The Cricket Thread

[jacksplatt11]

I checked the score today at around 2pm today and STL and I were pretty surprised that we were 2/15 or so, I wasn't that surprised to then find out that it was Hayden and Ponting out though. I then checked the score a bit later and we were 3/45 or something, arr... We seem to be consolidating now with Katich and Clarke batting pretty solidly.

I think time is up for Hayden, and I wouldn't be surprised if he announces his retirement during or after this series. He has been a great player, but you can't go on forever

[jacksplatt11]

Arrr Double post...

Clarke, Symonds and Haddin. Talk about throwing your wicket away, doing all the hard work then just playing a loose shot. All 3 could've gone on to make a 100, oh well, can't go back in time...

[STL]

Didn't catch much of the cricket today. Got to the missus place and wanted to watch some but then we went for a run and by the time we got back it was basically tea. Then it was dinner and then I snuck in a bit while dishes were being washed. From what I've saw and read up since, it seems like a day of missed opportunities.

Katich LBW on a full toss on 83? That's just lazy. But he has consistently held his own. It seems like a day where we could've gotten more out of despite being in dire straights. I was disappointed I didn't see Steyn bowl very much and all I saw him doing was getting belted by Krejza and Johnson. Very very glad to see Krejza playing, we need to develop a spinner. The Ashes aren't far away now.

I hope the Aussies go down one zip. Partly b/c a part of me hates Ponting and this all new defensive atttitude. Once upon a time, Australians would talk themselves down but more recently they keep talking themselves up. "Even if SA beat us, we're still the number one team" blah blah. Under Taylor, Waugh and Gilly, we focused on one game at a time. Now we're awfully defensive. This will make the Melbourne Test a very interesting affair and the series a livewire.

[i_amtrunks]

Katich has been our highest scoring and most consistant batter since he arrived in the Windies in January. Not bad for a guy that was only replacing Hayden for injury.

Clarke was scared witless yesterday, almost ran Katich out then was streaky at best, but at least he scored. Hussey got the ball of the innings to remove him, so his run of bad decisions and great balls continues. Hayden needs to fire a good score in the 2nd innings or he should not be picked for Melbourne and Sydney, his poor form has lasted too long now. (although he looked good while he was out there yesterday).

Good for Symonds and Haddin to get runs, but both should have score more. The pitch looks like it offers something for all, looking forward to seeing Krezja bowling, he and Siddle will be bowling into the wind all day, and I think then we will realise how great it would have been to have Clarke bowling his line and length balls to tie up an end. Hope Lee does not get carried away with trying to payback the SA's with bouncers.

Looking forward to Smith going cheaply, he lost all his composure yesterday handing Kallis the ball got the Aussies of the hook twice, and his field placements allowed too many runs. Hope his poor form continues with the bat, as I really want to see Amla batting.

Unless South Africa go cheaply, this is going to be an equal matched draw methinks.

[i_amtrunks]

Johnsons 7/2 in 21 balls puts the Aussies on top.

Hoooolleeeeeeee crap!

South Africa were cruising at 3/234, both deVilliers and Kallis looked in good touch, punishing the bad balls, and working the singles. Krezja in particular was taking a hammering after bowling an absolute pearler to remove Amla, who was also looking in fine form.

Enter Johnson on his new home ground... 5 overs later and South Africa were reeling at 8/241. What a spell of bowling it was. Lee was also bowlign well, with no reward, Johnson's mixing up of his pace, and length had them all looking like fools, with South Africa now right on the back foot.

And sadly Clarke's poor widdle thumb is fine, the big sook had to go get scans, when they showed there was absolutely nothing wrong with them. Guess he just wanted the attention that prince got for a similar injury...
I was hoping it would have been shattered and ended his career when they said he had been rushed to hospital.

[i_amtrunks]

So after being humiliated in Perth, do the selectors add another batsman to give Hayden, Ponting, Clarke or Symonds something to think about?

Do they drop Lee to show him his poor form cannot save him? Do they drop Siddle to show he needs more time in Domestic cricket?

No, they drop Krezja and bring back Hauritz. I'm glad they seem to have forgotten about Watson for now, but how can their spinners get into form when they are in and out of the side every other week? Will we miss Krezja's lower order batting?

Hopefully Lee will be 12th man and Hilfenhaus can get a run. I doubt it though, Siddle will most likely be the man to miss out.

Hayden better score some runs, but in saying that all our top order needs runs.

[Robzy]

Can they drop Ponting?

