SA Test tour of Oz, Dec 17 - Jan 8

[alfie]

Perhaps understandably , Cummins sent them in again today. Might have backfired on him as Elgar and de Bruyn were in sight of lunch at 56/1 when they both "donated" their wickets : silly pull swipe , daft run out ; precipitating a collapse of four for 11 either side of lunch. Verreynne and Jansen have fought back well as conditions for batting got a little easier against the older ball. 144/5 at tea.

Not without alarms : Jansen really should have been caught on the stroke of tea when Khawaja spilled a very catchable chance as he attempted another injudicious pull. But generally , both have played pretty well. Notably , haven't let Lyon settle - used the feet well.

Both into the forties now as they resume after the break. Lyon 0/33 from nine. Aussies will think one more and the house will come down ; but if they can make them keep working for wickets...

[Arthur Crabtree]

5-27 from Green is a big day for him.

[mikesiva]

South Africa 189 all out

Jansen 59
Verreyne 52

Green 5-27

[Durhamfootman]

I had a feeling that this series would be dominated by the bowlers, but I wasn't quite expecting it to be by this much

[alfie]

Australia taking a grip on this ... 231/2 at tea. Warner 135 , Smith 60.

Was a good hour after lunch , as Nortje steamed in consistently over 150 for four overs in 37 degree heat. Warner survived it - just- but then feasted on the change bowling to reach a century that has revived his career - and put the home team in a commanding position.

Smith less assured ; but he's grown in confidence as the day wears on ; and you wouldn't bet against a hundred from him later on. SA probably already praying for rain or a miracle or two...

[bigfluffylemon]

Pretty miserable from South Africa, to be honest. They were the number 2 ranked side in the world, but haven't made 200 in their last 8 innings now?

Their batting does look pretty ropey. But then, Australia do have a habit of grinding teams into the ground at the MCG lately. Since 2011, India have got the better of Australia here with 2 victories and a draw, and every other team who has played a boxing day test here has been on the receiving end of a hiding - smallest margin of victories have been 8 wickets and 122 runs, three innings wins (and the draw in 2017 with England on a pathetic road of a pitch).

[mikesiva]

Warner 200 retired hurt, made more than the entire South Africa team.

[alfie]

Pretty miserable from South Africa, to be honest. They were the number 2 ranked side in the world, but haven't made 200 in their last 8 innings now?

Their batting does look pretty ropey. But then, Australia do have a habit of grinding teams into the ground at the MCG lately. Since 2011, India have got the better of Australia here with 2 victories and a draw, and every other team who has played a boxing day test here has been on the receiving end of a hiding - smallest margin of victories have been 8 wickets and 122 runs, three innings wins (and the draw in 2017 with England on a pathetic road of a pitch).

Somewhat puzzled as to how SA were ranked so high. As far as I can see , they haven't won anything away from home barring one trip to West Indies for more than five years. And only the one win over India at home , since that acrimonious Australian series , against a serious opponent. Fair to them , have lost some good bats lately - and don't they miss them ! And their bowling is good - though I think not as good as Elgar seems to think , judging by some of his comments. But their batting really is dreadful : Elgar himself (and he looks well past his best) is the only one of their top five who would even be considered for any of the other Test teams.
They want to play five bowlers ? Bold in its way ; but on top of that weak top order it really is a recipe for disaster - especially as Jansen is the only one who knows which end of the bat to hold.

Maybe they can beat West Indies in the New Year. But I wouldn't bet on it. They need a new captain , another all rounder , and at least two more proper bats. I hope they find some because a strong SA team is always fun to watch - and I don't want to see Test Cricket decline too much in that country. Too many great players in their past for the format to become a "lesser" interest ; as I fear it has in the Caribbean.

[bigfluffylemon]

I agree, alfie, but the way the world test championship works out, there is not an even balance of home and away series, or series against 'quality' opposition. New Zealand made the final of the last iteration by winning a bunch of series at home, and only playing one away series in the entire cycle (which I don't think they won, if memory serves).

But test cricket has always been a game of enormous home advantage. Name me a country it isn't difficult to tour - India often win in Sri Lanka, I guess, but for most countries an away win against India, South Africa, Australia, Pakistan, England is something that comes around once a generation. And New Zealand, these days. West Indies aren't so hot, but England haven't beaten them away for 18 years.

In the last decade 25% of series result in away wins, if you exclude series hosted by Afghanistan, Ireland, Bangladesh or Zimbabwe it drops to just over 1 in 6.
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engin ... ;type=team

[Arthur Crabtree]

I see Wee Davie is now 36 and retired hurt after celebrating his double ton. Maybe not many races left to run for the pugnacious left hander.

When I started watching cricket, no Aussie would play cricket much past 30 beyond a small elite. Players stopped playing earlier because cricket was just a phase in their life after which they went into work. One of the reasons pros go on for so many years now is because attitudes have changed towards what a sporting career is. It's not just better refuelling and sports science. I have some regard for those that feel that the main work of their life isn't playing sport for the bulk of their years and retiring for good on a pile of savings and a brand name.

[GarlicJam]

They want to play five bowlers ? Bold in its way ; but on top of that weak top order it really is a recipe for disaster -

this has puzzled me. Both tests too - it should have been notice for them to change tack after the first test where their batting let them down so badly.

[Durhamfootman]

I see Wee Davie is now 36 and retired hurt after celebrating his double ton. Maybe not many races left to run for the pugnacious left hander.

When I started watching cricket, no Aussie would play cricket much past 30 beyond a small elite. Players stopped playing earlier because cricket was just a phase in their life after which they went into work. One of the reasons pros go on for so many years now is because attitudes have changed towards what a sporting career is. It's not just better refuelling and sports science. I have some regard for those that feel that the main work of their life isn't playing sport for the bulk of their years and retiring for good on a pile of savings and a brand name.

This happens in modern tennis too, but I also put that down to a lack of talent coming through to depose the old guard who, because they keep hoovering up the vast riches on offer, deny the younger generation access to the funds they need to progress to the very highest levels of their sport. Maybe this is true in cricket, where the top players get all the big bucks and the younger players give up waiting their turn and move on to pastures new. Perhaps this is the future role for T20 franchise cricket, giving a very healthy income to older top class players, stopping them from clinging like grim death to their international slots, because the central contracts system is too damned lucrative to give up.

I get the argument about applauding work ethic and fitness, better sports science and nutrition and all of that, but having players still playing at the peak of their sport into their late thirties and early forties just doesn't seem very healthy for that sport, to me. While I applaud the aging players for the skill and determination they possess, I also worry about the talent lost to the sport because so few of next generation get the chance to usurp them

[bigfluffylemon]

Unless he claims one of the final two wickets, Maharaj has the worst figures of any bowler at the MCG.

[mikesiva]

Australia 575-8 declared

Warner 200*
Carey 111
Smith 85
Head 51
Green 51

Nortje 3-92

[GarlicJam]

While SA are currently getting a bit of a hiding, this has been an entertaining test so far.
Some very tough battles between bat and ball, some great crowd involvement, some great play through adversary, a couple of notable achievements with a decent backstory, and pretty entertaining cricket all around.

ok, I am biased, as Aus are doing well, but still.