3rd Test - Australia v South Africa (Mon 2 - Fri 6)

[Sunny]

3rd Test - Australia v South Africa @ SCG (Mon 2 - Fri 6)

Assuming Langer comes back, I'd say Bracken is still going to hold drinks with Jaques going back to NSW. So I'm reckon its the same squad with the only change being Langer for Jaques.

Squad
Justin Langer/Phil Jaques
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Brad Hodge
Mike Hussey
Andrew Symonds
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Brett Lee
Stuart MacGill
Glenn McGrath
Nathan Bracken

 

[DIG]

Justin Langer
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Brad Hodge
Mike Hussey
Andrew Symonds
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Brett Lee
Stuart MacGill
Glenn McGrath

We'll all look back on this scorecard in 5-10 years and marvel at how so many great players could have fit into one XI. Well, provided Hodge, Hussey and Symonds go onto bigger and better things....

 

[Sunny]

Weather outlook in Sydney on Monday according to BOM: Cloudy periods. Chance of shower. SE winds. Minimum 20 Max 24 .. Looks cool on Monday..

 

[Bennycoff]

Australia to win quite comfortably
South Africa lose Ntini & bring in another spinner who is worse then Boje, and Boje went wicketless. Symonds to make a ton of there crap spin bowling. Australia to bat first and enjoy a massive bat fest, declare with voer 500 on the board and bowl Saffies out twice.

 

[Sunny]

It'll be interesting how this turns out... 2 spinners + Symonds dual mode as medium pace/off spin + Lee + McGrath. Flexibility in the attack there, especially with Symonds coming off his first "best" test match..

 

[starz]

South Africas lineup?
I'd have it:
Smith
De Villiers
Gibbs
Kallis
Rudolph
Kemp
Boucher
Pollock
Botha
Boje or Langeveldt
Nel

 

[Cleavy]

South Africas lineup?
I'd have it:
Smith
De Villiers
Gibbs
Kallis
Rudolph
Kemp
Boucher
Pollock
Botha
Boje or Langeveldt
Nel

I think I read that Kemp is unlikely to play. Still injured.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

South Africa's best chance is to win the toss and bat first. If they can make 350 plus, we have a game.

 

[starz]

South Africa's best chance is to win the toss and bat first. If they can make 350 plus, we have a game.

I agree the coin toss may decide the game.

 

[Ice goddess]

If South Africa win the toss, bat and make 400, the test will go the 5 days and be competitive. If the Aussies bat first and thump their attack the advantage on the scoreboard and psychological one will be too much for them to handle.

 

[Ice goddess]

And playing Botha will be a huge risk for them but at least if he spins the ball he's got one up on Boje. Even Smith looked as likely as Nico which is saying something.

 

[Sunny]

If the SCG didnt have a spinners paradise, Ntini's injury would've hurt the the Saffies big time in the pace department imo.

 

[Sunny]

Ntini has returned home, so presumably Nel and Pollock leads the attack with Kallis as first change.

 

[Cleavy]

And playing Botha will be a huge risk for them but at least if he spins the ball he's got one up on Boje. Even Smith looked as likely as Nico which is saying something.

South Africa still have the "deadly" leg-spin of Rudolph as a bowling option too.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

I'm pretty confident of two things:-

1) Australia will win the test.

2) eddiesmith will be making an idiot of himself.

 

[eddiesmith]

I'm pretty confident of two things:-

1) Australia will win the test.

2) eddiesmith will be making an idiot of himself.

Im pretty confident you will get atleast 1 of those predictions wrong

 

[YOTC]

Im pretty confident you will get atleast 1 of those predictions wrong

Its either 2 correct, or 1 correct.

Either way you will make a fool of yourself.

 

[eddiesmith]

Its either 2 correct, or 1 correct.

Either way you will make a fool of yourself.

I guarantee I wont

 

[YOTC]

I guarantee I wont

Haha i'm willing to bet against that.

Bet void if less than 50 posts.

 

[eddiesmith]

Haha i'm willing to bet against that.

Bet void if less than 50 posts.

 

[eddiesmith]

Just wondering, what will Australia do if Langer hurts his hamstring during practice tomorrow morning?

 

[embleygirl]

Just wondering, what will Australia do if Langer hurts his hamstring during practice tomorrow morning?

My guess is that Jaques will open.

 

[eddiesmith]

My guess is that Jaques will open.

But he is in Wangarratta for the ING cup game

 

[YOTC]

But he is in Wangarratta for the ING cup game

Hussey will open whilst they rush Jaques away. Der.

Or Ponting will bowl, probably the latter

 

[eddiesmith]

Hussey will open whilst they rush Jaques away. Der.

Or Ponting will bowl, probably the latter

Thats the thing, its very disruptable to everyone, including poor old NSW Surely it would be easier to keep Jaques in Sydney just in case