket Bob - test cricket is the ultimate I think

It's a great game, and despite the publicity and money behind the 20-over game it's been very healthy the last few years. This match, indeed this series, is a good example of what test cricket can offer with swings of fortune and one side being out of it but still holding on heroically and defiantly for the draw.

The big surprise for, I think, many people has been Faf du Plessis who had mostly looked at as a good guy to have in for the slog when there were a handful of overs to go in a one-day game. As it is he has taken his chances in the test side very well and is going to get a longer run now. He also adds a lot to the SA fielding - though I must say that I think Australia have been the better team in that department, and especially when it comes to catches.

AB came back to his very best form after a lean patch and against a background of murmurs about how 'keeping was effecting his batting, and the attack (reportedly after a kick up the jacksie from Gary Kirsten) have started to fire on all cylinders.

In general, as regards the cricketing world, 20-over cricket is either going to implode (which I think likely because the IPL seems to be a financial black hole for the franchisees) or kill the 50-over game, but the test game (the REAL game) is defying the predictions and is in very good health indeed.

briang-telkomsa-net

.....and one side being out of it but still holding on heroically and defiantly for the draw.

That's what makes test cricket I agree. The guts and glory of giving it your all for a full day (Faf & Peter Siddle). Where is the "rule" that says there has to be a result?

I guess my comment on Robin Peterson also applies to Faf - just over a shorter time period