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

[PARRA_FAN]

If there was a chance yesterday we would lose the test, I was at least expecting to bat on Day 5.

Even after tea, it looked like we were in a comfortable position.

Its a big concern these big collapses.

 

[unbreaK]

-Marsh
+Hughes

-Doolan
+Wazn

 

[TheParraboy]

I think we need to bite the bullet and give Phil Hughes a bit of a run

Pick him for the 3rd test, I think we play Pakistan for 2-3 tests later in the year, then India 4 tests at home. Thats 7-8 tests in a row. Tell him he will be in the side for all these tests, no matter what, lets see what you can do to cement your place in the side long term. Hell if Johnson can turn it around, why not Hughes?? Though im worried about him playing spin

 

[JJ]

Some credit needed for the Jaapie bowlers I think, down one quick and one according to an esteemed expert here is a pie thrower...

But on a pretty flat deck, all of Morkel, Steyn, Philander and Parnell produced the goods at times, when the Australian attack looked comparatively innocuous... part of that is the Jappie batsmen are much better, but also their bowlers...

Johnson is borderline unplayable on a deck giving him help, but given what Morkel especially managed, I think Mr Slave was a bit underwhelming.... in saying that, I imagine he'll be fired up for the next one

Also, how lucky is Warner, FMD...

 

[BunniesMan]

I think we need to bite the bullet and give Phil Hughes a bit of a run

Pick him for the 3rd test, I think we play Pakistan for 2-3 tests later in the year, then India 4 tests at home. Thats 7-8 tests in a row. Tell him he will be in the side for all these tests, no matter what, lets see what you can do to cement your place in the side long term. Hell if Johnson can turn it around, why not Hughes?? Though im worried about him playing spin

If Hughes was picked and he was told his selection was guaranteed for those 7-8 tests. Tests that included Pakistan on an Abu Dhabi road and India on Aussie pitches. If he got that and averaged below 40 in that period I would never call for his selection ever again.

 

[El Diablo]

guaranteed :lol:

you f**king idiot

 

[Twizzle]

Wonder what Warner's average for this tour would be if they hung onto their catches, they are making him look pretty good

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Clarke loves the Big Occasion and I can see him delivering as he has done as captain routinely since taking over from Ponting.

Are you sure about this? Most of his runs are scored when the rest of top order is making runs. Usually against rank attacks. Against good quality fast bowling his performances particularly in recent times have been underwhelming. He doesn't seem to have much fight in him when the going is tough.

 

[man2iel_]

Are you sure about this? Most of his runs are scored when the rest of top order is making runs. Usually against rank attacks. Against good quality fast bowling his performances particularly in recent times have been underwhelming. He doesn't seem to have much fight in him when the going is tough.

Pre-captaincy I may have sided with you (especially early in his career) though since taking over from Ponting I think Clarke has saved our bacon on more than one occasion and his record has improved where a good portion (world wide) regress.

I may be wrong there in the stats though whilst Clarke is struggling right now, I'd hate to think we all have short memories when looking at what he has done for the past couple seasons.

 

[undertaker]

What!!!

I went to bed with Rogers and Doolan in!

The last 9 batsman combined for 23 runs. Durham all over again.

Pathetic stuff.

After an all-day chess tournament yesterday, I wanted to unwind when I got back home, so I watched right from start of play up until just after Marsh got out around 1am, and was confident at 3/155 we would play conservatively until stumps and hopefully salvage a draw given the inclement weather that was predicted...

couldn't believe when I woke up this morning. Yes, deja vu of what happened at Durham, but worse when none of the batsmen outside of the openers got into double figures. Absolutely pathetic and Boof has every right to do what Des Hasler did to the door of the Parramatta Eels' dressing room.

And yes, Marsh is the Mitchell Pearce of Australian cricket. I was one of the most critical of Marsh's inclusion into the squad, given his form in Sheffield Shield over the past two years since he got dropped from the test team. No way did he deserve to be in the team based on Shield form, and I would've been prepared to have kept Bailey in the squad if Marsh was going to be his replacement. Too his credit, he did play a good innings in the 1st test when we were on the ropes at 4-down. However, those statistics from Fox Sports are pretty ugly, just like his average in the 2011/12 test series vs India:lol: If he doesn't perform in the Cape Town test, he should really be nowhere near the test team for quite sometime. One good innings in a sea of incompetence doesn't justify long-term selection

 

[Tommy Smith]

The Marsh love in is a true Australian cricketing mystery.

His brother Mitch has even poorer 1st class stats, and yet the love for him is even greater!

 

[hineyrulz]

What a surprise BM pushing Hughes Barrow lol, he won't play the next test and nor should he, if Marsh Fails he should be banished forever. Doolan needs to be given a decent run.

 

[El Diablo]

so much for working on his tan

 

[BunniesMan]

What a surprise BM pushing Hughes Barrow lol, he won't play the next test and nor should he, if Marsh Fails he should be banished forever. Doolan needs to be given a decent run.

I would argue patience for players that earned their spots in the first place. The Hughes and the Khawajas of the world deserved 7 or 8 tests in a row.

Doolan, and especially Marsh, do not deserve an extended run because they didn't deserve their spot in the first place.

 

[benched tiger]

I think we all knew this day was going to come,when again our batting was going to have a massive fail against a quality bowler.If the mighty Ingurland were as good as they thought they were, they may probably would still have the ashes if they could of taken advantage of our top order collapses.
Come the 3rd test SA will no doubt provide another wicket that offers nothing to Johnson,this allows their class batsmen to dominate and score runs,creating a platform for their bowlers to bitch slap our batsmen.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

The First Test in 1993/94, Australia was beaten by 197 runs.

This team included: Hayden, Slater, M & S Waugh, Border, Boon, Healy, McDermott, Hughes, May & Warne.

That's a glamour side.

So we lost this test by 231 runs. South Africa bloody lost by 281 in the first.

Should make the 3rd test bloody interesting.

 

[undertaker]

The First Test in 1993/94, Australia was beaten by 197 runs.

This team included: Hayden, Slater, M & S Waugh, Border, Boon, Healy, McDermott, Hughes, May & Warne.

Ah, that was the infamous test where Hughes had that run in with a South African spectator and Warne got fined for blowing up bigtime at Hudson (I think it was) after dismissing him.

 

[El Diablo]

I would argue patience for players that earned their spots in the first place. The Hughes and the Khawajas of the world deserved 7 or 8 tests in a row.

Doolan, and especially Marsh, do not deserve an extended run because they didn't deserve their spot in the first place.

Hughes has had more chances than anyone in the history of Australian cricket and should be never picked again

 

[mozza91]

Hughes has scored 1 century in his last 24 Tests. He's had more than enough chances.

 

[El Diablo]

apparently he should be given an 8 test guarantee of selection after already having multiple chances yet Doolan should be dropped after two tests :roll: