Warne and MacGill to dominate those c***s.

cricket is a great and enjoyable sport to watch, yes.

try rugby

If Macgill plays. Sunrise said that Bracken is tipped to play instead of Macgilla...

EDIT: baggygreen reckons Macgill, which means Symonds will have to bowl :(

last edited by Zak at 09:44:08 26/Dec/05

and bat :(

and Phil Jaques are the debuts in 2nd test :) in his opener bat.

last edited by ]SUPERBOSS[ at 11:04:55 26/Dec/05

and out for 2

Stop going slow Haydos.

I keep telling everyone that the only half decent person in the aus team now is Ponting.

WHAT DID I SAY?!

btw, he's tasmanian.

So is the sportsman of the century (FOSTER!)

:D

Who and what next?!

Cricket's so boring now.

Cricket balls that come at you at 140km/h are scary btw.

warne isn't decent? heh

Mcgrath isnt decent? heh

We sucks :-(

We need an opening pair who can bat together, lately its one opener who go's on and the other fails, Ponting has been batting well, but still can get out cheaply and quite often starts and fails..

Symonds is not worthy of a test spot, I'd put Clarke back in. Also Gilchrist should be copping a lot more criticism than he has been, his top score in the Ashes was 49, so its been a long time since he put on a 50 as well, and Haddin has been playing good cricket.

I agree fade, gilly is not coping enough flak, his form has been piss poor with the bat and he's dropped more catches in the recent past then I can remember him dropping his entire career.... he is also the highest paid of the aussie cricket team...

Symonds has got to go, unless he takes 5 for and scores a century in the second innings...

middle order sucks at the moment

Stop going slow Haydos.

it's test match cricket retard. Dig in and value your wicket?

We need an opening pair who can bat together, lately its one opener who go's on and the other fails,

yeah dude it's got nothing to do with the quality of the attack. you should expect at least 0/140 everytime they bat

Stop going slow Haydos.

it's test match cricket retard. Dig in and value your wicket?

sorry ek, but he's right

classic middle order collapse from the aussies :o

ponting has done well this season with the bat, even if not with the captaincy :p

as much as i love symonds, hes not a test player. they were stupid to drop clarke, i think he wouldve fired in this season

andre nel is acting like an aussie fast bowler, its disgraceful :(

Hopefully Warney and McGrath can do their thing and bowl them out for not many.

ive got the tv set up at work next to my computer so i can watch it :p

I went to work but am apparently not working so I can also watch it. Good thing too because this will be a crucial day.

double time and a half, w00t

yeah, im glad they got warne and lee out yesterday, it woudlve been tough to dismiss them this morning.

south africa dont look as strong as england did, but australia look weaker (obviously with the 3 freshies in the team)

They had SAs heart on a plate in the last test but Ponting f***ed the declaration.

Stop talking s*** :P

im just saying i dont think australia is as strong as the team tahtplayed england, and south africa doesnt look like a strong team but has been in the right position at the right time

SA were quite patient yesterday. apart from teh dropped catches, they were happy to let us get ourselves out.

Keep Warne, Keep Gilly/hayden/Ponting - bring in martyn, clarke and kaprowistch or whatever the f*** his name is and fill the rest with whoever = win.

^ glad you thought that out a lot

yeah dude it's got nothing to do with the quality of the attack. you should expect at least 0/140 everytime they bat

This is Australia's most successful opening partnership of all time, and the 2nd most successful world wide, so I don't see we why we can't have SOME level of expectation. However, lately ONE of them will reach 50 and the other will fail. The final test in England when they put on 200 is the only time they've had a really strong opening stand in a long long time.

These are Australia's opening partnerships since the start of 2005:

vs SA Test 1 = 0,37
vs World XI = 0,20
vs England 5 = 185,0*
vs England 4 = 20,50
vs England 3 = 58,25
vs England 2 = 0,47
vs England 1 = 35,18
vs NZ 3 = 8,18
vs NZ 2 = 82
vs NZ 1 = 48,25

Gilchrist Scores (Ave since NZ series finished: 26, and w/o the world 11 match its only 21)

vs SA Test 1 = 6,44
vs World XI = 94,10
vs England 5 = 23
vs England 4 = 27,11
vs England 3 = 30,4
vs England 2 = 49,1
vs England 1 = 26,10
vs NZ 3 = 60*
vs NZ 2 = 162
vs NZ 1 = 121

Hussey went off, well deserved ton - what a champ!

