Cricket......

[Christie]

Most of our test wins in the last years were built on a combo of performances from Amla, AB, Dale and Vern. Amla is in the worst slump of his career and Dake and Vern is out. AB cant win tests on his own, some of the other batsmen will have to put their hands up, and we need Tahir or Morkel to step up if we want to come back in this series.

 

That first pitch seems to have messed up our batsmen's heads, so much so that on a decent pitch they are getting out to streight ones from the spinners. They need to get their heads screwed on right, especially the senior guys like Faf and JPD. If they can steady the ship, the younger guys can play around them.

 

I remember a tour in Aus 2005/6 where we got beaten in the tests and the limited overs stuff. That team was in a rebuilding phase, and after that they got the mix right to go to Aus and give them a proper hiding in test and odis. I hope we can turn this series around and not have to wait years to go back later for some test wins.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Christie

[Christie]

I see some comments on the interwebs are saying our batsmen are suffering from "spin phobia"

[Shebeen]

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ha ha, lank funny. until you throw your 'mate' under the bus and shut up about it. and now that you're retired it's cool? what are johnson and watson supposed to say now in the changing room together.

 

got a contact who played for a lower league club in england that had a young brad haddin as their 'overseas pro'. but it was more like a gap year type deal. apparently he was tanked in the local pubs everynight, ran off with all the member's daughters/wifes etc. BUT he also smashed the ball all over the place and took every batting record ever for the club that year...few years later he appears in the aussie side!

[GLuvsMtb]

another day lost to rain. Perhaps this is the bit of luck we needed. With a result very unlikely in the 2nd test, your focus should be once we take the field again to bowl well against India on the 4th day, dry up any runs and give our batsmen as little time as possible to face any bowling from India on the final day. If we can manage to bat out a session or 2 on the final day and not lose too many in the process, we can enter the 3rd test with a bit of confidence from that.

[babse]

3rd test well under way already with india winning toss and having a bat.

 

SA seem to be dominating as host limp on at 166/6 after 60 overs.

 

COME'on Proteas 

['Dale]

3rd test well under way already with india winning toss and having a bat.

 

SA seem to be dominating as host limp on at 166/6 after 60 overs.

 

COME'on Proteas 

 

 

Yip, the Blommetjies need to show their strength as the nr 1 side in the world.

Time to shake up the hosts

[Baldrick]

215 all out

Now time to put up the shutters till end of play

[Baldrick]

oh dear

[GLuvsMtb]

We let the game drift a little when Tahir was bowling. Morkel looking like he pulled a hammy will also put us under severe pressure when India bats again. van Zyl was out to a soft dismissal and Elgar was lucky not to be given out stumped (I still think he had nothing behind the line, but sometimes you need a bit of luck). Van Zyl does not seem to have the temperament to open for SA and no-one else seems to be knocking on the door with both knuckles bleeding. 

 

What I wouldn't give to see another "ugly" hundred from Biff to get us in a position where we cannot lose the game.

 

My only consolation is that Van Zyl's wicket was a soft dismissal with him not knowing whether to play forward or back, and Tahir being used as a night watchman really only count for 1/2 a wicket.

 

First session tomorrow is going to be key. 70 or 80 with 2 down will give us some belief that we can still win this.

['Dale]

oh dear

 

 

Indeed 

[Shebeen]

jislaaikit but we are up against  - 215 looks a long way away. (ps. the stumping call looked out, but didn't make a difference - was tahir and he went a few balls later without adding a run)

 

AB needs to come in next...stop hiding him down at 5 - he should be first drop as he's in the form of his life and can take the game away from them.

# is seriously due a big one, maybe it is tomorrow.

 

I'm ok with home ground advantage being part of the game, even if they're pulling the ring out of it a bit with these snakepit pitches. BUT if Kohli wins the toss at the fourth test again, I'm calling shenanigans.

[Kranswurm]

Oh good...what a great start

['Dale]

The pitch was described by several commentators as "cracked clay" ????

[EmptyB]

Tomorrow is so important....this many wickets on day one, never good for the team batting last!

[Christie]

# for a 50, AB to get 100, 30 each in support frm, Elgar, Faf and JPD. Wishful thinking, but I hope we could get a 100 run lead and rub India's faces in their own dry pitch.

 

To win the game, we need to bat and bowl better than them - both teams have to play on the pitch, imo we got psyched out by the Mohali pitc, we could have contested if not for some softish dismissals.

['Dale]

12/5

 

Eish