Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Nice to see Warner not rise to Steyns pre series barbs, and has let his bat do the talking instead. Maybe the Aussies are learning that the game is more than talking?

Got to be a huge advantage for Australia not having to bowl to AB. But it seems all the bowlers have contributed, with Starc getting the plaudits.

Definitely Australia's day, but you only need 4 wickets to get into Australia's very long tail . I'm not sure SA can bowl as badly as they did today, so many easy runs.

S Marsh has the chance to improve his home average in this series.

Must be the only batsman in this team who has a better average away from home.

First day could hardly have gone better for Australia if Smith had been asked to write a script ! Bowling was excellent and a couple of absolutely blinding catches made a significant contribution too. SA fought back quite well with the bat but once Australia came to the crease any menace that had appeared in the pitch vanished in a welter of loose deliveries...Philander capping it off for SA by overstepping to cost himself the wicket they needed...
Warner loves batting against SA doesn't he ? Scoring at such a rate sets this up for the home team even if SA bat better second time around.

In the last couple of tours , SA have been adept at fighting back from poor starts , overcoming the usual tendency of Australian teams to be superb frontrunners , especially at home : but I honestly can't see them coming back from this. Not in this match , certainly.

Hmm

Rather confounding the above post... An "interesting" morning session. SA lose the services of Steyn ... and Australia lose 4 quick wickets ...

Bit of pressure now on that "soft" middle of the batting order.

The game appears to be in Australia's favour even though they had a middle order collapse. Steyn injured again is a bad sign for his future and a big loss in this game. Warner just missing out on a century is bad luck.

South Africa bowled very well after Warner went. I can't believe S Marsh hung around as long as he did. He played and missed so many times.

Time for Voges to show he can deliver under pressure.

I spoke too soon, wickets tumble as Voges goes and Starc follows in double quick time.

4 ducks for Australia. After 150/0, that was quite something, especially with Steyn out. But South Africa bowled well and kept up the pressure.

Warner's innings is all the more amazing. He and de Kock are the only two that have looked comfortable - both seemed to be batting on a different pitch from everyone else. Marsh did grind out a 50, but looked uncomfortable for much of the time, ditto Bavuma.

One innings game. If Steyn can bowl in the second innings, SA are probably favourites from here, although batting 4th isn't going to be so bad as it will probably be on a third day pitch...

The question is in the hands of the Aussie bowlers, I don't think the Aussies would enjoy facing much more than 220 in their second innings.

Cook looks scared to death against this new ball, if he goes any further back he'll be standing beside the keeper.

I just woke up to see that scores are level. How did that happen?

Yesterday it was amusing to see ponting and pietersen disagree on south African selection policy. Pietersen thought morkel should have played instead of maharaj while ponting favoured the selection of a specialist spinner. Ponting was right it seems. ...

Great comeback from SA.

Got to think the M Marsh experiment is over for now.

Starc and Hazelwood have wasted a lot of new ball deliveries by not making the batsmen play. Cook is getting more confident because of it.

hopeforthebest wrote:Cook looks scared to death against this new ball, if he goes any further back he'll be standing beside the keeper.

Out for 12. The south African search for a replacement for Graeme Smith continues.

What are peoples thoughts on the Smith dismissal.

A brave decision, but 2.8 meters out of the crease. That is a really long way, benefit of the doubt to the batsman in the case?