Go symonds, they kick their arse for 6es :D

w00t

jesus that was a big session

queenslanders ftw!

symonds just needed some confidence! (which he got with the ball yesterday)

rsa are no chance this time

they wont be able to hang on

man symonds smacked the s*** out of them, that was awesome to watch

oh symonds, where have you been.

what the s***, I went across the road to the shops and came back and 4 wickets had fallen!@#

im just going to come out and say it

symonds = aussie hero

yes, he appears to have upgraded from just qld hero

haha spook

he was my hero back in that one dayer where he got 140 odd..

personally i didnt think he could make it in the test arena, i guess he is there for a bit after his performance this test...

he needed the confidence to play his natural game.. which is look to score fast...... he looked to be enjoying himself out there with haydos which something he hasnt looked like in his previous innings.

well, u would have had to have a pretty good eye to pick it
he hasnt been out in the middle for long before today . . . . .

he only needed 3 balls to hit a 6 to get off the mark, what does time in the middle have to do with any of it?

he hasnt been out in the middle for long before today

He still hasnt been out there for that long.

true

I bet Clarke is pissed off about sucking now. How is he gonna get back in the side? :/

hes young
he will be back
hes the new mark waugh

He is no Mark Waugh.

yeah spooks he's no Mark Waugh, his top score is over 150 :-)

Mark Waugh's top score is 153* :P

damn, i thought it was 144.

Either way he played a lot of test matches for no double centuries, which is rare amongst Australian batsmen from the last 10 years, and one of the things I dislike about him, once he hit 100, you knew he wasn't going to much further.

Yeh but it was sheer pleasure watching him get that 100 :D

I like M Waught, moreso then his brother, though at times I liked Steve - but overall I prefer Mark, he was more fluent when scoring runs and was a better fielder, one of the best ever IMO (at fielding, particularly at slip)

so Gilchrist is in a batting slump that sees his average over 12 months drop to an average comparable to Healy/Dujon/Marsh career averages and suddenly it's time for him to go?

Career average is still a smidgen under 50 - point me to another keeper with similar numbers. Akmal looks ok, but Gilly averages that over 70 tests not 15.

Gilly's slump still puts him up there with all-time great keeper batsmen and we're calling for his head?!?! Hard to fathom sometimes.

Clarke is s***, Cosgrove is the best batsmen under 25 in Australia.

Spidz I questioned why there hasn't been more talk/pressure on Gilchrist to be performing.

Point to another keeper who can bat well? *points at Brad Haddin* oh and guess what HE CAN PLAY FOR AUSTRALIA.

Why compare to other keepers around the world? The measure for a test spot isn't how good you are compared to an Indian or Pakistani, its how you compare to the other players of your nation for the same spot in the team. A 12 month slump is pretty damned reasonable, it means he's had his spot in the team carried for an entire year.

carried?

he has still averaged 25+ in the past 12 months, which may be a slump by his own standards but historically an average of 20+ for the entire career of a keeper batsman puts you in the upper echelon. Jeff Dujon averaged 31 which before Gilly was the best average in history for a permanent keeper-batsmen (minimum 20 tests)

Your claim that Haddin deserves consideration is moronic and laughable for someone who professes to follow cricket. Haddin hasn't scored a ton this season and has only played 4 first class matches, did you miss the bit where he got injured and had to fly home from the A tour? Not to mention his career 1st class average is only 37! Gilly has scored more test tons in the past 18 months than Haddin has scored first class tons in his career....!

If the selectors really were considering Gilly's form, which is highly unlikely. Hartley or Crosswaite would be ahead of Haddin due to Haddins recent form an injury trouble. Not to mention Cambell who has belted a few tons lately.

Gilly pumped 96 against the World XI, scored consecutive tons in NZ, scored 44 the other day and has tossed his wicket away chasing quick runs in recent games. His best score was a valuable 49* in the Ashes, but he wasn't Robinson Crusoe having a bad series there, his keeping suffered as well. He also smashed two tons in the one-dayers over in England.

There has been a bit of talk regarding his form, but not by any real students of the game as they actually have a clue.

i would still make out with gilchrist in a second if he was interested

Gilly has scored more test tons in the past 18 months than Haddin has scored first class tons in his career....!

Gilly hasn't had any in 12 months, so I doubt thats a well founded statement.

scored consecutive tons in NZ, scored 44 the other day

Congratulations you managed to put something that happened 13-14 months ago next to somehthing that happened 5 days ago, with only one thing of mention in between. If thats all it takes to stay in the Australian test team well s***, the Windies will be moving up a spot in the world rankings in no time.

historically an average of 20+ for the entire career of a keeper batsman puts you in the upper echelon.

