2nd Test: Australia vs South Africa in Melbourne

[The Colonel]

Oh so its the selectors fault the batsman play stupid shots? Its the selectors fault the top batsmen in the side cant go on and make big scores or their best batsman cant make any runs, should they be dropping him?

Slow down and think before you type.

The selectors played a clearly injured player and two others severly out of form on the off chance they may discover some form. They then pick the same passengers bar one because he is injured for the Third Test. They, as much as the players, should accept the blame for the loss.

 

[Mr Angry]

No it is the selectors fault they cannot pick a side that can take 20 wickets.

Our batting ain't our problem.

The selectors pick an allrounder who cannot bowl, due to injury.

 

[El Diablo]

Oh so its the selectors fault the batsman play stupid shots? Its the selectors fault the top batsmen in the side cant go on and make big scores or their best batsman cant make any runs, should they be dropping him?

wtf are you on :?

our best batsman made runs

it's the selectors who kept picking sh*t bowlers and sh*t batsmen that didn't belong there

the players don't pick themselves

 

[eddiesmith]

Slow down and think before you type.

The selectors played a clearly injured player and two others severly out of form on the off chance they may discover some form. They then pick the same passengers bar one because he is injured for the Third Test. They, as much as the players, should accept the blame for the loss.

As it turns out the replacement for Symonds was even more injured, that would have been a great move. As for Hussey, you think they should drop him? Interesting, I agree on Hayden but they are obviously waiting for him to announce his retirement shortly as he has given many great years to the team and besides, its the captain who is keeping Hayden and Symonds in, not the selectors

No it is the selectors fault they cannot pick a side that can take 20 wickets.

Our batting ain't our problem.

The selectors pick an allrounder who cannot bowl, due to injury.

Neither could the replacement all rounder and batting aint a problem? 1 century and that was just over 100, so no big score in the 2 matches is the difference between the 2 sides and batting aint the problem? On very good batting tracks, it would appear the batting is the problem

wtf are you on :?

our best batsman made runs

it's the selectors who kept picking sh*t bowlers and sh*t batsmen that didn't belong there

the players don't pick themselves

On averages, Hussey is Australias best batsman, but I cant see them dropping him

 

[JB]

Congrats Saffas. Thouroughly deserved win.

 

[hineyrulz]

SA far to good, a strong batting line up and a well balanced attack. Plus carrying no passengers is a big plus.

 

[El Diablo]

its the captain who is keeping Hayden and Symonds in, not the selectors

what a load of horsesh*t

he is 1 and has a but of input. he cannot overrule them if they don't want a player

Neither could the replacement all rounder and batting aint a problem? 1 century and that was just over 100, so no big score in the 2 matches is the difference between the 2 sides and batting aint the problem? On very good batting tracks, it would appear the batting is the problem

batting and bowling

On averages, Hussey is Australias best batsman, but I cant see them dropping him

pffffft

anyone who ranks him above Ponting is a nut

 

[The Colonel]

As it turns out the replacement for Symonds was even more injured, that would have been a great move. As for Hussey, you think they should drop him? Interesting, I agree on Hayden but they are obviously waiting for him to announce his retirement shortly as he has given many great years to the team and besides, its the captain who is keeping Hayden and Symonds in, not the selectors

Yes, in hindsight it does appear that Watson is suffering however it clearly was the wrong decision to select Symonds. Watson however is one of a few options.

Neither could the replacement all rounder and batting aint a problem? 1 century and that was just over 100, so no big score in the 2 matches is the difference between the 2 sides and batting aint the problem? On very good batting tracks, it would appear the batting is the problem

SA were at one stage in the first innings 7/198 and behind by almost 200. They made 450+ and were in front. The side lacked penetration in the bowling more than they struggled with the bat. The difference was that Sth Africa were able to take 20 wickets in a game where Australia struggled to get 11.

They haven't taken twenty wickets in a match against quality opposition in two of the last three series.

