South Africa v Australia; Third Test at Newlands, Cape Town

[Torz]

We go into the third test well placed at one game a piece, on what is expected to be a green tinged pitch.

Start: 19:30 AEDT | 19:00 ACDT | 16:30 AWST

(Predicted) Teams:
Australia / Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith, S Marsh, M Marsh, Paine, Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood
SA / Elgar, Markram, Amla, De Villiers, Du Plessis, De Kock, Morris, Philander, Maharaj, Rabada, Ngidi

 

[PhatBoy]

Like Morris coming in for de bruin. He needs an easy kill somewhere just to find his feet. Morris brings a bit with bat and ball.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Predicting this match to get completely out of hand

 

[archibald]

Going by Smiths comments (some of it with genuine validity) it seems that the animosity will continue.

Australia would be better suited to actually focussing on combatting Rabada and co on the field rather than play the alpha game through the media. A ton from one of the batsman would go far more towards winning than whining about inherent injustices of sports administration.

Also sick of the incessant 'line' cliches. Just score some runs

 

[Taylor]

Poor Cummins will be bowling short all game

 

[Gough]

I think Smith should have kept his mouth shut, he's justifiably annoyed but I feel that he might he been better advised to keep his venting in house.

 

[PhatBoy]

I’m actually impressed to see him answer with such honesty.

But lines like ‘it sets a dangerous precedent that physical contact is allowed in our game now’ or whatever he said don’t look great considering the precedent was set by Stokes and Johnson which id imagine was one of SA’s arguments.

 

[StillAtLarge]

That hearing and subsequent appeal will have taken its toll on Rabada. I think we'll bounce back

 

[The_Reaper]

I think Smith should have kept his mouth shut, he's justifiably annoyed but I feel that he might he been better advised to keep his venting in house.

I disagree. If you want to express your dissatisfaction at a manufactured outcome you have to express it where people will hear it.

 

[PhatBoy]

I understand why people are pissed off with the outcome of the appeal, I disagree, but I really do understand.
But why, oh f***ing why, does it have to be a conspiracy or a manufactured outcome? The whole incident has divided opinion since it happened. Is there a chance, just a chance, that the decision was arrived at because the judge felt that it should come down that way?

 

[firefighter]

Even Fluff sees Rabada getting off lightly as a joke.

'I wish I had the same judge in Australia' - du Plessis.

 

[tigernsw]

The South Africans are just a cheating sporting nation. The media over there are just as bad - complete grubs.

They probably regard Hansie as a hero - convicted cheat and a disgrace to world sport.

Bring it on, no excuses.

 

[Gough]

I disagree. If you want to express your dissatisfaction at a manufactured outcome you have to express it where people will hear it.

I'm sure there are channel's through which Australia can express their unhappiness with the decision and I'm not sure that Smith speaking in the manner that he did isn't doing much more than fanning flames. In the battle for the moral high ground that's being run concurrently with this series, a little diplomacy here may have advanced our cause as well.

 

[PhatBoy]

The South Africans are just a cheating sporting nation. The media over there are just as bad - complete grubs.

They probably regard Hansie as a hero - convicted cheat and a disgrace to world sport.

Bring it on, no excuses.

Wow.

Coming from a nation where we are about to ban a fan for life for a racial insult but will let a man who wasn’t far away from murdering a family in a domestic incident gets handed a first grade rugby league contract.

 

[Taylor]

Wow.

Coming from a nation where we are about to ban a fan for life for a racial insult but will let a man who wasn’t far away from murdering a family in a domestic incident gets handed a first grade rugby league contract.

You can't compare isolated incidents.

One act doesn't excuse another.

 

[PhatBoy]

You can't compare isolated incidents.

One act doesn't excuse another.

I’m not saying it does. But making a blanket statement condemning an entire sporting nation as cheats and essentially mocking their standing as a collective is pretty f***ing stupid when most major sporting nations have a litany of their own issues to try and forget about.

 

[SherbertLemon]

I’m not saying it does. But making a blanket statement condemning an entire sporting nation as cheats and essentially mocking their standing as a collective is pretty f***ing stupid when most major sporting nations have a litany of their own issues to try and forget about.

DUDE. RELAX. LOL

 

[StillAtLarge]

As much as it was a farcical outcome Rabada being cleared is good for the series. Can't wait for this test to start! Expecting this one to buck the trend and go the distance

 

[catpremier 07]

Dis gonna be good.
Absolute free for all after the rabada decision. Cant wait

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

It's time for Smith to let the bat do the talking.

 

[FKASC]

I will watch this

 

[Kapow!!!]

Wow.

Coming from a nation where we are about to ban a fan for life for a racial insult but will let a man who wasn’t far away from murdering a family in a domestic incident gets handed a first grade rugby league contract.

Yeah that was complete and utter bullshit. Any other club in the country and the Courier Mail wouldn't stop bleating about it and rightfully so. Our sporting media as a whole really is pathetic isn't it? It does set a broader public tone for the confirmational biases we have in behaviours we'll accept yet decry if it happens to the opposition.

 

[Kapow!!!]

But yes, to use the requisite dramatic hyperbole, this test does have all the Hallmarks of Brisbane vs Essendon 2002: The "No Rules" game.

 

[Tigerssaints]

i understand "the Judge " was a New Zealander and Nothing to do with SA
i vaguely remembering him do previous cricket stuff

 

[Woody15]

Would love to see us bat first. Interested to see how Bancroft goes after looking fairly good recently. And definitely looking forward to watching Rabada bowl especially to Smith.

Footy and cricket on tonight? Missus is going to be stoked !