What you're getting wrong there is the term "keeper-bastman" Gilchrist is considered the "all rounder" in the Australian team, because he functions as a keeper and as a batsman. Alot of the keepers you've compared him to are picked just as a keeper, Healy is the ideal example. Australia has played 5 bowlers before because Gilchrist is considered a batsmen as well as a keeper, a function that with an average of 25 he is not doing adequately.

I can't talk on authority on Hartley or Crosswaite and didn't realise Haddin has missed as much as he has recently, between work, basketball and cricket I havn't seen more than 2 first class matches on TV but if Gilchrist isn't meeting his function as a bastman (and remember Martyn was dropped just on his Ashes campaign which produced an average of 21, over a shorter time period to) then you gotta pick the best KEEPER on his keeping form. Whilst we all love Gilchrist's batting, when it is going well, his glove is work not above reproach and is certainly no where near the quality of some previous keepers, such as Heals.

Since you know so much on domestic cricket, are Hartley or Crosswaite better glovemen than Gilchrist, batting aside, on keeping talent alone could either be better than Gilchrist?

To reiterate, you're comparing an allrounder (keeper batsman) to keepers and saying "look he has a better average" when my argument is that his role in the team has the dual function of a batsman and a keeper and if he isn't full filling both roles then maybe he should be under more pressure for his spot by either another keeper batsman, OR by a pure keeper with better glove work, an argument that should be strengthened by the fact that selectors are more open to a dual spinners combination.

Gilly hasn't had any in 12 months, so I doubt thats a well founded statement.

Interesting statement - Sydney 2005 3rd Test vs Pakistan Gilchrist - 113, Christchurch 2005 1st Test vs New Zealand Gilchrist - 121, Wellington 2005 2nd Test vs New Zealand Gilchrist - 162. He also scored 60* in the third test. He aslo scored 44 second last time at bat and threw his wicket away in search of runs a few days ago. 96 also against World XI.

Don't bring up Martyn as I never have agreed with dropping him and it was f***ing rediculous to drop the best performed batsman over the previous 12 months, based on one series in which he recieved 4 shocking umpiring calls.

As for your keeper-batsman call, again you are incorrect. Dujon was by no means the best keeper in the carribean, but he was the only one who could bat any higher than XI. Wade Seccombe is the best keeper in Australia in the last 15 years, his glovework is far superior than Healy's ever was. Phil Emery was also a keeper with similar standard glovework. The thing about keepers is, if one is established, its always a hell of alot harder to break into the side. Also, in relation to this, surely you're not suggesting Marsh was the best keeper of his era? He wasn't called iron gloves for nothing. If he couldn't bat he would barely have got a game for WA. The fact that he was best mates with Ian Chappell and DK Lillee never hurt either. Brian Taber was a a far better gloveman, but struggled a bit with the bat.

Crosswaite is probably the better keeper between him and Hartley, while Hartley is a superb batsman. Sean Clingeleffer is probably the best keeper in Australia, but as usual his batting lets him down so he would not be in calculations.

In addition to this, Gilchrist while not an outstanding gloveman, he is the only keeper in Australia with extensive experience keeping to Warne, something that he was able to learn while he cut his teeth in ODI's before stepping up to the test level. His batting (despite recent slump) is so far ahead though it's not funny. You will also note, that he has a habit of scoring runs when we really need them and often goes missing when coming in on a score of 5-400. The Ashes was the first time he really hasn't delivered in a time we REALLY needed it.

We're f***ed.

Ponting has f***ed the series with his f***ed declaration.

Warne for captain.

today was some of the most boring test cricket ive ever watched

the only highlights were lee hassling kalis

We're f***ed.

Ponting has f***ed the series with his f***ed declaration.

wow, you're nearly as clueless as fade. I bet you would have said his second test declaration was s*** too if they had chased it down.

SA outscored us on first innnings in Perth, we scored 500 second innings and the wicket was improving. Why would you give them a shot? The bowlers let us down, not the declaration. If anything his captaincy was lacking in his field and bowling changes, not in the declaration.

Absolutely spidz, plus the fact that it was Hodge's 3rd test match and making a double-tonne would almost certainly cement a place for him in the squad for at least the next couple of series. I think Ponting was in a bit of a tight spot, declare early and not give a new batter (and you must admit of late we have been struggling a bit with the bat) a chance to state his claim as a seriously good batsmen to include in our lineup, and declaring early enough to bowl the proteas out....and honestly I thought we had heaps of time to get them all out as well, they played extremely well to bat the whole day out.

