1st Test: South Africa v Australia at Centurion Feb 12-16, 2014

[TheParraboy]

2 more sleeps cant wait

eels and Australia double on the weekend

 

[Pete Cash]

Starc and Patto both bat better than Watto has in the past 12 months.

f**k, Starc nearly got a ton in India. Watto has one ton, smashed when the lead was assured and the Ashes almost secured in Perth. Starc and Patto do it with the ball and do more with the bat than Watto / Doolan / S Marsh combined.

You forget that Watson also scored a century against the Poms at the oval. Which was his first century for THREE YEARS. It only took no pressure (the series was over) and the Poms trotting out Z grade cricketers like Kerrigan

 

[lockyno1]

Doolan's parents are flying over, so it is expected he has won the number 3 position. Reports are the number 6 position is between Henriques and Shaun Marsh with conditions to decide that.

 

[unbreaK]

Doolan's parents are flying over, so it is expected he has won the number 3 position. Reports are the number 6 position is between Henriques and Shaun Marsh with conditions to decide that.

I honestly don't know which I'd prefer least out of those two.. I guess Henriques would be the safer option.. but I just don't think he deserves it.. neither does Marsh though.

Can we just play with 10?

 

[lockyno1]

I honestly don't know which I'd prefer least out of those two.. I guess Henriques would be the safer option.. but I just don't think he deserves it.. neither does Marsh though.

Can we just play with 10?

Hey the good news is BM has another serious meltdown so I guess that is a positive!:lol:

 

[herbert henry1908]

Massive mistake playing a rookie at no.3 if true.

 

[hineyrulz]

If Darsh somehow gets the 6 spot that will just about do me. Average of mid 20's after being dropped while averaging 3 in a series where everyone scored runs.

Mosies is no world beater but he would offer more than just looking good in the nets.

 

[TheParraboy]

Maybe Marsh can prove us all wrong with the bat, like Johnson has with the ball

2 tons and a big double ton 550+ runs in 3 tests vs the Proteas =P~

 

[BunniesMan]

Hey the good news is BM has another serious meltdown so I guess that is a positive!:lol:

What meltdown? I've said all along I don't expect Hughes to be picked even though I think he should.

The order of most likely to least likely to get in the 2 available spots:
Doolan, Henriques, Marsh, Hughes

The order of most deserving to least deserving (IMO) to get those 2 spots:
Hughes, Doolan, Henriques, Marsh (although there is about a dozen blokes I'd rather put in the number 6 spot than Henriques or Marsh)

 

[umina panther]

Must be really f**king obvious that Smarsh isn't up to it if even the bunny knows it

 

[JJ]

Our record in South Africa is pretty sensational though, hopefully we continue that trend

Love beating South Africa.

You're closely matched, I imagine because the conditions are relatively similar - interesting though (especially how your commentators go on about Clarke and others brilliant ability to play spin) that the Jaapies go better in India

Your bowling was a strength against England, but largely because Johnson bowled, well, not like Johnson... Siddle is good, and Harris is brilliant - so for me, still questions over bowling too, well over Johnson - match winner, or handicap - he's seldom not one or the other

On the other side, Steyn, Philander and Morkel are fantastic, not really any debate... both spinners are adequate.

One thing that's been mentioned, but not enough, is the Jaapies have just lost the greatest player of this generation, and arguably the 3rd greatest cricketer ever... regardless a genuinely great bat, an excellent 4th pace bowler, and a excellent slip fielder... you have lost Watson...

They have more depth and more existing talent in their top 6, but be honest, regardless of any of that, Kallis is a much bigger loss than Watson

 

[BunniesMan]

I still can't understand how Marsh is even ahead of Bailey. Bailey isn't good enough for test cricket but what can selectors point to that Marsh has done in recent memory. Bailey was picked on ODI form which is bad enough, it seems Marsh is now ahead of him based on T20 form which is even worse.

Lynn, Dunk, Head, Hartley, Cooper, Whiteman, Forrest, Voges, Ferguson. Even no hopers like White and North. That's a list of players ranging from mediocre to promising, all of them can make an argument for being more deserving of a spot than Marsh.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

LOL if Doolan is 3.

I've put $10 on him to join Whitney and McIntyre in the 'pair on debut' club.

 

[El Diablo]

What meltdown? I've said all along I don't expect Hughes to be picked even though I think he should.

The order of most likely to least likely to get in the 2 available spots:
Doolan, Henriques, Marsh, Hughes

The order of most deserving to least deserving (IMO) to get those 2 spots:
Hughes, Doolan, Henriques, Marsh (although there is about a dozen blokes I'd rather put in the number 6 spot than Henriques or Marsh)

why the long face?

 

[TheParraboy]

You're closely matched, I imagine because the conditions are relatively similar - interesting though (especially how your commentators go on about Clarke and others brilliant ability to play spin) that the Jaapies go better in India

Your bowling was a strength against England, but largely because Johnson bowled, well, not like Johnson... Siddle is good, and Harris is brilliant - so for me, still questions over bowling too, well over Johnson - match winner, or handicap - he's seldom not one or the other

On the other side, Steyn, Philander and Morkel are fantastic, not really any debate... both spinners are adequate.

One thing that's been mentioned, but not enough, is the Jaapies have just lost the greatest player of this generation, and arguably the 3rd greatest cricketer ever... regardless a genuinely great bat, an excellent 4th pace bowler, and a excellent slip fielder... you have lost Watson...

They have more depth and more existing talent in their top 6, but be honest, regardless of any of that, Kallis is a much bigger loss than Watson

So South Africa go better in india than we do? Well Im sure that guarantees them a 100 runs bonus per test before a ball is bowled in this series :lol:

And Johnson carved up the poms, and Harris was brilliant, kinda sounds like a couple of the SA bowlers do to win test matches as well. Their batting is a heck of a lot stronger, sure, but so was the poms.

What we do know is for some reason or another, irrespective of the side we send over there on their home soil SA have either drawn, lost or choked to Australia since apartheid. That could change this series, but we seem to prosper being under dogs (as well as under lehmann compared to the previous fruitcakes at the helm)

 

[TheParraboy]

LOL if Doolan is 3.

I've put $10 on him to join Whitney and McIntyre in the 'pair on debut' club.

I reckon he will do a Dirk Welham

 

[Red Bear]

Clarkes form over the last month or so, since the Adelaide test, is a little concerning, hopefully he comes back strongly over there.

 

[JJ]

So South Africa go better in india than we do? Well Im sure that guarantees them a 100 runs bonus per test before a ball is bowled in this series :lol:

And Johnson carved up the poms, and Harris was brilliant, kinda sounds like a couple of the SA bowlers do to win test matches as well. Their batting is a heck of a lot stronger, sure, but so was the poms.

What we do know is for some reason or another, irrespective of the side we send over there on their home soil SA have either drawn, lost or choked to Australia since apartheid. That could change this series, but we seem to prosper being under dogs (as well as under lehmann compared to the previous fruitcakes at the helm)

The former was just an observation.

Will be interesting, Aussies confident, RSA just a flat out good side...

Funny as an outsider, that there is debate over the likes of Hughes, Marsh, Doolan, and Henriques... all handy cricketers, none likely to be outstanding test cricketers

 

[Timbo]

I actually reckon Doolan will go well. He plays the moving ball nicely due to playing so much at Bellrieve.

 

[JJ]

I actually reckon Doolan will go well. He plays the moving ball nicely due to playing so much at Bellrieve.

He will need to with Philander and Steyn... be interesting to see him, his first class record is underwhelming though...

Be an interesting series, for sure