Second Test - Australia Vs South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban (Fri-Tue) [3]

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

You mean retain the Ashes.

 

[Biggie]

PRetty happy with that.

Well done Aussies and congrats to Hughes for his MOTM. Plenty more to come in the future.

 

[Schache It Off]

You mean retain the Ashes.

Same shit different bucket.

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Still have another test to go.

Lets go for 3 - 0

 

[Hollow Knight]

If we win the third test, India moves into second spot in the test rankings.

What a downer.

 

[Copernicus]

My one contribution to this massive thread is to say "Awesome!".

Still can't believe we're belting them on their own turf after losing at home, but I'll take it. Nice to see some young talent really stepping up.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Don't go liking McDonald too much. Sure he won't play the next Test.

That's what I said last Test. Last night I was watching McDonald bowling to Morkel, and had to keep telling myself it was a Test match, not a grade game.

 

[Jascave]

The Englishmen, while playing in the series against the West Indies, would've been hoping that South Africa would continue on from where they left off in Australia by beating Australia in the South African leg of the series. Alas, Australia has thrashed South Africa to take a 2-0 lead in the series, and now England must have to face the prospect of having to deal with a Australian side playing with more confidence and purpose now than they did in the Australian summer just gone.

 

[PrideOf]

If we win the third test, India moves into second spot in the test rankings.

What a downer.

Easily fixed.

3rd test - outs: Hughes, Johnson, Katich, Ponting, Siddle
Ins: Richard Chee Quee, Scott Muller, Graham Yallop, LIONS then DAYLIGHT, Weevil

Can't have the BCCI in 2nd spot now, can we?

 

[senrulzisback]

North and Hussey would still score double tons.

 

[weevil]

North and Hussey would still score double tons.

And I would take 10 wickets.

 

[lionbear]

Great win Aussies, amazing what a little bit of youth will do. The 11 from the first two tests hopefully just recieved there flight tickets to England.

Hope McGain gets a game in the dead rubber to get a test under his belt before heading to Europe.

 

[aussie1st]

Nicely done by Katich and North to clean up the tail. Congrats to Hughes MOTM in only his 2nd test what a star

 

[Jimthegreat]

That's what I said last Test. Last night I was watching McDonald bowling to Morkel, and had to keep telling myself it was a Test match, not a grade game.

Flat track sorted him out in the 2nd innings. Puts too much stress on the frontliners with him as 4th bowler. Even more so when the spinner cleaned up. Ok if his batting was up to scratch he could bat 6 and play as 5th bowler. Not as 4th bowler on a regular basis barring a pitch that suits.

 

[damochandler]

another moment in sports that makes me proud to be australian. they have stuck it up us critics who have bagged them. lets hope they keep the side together for a long period of time and this horses for courses crap. is scrapped

 

[Belnakor]

Tell you what, North gets some turn doesn't he.

 

[wotdoiput]

Wow seems like I have awoken from a horrible dream where Australian criccket was 'aaprently' on the decline, I am happy to say its all better now.

 

[HBF]

Flat track sorted him out in the 2nd innings. Puts too much stress on the frontliners with him as 4th bowler. Even more so when the spinner cleaned up. Ok if his batting was up to scratch he could bat 6 and play as 5th bowler. Not as 4th bowler on a regular basis barring a pitch that suits.

We really do have to find someone to fill that no. 8 position. Whilst McDonald did a reasonable job in the 1st innings, he offered little in the second. If we want to find a spinner, it's going to be a tough job looking through the domestic scene, as nobody really leaps out at you.

Another option would be to elevate Johnson to 8, and use 4 quicks - perhaps when Brett Lee resturns, and utilise a combination of North, Clarke and Katich as the spinners.

 

[Belnakor]

Our over rates would goto shit with 4 quicks though. And having 4 fresh quicks playing means we can basically never enforce the follow on and will generally struggle with consistancy

 

[PalaceGun]

Quicker scoring rates these days means we never enforce the follow on anyway. There's is always plenty of time to have a rest.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Our over rates would goto shit with 4 quicks though. And having 4 fresh quicks playing means we can basically never enforce the follow on and will generally struggle with consistancy

McDonald pretty much bowls off a full run-up anyway.

 

[Big_V]

Great win for the boys. If Johnson continues to play this way, soon he will be regarded as the best player in the world.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Great win for the boys. If Johnson continues to play this way, soon he will be regarded as the best player in the world.

Actually you could say that Johnson is the best bowler in the world right now.

 

[Jono B]

We really need to see how McGain goes at international level, whether Hussey can make it out of his form slump and whether McDonald can bat at test level.

Therefore, for the third test I would like to see Clarke or another proven player rested allowing McGain to debut. This would move McDonald up to number 7 (behind Haddin) and allow us to have a bowling attack of Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhous, McGain and McDonald.

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

McDonald pretty much bowls off a full run-up anyway.

ABC commentators made a good point that with due respect to Lee he does cause a lot of our over rate problems with his long run up and pause at his mark between each ball.

His overs often take 6 minutes to complete.