I believe that if Ponting had set SA a total of 350-370 at the WACA we would have won. The total he set was so high that SA _knew_ that they'd never chase it down and batted accordingly. Steve Waugh would have declared with a 350 lead.

I bet you would have said his second test declaration was s*** too if they had chased it down.

nah I would have said their bowling was s***.

Didn't SA end up at about 5-280ish? Steve Waugh might have set them 350 (I'm not convinced of that) but Steve Waugh was leading a much better side.

Really, had we set them 350, with the extra time they would've had, they could have just played the exact same way they did and still got the runs.

Steve Waugh would have declared with a 350 lead.

Steve Waugh captained like Border, he would have set 420 minimum. Taylor may have declared with a lead of 350, he was a far more adventurous captain.

The myth of Tugger being an overly adventurous captain is perpetuated by the fact that he won so many test matches. This had little or nothing to do with smart declarations and more the fact that he lead a side that was so much better than anyone else we rarely had to bat twice, let alone declare. He was the master of beating the opposition into a corner so they couldn't win then sending his incredible bowling outfit in for the kill. Remember Ponting was part of the side that was captained by Waugh that set the windies 420 with 4 sessions to play and lost...not a bad declaration, just good batting. Much like the South African batting.

Richie Benaud and Ian Chappell are the only two captains I can think of that would have given them a chance with a declaration of mid 300's. To set a team 350 to win in 4 sessions when they scored 291 in the first innings to take a 1st innings lead on a wicket getting better by the day would have been as moronic as the suggestion the Gilly should be dropped from the test side.

actually if we'd set them 350 they'd have had 5 sessions to do it in! f***ing rediculous..!

It would have been a risk yes but maybe one worth taking if this series is going to end up a draw (or does the australian side accept home drawn series against less talented sides now?)

last edited by fpot at 23:26:07 03/Jan/06

are you conceding the current match?

with our two form batsmen at the crease on a wicket that will turn late in a side containing MacGill and Warne. Still with a newly confident Symonds to come with an opportunity to build an innings from ball one and a Gilchrist desperate for some runs, in a situation tailor made for him.

I predict two centuries from either Ponting, Hussey, Symonds or Gilchrist. A declaration around the 500 mark or be bowled out and a thrilling run chase after dismissing them for late 200's, mid 300's. If they want to win this test, they won't bat for a draw in their second innings thats for sure.

Remember, they were 3 for not many as well and we have two better players facing a lesser attack at the crease.

as moronic as the suggestion the Gilly should be dropped from the test side.

Do you actually read Spidz, or just see what you want to see? I said, and I quote...

Also Gilchrist should be copping a lot more criticism than he has been

Anyway I predict Australia to score mid 300s, Ponting or Hussey to score big runs, Symonds to get a start but not make a century and Gilchrist to get out flashing outside off stump. But Lee and/or Warne will put up good resistance with Ponting/Hussey.

did you see me suggest in the quote you quoted that you had made such a suggestion?

I've heard plenty of people outside this forum saying he should be dropped, and imo they're all morons.

I personally rekon australia have a tough ask to win this test, my money is on a draw, if not a SA win, though i wont completly rule australia out...

have to wait and see i guess

Yeah, it's going to be very tough. Hopefully the pitch is ok for batting tomorrow.

I'm still not totally convinced about Brad Hodge, his double century was great, but he really makes me nervous every time he comes to the crease. He hasn't looked at all confident early on in any of his innings.

another 50 to punter

man, he's so on fire

they must be bowling ok for Hussey to be 14 off 78 balls considering his recent form.

Pontings looks solid in the 70's.

I'm halfway right so far.

nice score punter, also that doosra that got Hussesy was impressive.

Alim Dar just gifted South Africa Symonds wicket.

gilly to score a quickfire 1/2 century.

better field setting and Gilchrist wouldda been out as per my prediction, first two shots popped up towards gully point but the feilder was to deep.

actually your prediction was he'd be caught 'flashing' outside off. Such a shot would actually require the gully to be placed deeper. Also, where the hell is gully point?

PS: I'm against referring decisions other than run outs and disputed catches, but the umpires of the world aren't doing themsleves any favours. If they're out of a job in the next few years, they'll only have themselves to blame.

andre nel is funny how he gets all fiesty and raged

he sure loves the rage
i love it

its good for cricekt

i also love all the same things trog loves, just so my post limit doenst get increased

last edited by Spook at 16:15:12 04/Jan/06

my apologies for nod adding the "region" to the end of "gully point" also he gets caught there in splits etc and at point/gully without them sitting deep whilst flashing.

i was just interested thats all, as generally gully and point would be about 4 metres at a minimum apart, its kind of like saying he'll get caught in the offside region.

andre nel is funny how he gets all fiesty and raged

haha, reckon, he's a psycho. When that dude dropped a catch of his bowling in the last test I thought he was going to beat him to a bloody pulp

and Gilly gets his 50 and MacGill also hitting a few boundaries!

also Nel rocks, its funny watching the Australian players reaction to him.

last edited by spidz at 17:37:45 04/Jan/06

Good 'ol Gilly - produces when it counts* (*Ashes Series aside)

If these two can last till stumps I reckon we have done extremely well.

I predict two centuries from either Ponting, Hussey, Symonds or Gilchrist

Gilly out for 86, sif ruin my nostradamous status.

Woot, We're actually in a pretty decent position with De Villiers wicket, especially if we can pick up a few cheap ones tomorrow morning.

Anyway I predict Australia to score mid 300s, Ponting or Hussey to score big runs,

Well I got some of it right to Spidz.

he's a psycho. When that dude dropped a catch of his bowling in the last test I thought he was going to beat him to a bloody pulp

Nel is the most entertaining part of this series. I love watching quick bolwers that just keep going at the batsmen no matter what. I also appreciate the niggle and agro with the batsmen but I think he's doing it more to get himself pumped up than trying to intimidate them. When he's not bowling he seems to smile a lot and have a great time with the crowd getting stuck into him so I think he needs to make that mental transition (i.e. the red mist) to effectively bowl quick.

de villiers gone

Well I got some of it right to Spidz.

heh, today you did yeah.

I was there day 3 and 4, really hot, Nel was infront of us fielding egging on the crowd.. was a good day.

Keato

Ok so a draw is as good as a loss, so what do you think they will do next?

2-0, 1-0 whats the difference? They should go for the win and put the pressure on the aussies.

Hoping they send australia in early with a 250 lead or so to catch, would make for some good cricket.

AUSSIES TO WIN FROM HERE!!!!

South Africa 451/9d & 194/6d
Australia 359 & 118/1 (25.0/76 ov) Australia require another 169 runs with 9 wickets and 51.0 overs remaining

Drinks Australia RR: 4.72
Required RR: 3.31


ponting currently on 43 from 43 with hayden on about the same from 80

BEAUTY!

Seems they should have opted to give the aussies a bit tougher run rate to chase and a few less overs to make it more exciting.

Yeah, but then chances are Aussie would of played the Hold-em game... which makes for boring Cricket.

Less Then a Day to get 350+ runs, when your 1 up in the series = Play a defencive game.

Atleast now we have something good to watch.

Kallis got them into the game with his batting on Day 1 and 2 then lost it for them with his batting on Day 4.

6-190 is a nothing declaration, surely 230 all out would have been wiser.

we won

Punter is the f***ing man, he will score the most runs ever before his career is finished

he's 2000 runs behind tendulkar who is the same age.

god i love ponting

he's 2000 runs behind tendulkar who is the same age.

Yes, but Tendulkar made his debut just over 6 years before Ponting which may have an impact on who can play for the longest, and at the moment India play a lot more ODIs than tests. E.g. Since the start of the 2002/2003 season, Tendulkar has played 26 tests, Ponting has played 44. So obviously there are a lot more chances for Ponting to catch up.

last edited by Chakas at 10:51:49 07/Jan/06

tendulkar was also injured alot during that period.

tendulkar is past it.

the same guy that scored 241* last start against Australia and scored 100 last time he batted?

yep that guy

s*** hey.

Average since 1/1/2004 - 67.95
Career Average - 57.05

(I wasn't being serious)

I reckon Lara is better though, simply because he got 400* (holy s*** 400!)

Lara is an enigmatic genius. There isn't a bowler on the planet that can defeat him when he's at his best, in fact I'd estimate that had the gatting ball been bowled to Lara on one of his good days it would have been dispatched over the mid-wicket fence. On that fact alone, I also rate him as the greatest of the modern batsmen.

Anyone going to Twenty20 at gabba on monday night?

im gunna head to the bulls vs sa on tuesday cause i gotta work monday :S

yes i am aww hell yeah