2nd ODI: Australia v South Africa @ Hobart (Sun)

[Russian]

vs

Bellerive Oval, Hobart
10am Sunday January 18​

International cricket comes to Tasmania for the first and only time this year, thanks to the Champions League reshuffle taking away their 3 day game. It's the first time Australia will host South Africa in Hobart, the Proteas previously having played New Zealand 3 times and Sri Lanka once, winning 2 of the Kiwi games. Australia are 9-3-1 at Bellerive, including wins in the last six games. I'm sure the crowd will be happy with any sort of Australian win, but if it's half the game the last two games starting on the 18th (the Langer-Gilchrist Test v Pakistan and when Bruce Reid was run out off the last ball to lose to the Kiwis by 1 run in 1990) have been they'll go home very happy.

South Africa lead the series 1-0 after their victory in Melbourne, and Australia have some thinking to do:

• Mike Hussey opening didn't come off at the first attempt, but Shaun Marsh did find some form.
• David Hussey was good with the bat while Cameron White again struggled to come in and play the lower order big hitting role he's picked for
• James Hopes struggled with the ball, as did Hussey and Clarke who combined to make up the fifth bowler.
• Shaun Tait and particularly Nathan Bracken were useful and better than that in patches, but their fielding was awful
• That contributed to some average looking Ben Hilfenhaus figures but he did bowl a bit of rubbish in the batting powerplay, having just bowled a wicket maiden the over before.

So what can they do? Well they only have bowlers to bring in - Ryan Harris and Nathan Hauritz. Is Harris going to be any better than Tait, Bracken and Hilfenhaus? Probably not. Are they going to go in with 2 quicks plus Hopes and Hauritz? Almost definitely not, and with the top 4 and Haddin in no danger that leaves David Hussey, Cameron White and James Hopes as contenders to make way for the extra bowler. If they drop Hopes that still leaves Hussey and Clarke to bowl 10 overs, which achieves little more than identifying a scapegoat, while Hussey's half century perhaps gives him the advantage over his Victorian skipper. Leaves White, Harris and Hauritz for one spot - they're all fairly good fielders so what's more important - White's batting, Harris' seam bowling or Hauritz' spin bowling? I'm not answering that one. Up the top Hopes and Clarke remain options to open, returning Mike Hussey to the middle order where he and his brother can do what they do best.

South Africa got the points but aren't without their problems. Herschelle Gibbs got in and got out as usual, McKenzie made some runs with some good shots (though most were to wide long on off the spinners and Ponting just refused to put a fielder there) and some that make playing a reverse sweep to Shaun Tait look like a good idea, van Jaarsveld had a shocker but he was on debut, Albie Morkel struggled with the new ball. They'll probably bring back Ntini after two games off, he'll take the new ball but if Steyn takes a break to make room they still have a hole there. Can they fit an extra bowler in for van Jaarsveld? Ntini and Tsotsobe at 10 and 11 isn't great but Boucher-Albie-Botha-Morne-Ntini-Tsotsobe isn't too bad, and that's a worst case scenario with Steyn and Parnell much better batsmen. If de Villiers is fit has McKenzie's performance pushed him ahead of van Jaarsveld? Does he still go if de Villiers is fit and they play the extra bowler? Is Boucher ready for a rest and is AB fit enough to not only bat but keep? We might find out just before 10 on Sunday.

Australia XIII:
Shaun Marsh
[strike]Michael Clarke[/strike] David Warner (ODI debut)
*Ricky Ponting
Michael Hussey
David Hussey
Cameron White
+Brad Haddin
James Hopes
Nathan Hauritz
Ryan Harris (international debut)
Nathan Bracken
Shaun Tait
Ben Hilfenhaus
In:
David Warner
Nathan Hauritz
Ryan Harris
Out:
Michael Clarke (thumb)

