2nd Test: South Africa v Australia at Port Elizabeth Feb 20-24, 2014

[some11]

All I know is if we get a sniff chasing a big total at least we will go for it.

 

[some11]

Yeah.. we're f**ked.

 

[Mr Angry]

Game on.....

 

[hineyrulz]

Gee we batted really poorly on a wicket that is a bit low and slow but doesn't do much after the shine has gone of the ball. Only lasting 54 overs very poor indeed. Smith is given not out, nothing on hot spot, nothing showing ball hit bat just a tiny blip on Snicko has a ddecsion overturned.

The DRS was the for the howler not for one that may have been wrong, bullshit decision but we have no one to blame for out poor batting so many gifted wickets.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Great innings from Amla

 

[beads6]

Amla looked shot early on. Thought he would be out any second but to his credit he battled on and made runs. f**k our batsmen have let us down again. Harris looks well below his best as well. Our bowlers look stuffed. Lets hope we can save this test. Heck if we don't roll over in the 2nd dig I'll almost be happy.

This often happens when 2 quality teams play each other. If one team is off just a little bit the other team dominates.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Seff Efrika got dis.

 

[TheParraboy]

SA clearly in front 369 ahead, they need to declare when they get 400 IMO, However the negative merkins will bat far too long and chew up valuable time, also good chance rain will come on day 5


drawn game here, thank you South Africa

 

[beads6]

South Africa will bat too long and the rain will save us.

 

[HevyDevy]

It's amazing how many people told me I was wrong when I said before this Test that our top order was a huge problem... The proof is in the pudding.

 

[BunniesMan]

It's amazing how many people told me I was wrong when I said before this Test that our top order was a huge problem... The proof is in the pudding.

Only complete idiots think our top order is not a problem.

Just because we won 6 tests in a row does not mean each and every part of our team was firing.

When's the last time we were at say 3/300 in a crucial innings?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

May not have all been firing but all contributed a big moment. Let's see if we can dig in here.

 

[typicalfan]

A year or two ago our poor batting performances got us 120 or below. The top order is on the improve, Warner needed to make a hundred and Smith was unlucky. Those two would have hoisted our total up and our tail did wag a little. .

 

[TheParraboy]

It's amazing how many people told me I was wrong when I said before this Test that our top order was a huge problem... The proof is in the pudding.

I cant recall that many saying to you we didn't have a problem there, any quotes?

 

[HevyDevy]

Here's one Parra. As I have noted earlier in this thread, it is not difficult to score second innings runs when the middle order and the bowlers have combined to give you a 200-run lead.

If you drop a player who has scored two centuries & a fifty in the past 3 matches it sends the totally wrong message to the team.

You keep talking about 1st innings runs and dismiss second innings runs, but traditionaly second innings runs are much harder to score because of the wicket.

Theres no doubt our first innings need to be better but you're totally blowing it out of proportion.

We've batted first in 5 of our last 6 matches. Its not unusual at all for early wickets to be lost on day one in the first session or so. That's when bowling conditions are the best.

 

[HevyDevy]

And this ...

Wasn't the main reason for our top order woes Watson anyway?

He is the only batsman in the top 4 that hasn't gotten a big score apart from a slog in the boxing day test. The rest have all gotten 100s.

 

[HevyDevy]

A year or two ago our poor batting performances got us 120 or below. The top order is on the improve, Warner needed to make a hundred and Smith was unlucky. Those two would have hoisted our total up and our tail did wag a little. .

How are they on the improve? When was the last time we weren't 3 or 4/100 in the first innings? Whether it's individual performances or an inability for them to bat together, they simply haven't been doing the job.

What we HAVE seen is batsmen come out in the second innings without any pressure on them after our middle order and our bowlers have saved us and given us a lead of 200-odd.

 

[TheParraboy]

one or two only? I thought you were amazed many told you were wrong?

Not sure Herbert is disagreeing with you either, he does mention that our 1st innings should be better, blind freddy can see that.

But whats the solution? do we hit the panic button every test when the 1st innings fails? or do we persist with a core group for a while.

Hardly anyone knocking on the door for an opening or middle order spot (though if Khawaja keeps hitting big ones he will get his crack)

 

[lockyno1]

Rain forecasted for Monday and in PE when it rains it rains. Need to bat well today and hope the weather gods are kind- hope Smith is conservative and bats till lunch too

 

[TheParraboy]

hoping muppet smith bats tills after lunch surely he wont be that silly?
A quick 30-40 is all they need