 

[Mr Angry]

Neither could the replacement all rounder and batting aint a problem? 1 century and that was just over 100, so no big score in the 2 matches is the difference between the 2 sides and batting aint the problem? On very good batting tracks, it would appear the batting is the problem

No eddie RSA won because in both games they bowled us out twice. In both games we could only bowl them out once.

In both games our first innings score was near 400, which is fine, if you can bowl the other team out. we cannot and we lose.

It really is that simple.

 

[El Diablo]

No eddie RSA won because in both games they bowled us out twice. In both games we could only bowl them out once.

In both games our first innings score was near 400, which is fine, if you can bowl the other team out. we cannot and we lose.

It really is that simple.

and we only bowled India out once IIRC

 

[kamilfav]

Hayden = Hughes
Symonds = Dussey
Lee =Hilfenhaus
Siddle = Bollinger

It really is this simple

 

[lockyno1]

Rather Noffke if fit over Synonds or Dave Hussey as I still feel we need another bowling option

 

[HevyDevy]

The batting shouldn't be a problem - we're not short on highly talented batsmen in this country. Not sure that Dussey is the right choice at the moment but we'll see. Maybe.

As for the bowling, we're thin on the ground but there are far better options that Siddle.

Remember, too, just how huge a loss Stuart Clark was for this series.

And flame away when I suggest that Bracken deserves his chance - a proven international bowler in ODIs and is much better than he was last time he played a Test. I'd be taking him to SA.

 

[hineyrulz]

Hayden = Hughes
Symonds = Dussey
Lee =Hilfenhaus
Siddle = Bollinger

It really is this simple

That makes far to much sense :crazy:It will never happen.

 

[The Colonel]

And flame away when I suggest that Bracken deserves his chance - a proven international bowler in ODIs and is much better than he was last time he played a Test. I'd be taking him to SA.

This is it.... at least if he doesn't take wickets he builds pressure. More experience than a lot of the other players have.

 

[lockyno1]

And flame away when I suggest that Bracken deserves his chance - a proven international bowler in ODIs and is much better than he was last time he played a Test. I'd be taking him to SA.

No, time to move on, a 31 year old that needs conditions would have been next to useless in this series anyway. We need wicketakers not guys that will keep it tight.

 

[kamilfav]

No, time to move on, a 31 year old that needs conditions would have been next to useless in this series anyway. We need wicketakers not guys that will keep it tight.

Mcgain is 37 :O

 

[hineyrulz]

No, time to move on, a 31 year old that needs conditions would have been next to useless in this series anyway. We need wicketakers not guys that will keep it tight.

ATM we have niether.......

 

[lockyno1]

Hilfenhaus and Bollinger can get wickets and keep it tight and are both not 31 years old. Bracken is done, finished as a test player, not to mention he is injured! As for McGain, he is the best spinner we have if fit, it is not as if Bracken is the best seamer

 

[eddiesmith]

SA were at one stage in the first innings 7/198 and behind by almost 200. They made 450+ and were in front. The side lacked penetration in the bowling more than they struggled with the bat. The difference was that Sth Africa were able to take 20 wickets in a game where Australia struggled to get 11.

They haven't taken twenty wickets in a match against quality opposition in two of the last three series.

And if Steyn isnt dropped 3 times, Australia still lead on the 1st innings, if Ponting had gone on and made a big hundred, Australia still lead on the 1st innings, if Katich or Hussey make runs, Australia still lead on the 1st innings

The main difference between the 2 sides in the 1st innings was Duminy made 166, Ponting just 101, that was the only difference, btw since when did just under 400 become an acceptable effort batting first these days?

By batting first a team needs to build a huge score that puts pressure on the opposition so when you get them 7/194, they are still 100 runs behind the follow on target

A few years ago Australia had a much worse bowling attack in the series v India, yet they escaped with a drawn series because they had decent batsmen