South Africa XV:
Herschelle Gibbs
Hashim Amla
Jacques Kallis
AB de Villiers
JP Duminy
Neil McKenzie
+Mark Boucher
Vaughn van Jaarsveld
Albie Morkel
*Johan Botha
Morne Morkel
Wayne Parnell (ODI debut)
Dale Steyn
Makhaya Ntini
Lonwabo Tsotsobe (ODI debut)
In:
AB de Villiers
Wayne Parnell
Makhaya Ntini
Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Umpires:
Ian Gould (England)
Rod Tucker (ODI debut, New South Wales)
Paul Reiffel (3rd, Victoria)

Recent History:
April 25, 2007 @ St Lucia
Australia won by 7 wickets
March 24, 2007 @ St Kitts
Australia won by 83 runs
2005-06 in South Africa
South Africa won 3-2
2005-06 in Australia
Australia 14 points, South Africa 4 (4 games)
2001-02 in South Africa
Australia won 5-1 with 1 tie
2001-02 in Australia
Australia 13 points, South Africa 4 (4 games)

Weather:
Fine, 23 degrees.

Session Times
First innings: 10:00-1:30pm
Second innings: 2:15-5:45pm

Coverage:

Live from 10am AEDT

- from 10am AEDT (online Real Windows)
Cricinfo's scorecard and commentary
Cricket Australia's scorecard and commentary or analysis

Tickets:
Seats SOLD OUT
General admission:
Adults - $32
Concession - $21
Children - $15
Family - $72
(Gates open 8am)

 

[moogrot]

my young bloke wants to watch the aussies in the nets today any one know if there is a site to get on to see training times? Sorry if i have posted in the wrong thread.

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Psst Russian.

David Warner is making his international debut all because he is replacing Michael Clarke who has re-injured his thumb.

I am tipping the Aussies to bounce back and win in Hobart.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Cricinfo says

AB in for Van Jaarsveld.
Ntini in for Steyn.

Hauritz in for Hopes.
Warner in for Clarke (obvious one)

 

[damochandler]

warner has to come in to give them a bit a drive in the early overs. bellerive isnt what you call a big ground and he could make a big score in quick time and thats what they need. bring d. hussey up to 4 and put mick hussey to 5, were has been for years in the odi's.

i am tipping south africa

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

I think Mike Hussey has to go back down the order. We have a range of hitters down there in Dave Hussey, White, Haddin but Hussey can break that up and provide the ability to work the singles and collect the 2's in much the way Dumminy did.

I think we have more class then the SA's and we will come out on top. Punter Ponting to get a ton, Warner to get 60 off 35.

 

[TassieSaint]

Hauritz in for Hopes.

Disgrace. Hopes is a gun ODI player, it's not his fault he had to bowl 10 overs. I would have moved him up the order and brought in Harris for White.

On another note, do any locals know how many tickets are left? I plan on rocking up tomorrow with some mates and buying at the gate.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Disgrace. Hopes is a gun ODI player, it's not his fault he had to bowl 10 overs. I would have moved him up the order and brought in Harris for White.

On another note, do any locals know how many tickets are left? I plan on rocking up tomorrow with some mates and buying at the gate.

 

[Chris25]

I'd bring Harris in for Hopes. I would have dropped White, if Clarke was still playing. But we need the extra spin option, no matter how average that option may be.

Harris is a much better bowler than Hopes, and is another wicket taking option. Whilst Hopes is a better batsman, realistically you don't want to have to rely on your number 8 to score runs. It's up to the top order to stick around for the 50 overs. If they do get out though, Harris can still hit the big shots.

But chances are it will be Hauritz in for Hopes or White.

 

[TassieSaint]

I meant that Hopes is a very good one day player and should be in our first XI, but not as a fourth bowler. I assume he would be getting dropped due to a poor bowling performance, but he shouldn't have been bowling 10 overs in the first place imo.

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Disgrace. Hopes is a gun ODI player, it's not his fault he had to bowl 10 overs. I would have moved him up the order and brought in Harris for White.

On another note, do any locals know how many tickets are left? I plan on rocking up tomorrow with some mates and buying at the gate.

Im not sure if his a "gun" one day player, but his useful.

His batting is good enough to serve as a makeshift opener, but IMO his a bit like Watson in that his probably better served when he has time to construct an innings.

