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South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:26 pm
by The Professor
With the forthcoming Test starting this week; it got me to thinking who has the upper hand for these Tests.

I have broken the teams down into: bowlers, batsmen and wicket-keeper.

Who do you think has the superior team in South Africa?

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:37 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Just voted for the Aussie batters, with Smith being the key factor.

Not much in the bowling, which may be decided by injuries.

Not sure about the keepers. It's not clear if QDK will have the gloves.

Fancy the Aussies to win.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:03 pm
by The Professor
Bancroft shows weakness for the Australian batting with Vernon Philander being such an under rated bowling option in my opinion.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:35 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Both sides have patchy batting line ups. But Smith is the one Test great in either side. Amla is in a steep decline. Is ABDV's heart in it? QDK had a poor series v India. Elgar is inconsistent, but a good bat.

Though it's true that SA get to bat mostly on bowling pitches and Australia on batting pitches.

Warner/Elgar/Smith/FDP/ABDV/Marsh/QDK/Starc/Rabada/Lyon/Hazlewood.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:40 pm
by Arthur Crabtree

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:42 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Not a lot in it, once you add the difficulty factor of their home conditions.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:53 am
by alfie
Agree little in it. Australia traditionally win in SA (and vice-versa) but I'm not certain this will automatically continue.

Went for Australia's bowlers as I rate Lyon over Maharaj as the spinner ; and SA bats (somewhat inconsistent as they are ) since I feel Australia rely a little too heavily on Smith . Mind you , he has carried the burden pretty well recently !

I do think that the likes of the Marsh's and Khawaja might have managed some "easy" runs at home as the the England attack , Anderson excepted , rather disintegrated this southern summer. I don't think they'll prosper quite so much against Rabada , Philander , etc. But no doubt we shall see soon enough.

Didn't vote on the keeper yet. Expecting a close series.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:08 pm
by The Professor
I think, in Lyon and Maharaj, you have two of the very best spinners in the game up against each other. Lyon gets wickets but at a cost whilst Maharaj is less prolific but has such control of his economy.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:17 pm
by Durhamfootman
Arthur Crabtree wrote:Not much in the bowling, which may be decided by injuries.

I went for Australia, but that is a valid point

I suppose another point is that this time they won't have soft Poms throwing their wickets at them

I probably need to change my mind

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:19 pm
by Durhamfootman
Hmm... I was sure there was a way to change

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2018 7:29 pm
by Durhamfootman
thank goodness there wasn't. Suddenly i made a very good call

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:03 pm
by The Professor
Jury still out on this for me:

Mitchell Marsh seems to be more stable in the middle order which swings that Oz's way whilst Markram now looks a stable partner for Elgar.

Maharaj looked better than Lyon but Starc looked world class.

So confused.

Re: South Africa v Australia - Who has the strongest team?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:34 pm
by andy
Out of those options for me, Australia are stronger in every department except for wicket keeper...im a fan of Paine, but would have Du Kock in any side over him,