[jacksplatt11]

Can they drop Ponting?

Haha hopefully, it must be killing that arrogant little Tasmanian that AUS are playing probably the worst they ever have in the last decade or so while he is captain, and that he is performing terribly.

I find it laughable that he blamed Krejza and Siddle for the reason we lost (not taking wickets) and praised Lee for bowling tight ( Lee is meant to be a wicket taker, not a tight bowler) and didn't not mention our batting at all which is where we really failed. I think a few batsmen (Clarke, Symonds and Haddin (First innings)) should look at how they went out, throwing their wicket away. Hayden I feel is past it and should probably retire or be dropped, and while I don't expect Ponting to retire (although I want him to ) he definitely needs to find some form.

Agree with you Trunks, dropping Krejza is pretty stupid, how are we ever going to get a long term spinner, when we keep chopping and changing every few tests. Also, how must Krejza feel that Ponting gave Clarke a bowl first on sunday morning before Krejza (should be first choice spinner, obviously) and didn't give him an over till the last one before lunch. Strange

[STL]

Ponting is a retard. At least as a captain.

His body language is poor when they're up against the wall. Taylor, Warne, Gilchrist and Waugh were always positive, backbone. Ponting is a sulking little girl who makes me sick of the Australian cricket team.

To top it off, they lose the test and they point their fingers at the bowlers? What a joke. Most of the Australian batsman threw their wickets away. The tail made more runs than most of the accomplished batsman in the second innings. The batsman have been struggling lately to make runs and they were struggling against NZ, let alone South Africa.

I like South Africa. Their demeanour and attitude is what Australia used to be like. None of this complaining and whining. I hope they thrash the Aussies and we see Ponting lose the captaincy and get a real change. They're all talking about this transitional period but they aren't giving their bowlers a chance. They have 2 new young players they're blooding but those two cop all the flak when everything goes wrong. Remember, it takes time. Warne was spanked. McGrath struggled to make the team but the selectors persisted and look what happened. I'm not saying Siddle and Krejza are the equivalents but god damn well give them a chance. I remember A.B. DeVillers several years ago coming here and being intimidated and pretty unconvincing. Now, he's an exciting fielder, a smart batsman and a modest one to boot. It takes time. So if Hilfenhaus plays and performs poorly, what? Drop him too? Give the young players a chance and have a look at the batting first. It's been a joke since India. Katich has been stellar. I'm a doubter of him but he's proven his worth. The rest of the batsman need to get their act together and stop living off their cosy position with the selectors.

It was the batsmen who lost the Perth test. Not the bowlers. It was a batsman's paradise and the only reason it was lost was b/c of pathetic batting.

[STL]

I'm loving the cricket. Australia are getting smashed and rightfully so.

Ponting again shows why he is not a captain. Poor leadership on the field. Leadership isn't just about being a great batsman, its about being able to handle the pressure and giving ur team the confidence to perform at their best. His body language and fielding positions were pathetic and unsupportive.

On the other hand, SA have played w/ control, grace and modesty. I really like them. I remember Smith being quite arrogant but the years have seen him mature. Duminy and AB both sound like blokes u could sit down and have a long yarn with. Ntini has always been a great competitor too. I couldn't want any other team to beat us at home other than them. Of course, I quite hate India and England so I'm somewhat bias.

Back on the Australians, losing Lee exposed them a lot. Lee is supposed to be the leader of the attack but he clearly isn't. Hauritz is a mind boggling defensive choice which has been brought on by the loss of Stuart Clark. I have no idea how they could possibly have stuck with Hauritz. He was serviceable but hardly potent. Dropping Krejza was a poor and desperate move. We need to give the bowlers a chance and what they did with Krejza reminds me far too much of what happened to Damien Martyn back in '93 I think it was. We have only two strike bowlers, one of which is a work in progress (Siddle). There's a lot to like about Siddle but it's obvious he's still learning. The way he bowled at the tail had u questioning sometimes but I'm all for that. Ishant Sharma and Monty Panesar are the type of bowlers that developed at a young age, having never really proved their wares but have gone onto prove to be good cricketers. Australia needs to develop them and realise they're going to lose more often. If I was a selector, the majority of the team would be replaced. It might be fragile but we're only going to stagnate if we don't put in new players and give them a chance to find their feet over two or three series.

And the Aussie batsman, I don't think too much needs to be said. There's a lot of talent to pick from, give them a chance. I don't want to see us lose the Ashes.