His bowling is steady and he can keep it relatively tight but if he would be one of the last picked in the side and thus probably the first to go.

 

[DIG]

Hopes has to play. Our best all-rounder available. Over all our bowlers' ODI careers Hopes has the best economy rate of any of them. Cricinfo have no clue.

Our 5th/6th bowlers last night went for 6.5 per over between them, and now Clarke's out so it'd be even weaker Dussey/Mussey/White.

I'd like to see Hopes open with Marsh and Hussey back down to 4. Strengthen the bowling by adding Harris for Clarke:

Marsh
Hopes
Ponting
Mussey
Dussey
White
Haddin
Harris
Bracken
Hilf
Tait

Having said that, if ever Warner should play Bellerive's the place, he could well send stacks over the fence.

 

[DIG]

Is Tait a sure thing to back up again for another 10 overs?

He was rubbing his dodgy hammy a couple of times last night.

 

[damochandler]

my line up would be

marsh
warner
ponting
d hussey
m hussey. mick hussey has always come in at 5 and has done a good job in that spot
haddin
white
hauritz
bracken
hilf
tait

they need warner to open to try and get us off to a flyer. husse can steady the ship at 5 and can be the hitter in the last overs if he is in at that stage

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Is Tait a sure thing to back up again for another 10 overs?

He was rubbing his dodgy hammy a couple of times last night.

nothing has been said - it would of by now if its an issue

he could be trying to prevent it from going you know

 

[Biggie]

Australia to bounce back strong.

We will win this match.

 

[happy_eagle]

Both Husseys to come in at about 3/50, and have a partneship of over 200

 

[DIG]

m hussey. mick hussey has always come in at 5 and has done a good job in that spot

Symonds is actually our usual #5, Hussey comes in at 6 normally.

But i agree that Hussey down the order's better.

 

[Cousin Jed]

I'd bring Harris in for Hopes. I would have dropped White, if Clarke was still playing. But we need the extra spin option, no matter how average that option may be.

Harris is a much better bowler than Hopes, and is another wicket taking option.

And yet every statistic known would not back this argument up 1 bit.

 

[The Cotch]

Warner
Marsh
Ponting
D.Hussey
M.Hussey
Haddin
Hopes
Harris
Bracken
Hilfenhaus
Tait

 

[damochandler]

Symonds is actually our usual #5, Hussey comes in at 6 normally.

But i agree that Hussey down the order's better.

i always thought mick hussey come in at 5. anyway. the 3 most important things for the aussies are.

the openers have to get off to a good start. if they cant get a flyer. at least try and get through to 10 overs with out a loss

get plenty out of your own batting power play.

and

try and keep the runs down in south africas batting power play

those are the keys to the game for australia

 

[Biggie]

Quietly confident we can win this one.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Hopes has to play. Our best all-rounder available. Over all our bowlers' ODI careers Hopes has the best economy rate of any of them. Cricinfo have no clue.

Our 5th/6th bowlers last night went for 6.5 per over between them, and now Clarke's out so it'd be even weaker Dussey/Mussey/White.

I'd like to see Hopes open with Marsh and Hussey back down to 4. Strengthen the bowling by adding Harris for Clarke:

Marsh
Hopes
Ponting
Mussey
Dussey
White
Haddin
Harris
Bracken
Hilf
Tait

Having said that, if ever Warner should play Bellerive's the place, he could well send stacks over the fence.

Actually, they tend to be pretty accurate.

Warner will make his ODI debut.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Thankfully they dumped Hopes. Sorry I am a Queenslander but all I see with him is AVERAGE. I hate going into a ODI minus a spinner regardless of how poor the spinner may seem.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Thankfully they dumped Hopes. Sorry I am a Queenslander but all I see with him is AVERAGE. I hate going into a ODI minus a spinner regardless of how poor the spinner may seem.

In the past it has proven our downfall. I remember a period before the world cup where we didn't have Hogg for a while and we struggled.

Unless you have 4 premium paceman (Tait, Lee, Bracken, Johnson) and a strong all rounder (Watson) then more often than not you need a spinner to just mix it up.