South Africa v Australia | 3rd Test | Cape Town | 19-23 Mar 09

[Random Aussie]

Prince is back, although apparently not happy at opening.

Kallis is captain, although apparently not happy to be captain.

Albie Morkel is in in place of Morne Morkel, according to the South African coach but he had to go check with someone first or it might be Wayne Parnell who is in.

Imraan Khan is in and will be full of confidence after a blistering hundred against Australia in the warm up game.

For Australia, McGain is pretty certain to play, making him Australia's oldest debutant since Bob Holland (also a leg spinner) in place of McDonald. Unless North does not recover from his illness in which case McDonald will bat at 6 aiya

Match starts in 2 hours time. Australia lead the series 2 - 0 and for anyone interested in the cumulative score 3 - 2.

Last Test for Australia before the Ashes.

 

[Genghis]

Also last test for Bucknor!

 

[Random Aussie]

All hail Aussie Steve! Give us a couple of sweet ones this match, just for old times sake.

 

[Random Aussie]

North out, McGain in. Ack.

 

[Random Aussie]

And we win the toss again and bat

Did Bucknor toss the coin?

 

[MoNkEy]

Our batting is looking a bit thin with Haddin at 6 and McDonald at 7 - I'd be almost inclined to give Mitch a go at 7 and see what happens if he's given more opportunity (timewise) to bat.

 

[Amjid Javed]

South Africa: 1 Imraan Khan, 2 Ashwell Prince, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Albie Morkel, 9 Paul Harris, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

Australia: 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Brad Haddin (wk), 7 Andrew McDonald, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Bryce McGain, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.

Pitch and conditions The weather looks perfect. We should have five days of cricket if the teams stretch the game that far. Robin Jackman did the pitch report: "The pitch is bare at both ends but I believe the bare patches are pretty full and so the spinners will have to depend on natural wear and tear and bowler's footmarks. There is some dampness on the surface. It will be slowest today and should quicken up as the sun comes down. It looks a batting track."

Cricinfo

 

[Amjid Javed]

Despite loss of North for Aussies the batting still looks pretty strong!

 

[On_the_up]

lucky escape for katich, SAfrica didn't opt for a referral.

 

[Random Aussie]

Scrap these referrals already please.....

What a joke

 

[MoNkEy]

Oh, and where's saffer?

 

[Random Aussie]

Oh, and where's saffer?

Where he always is when South Africa are losing.

Don't mind Saffer but geez he is never around when they are losing and always around when they are winning.

Last I heard from him it was boring beating Australia.

 

[Random Aussie]

As I said, scrap this referral system now. This is a farce and is ruining the cricket.

 

[Random Aussie]

Glorious shot by Hughes 0/23

says Lonely Aussie

 

[Random Aussie]

Ntini totally outbowling Steyn, 5 overs for 6 runs. And should have a wicket.

0/29, Katich taking most of the deliveries and surprise not scoring from them.

 

[MoNkEy]

Hussey goes ...yaaaawwwwnnn....

Bring back the old Australia...this is boring.

Just reading through some saffer classics from the first morning of the first test.

 

[Random Aussie]

Lol now Imraan Khan drops Katich. South African horror story this morning.

unfortunately that was an aggressive shot from Katich so he will now go back into his shell 9 off 46 deliveries so far. Dravidesque.

 

[Random Aussie]

Scoring has almost stopped. Saffer commentators sooking as usual.

 

[Random Aussie]

This is a truly beautiful cricket ground.

CricIndia struggling with their site as usual. Good first over from Albie Morkel, a bit pacier than thought.

 

[Random Aussie]

Albie Morkel bowling 140kph here. It seems to be mandatory for every South African bowler to bowl 140kph, it's the national speed.

0/49

 

[Sheikh]

Saw the Khan drop, was a dolly. Must be a terrible feeling, the poor guy.

 

[Oxy]

Is Kallis captain?

 

[pakistani pride]

^^^^
In this test match all the players are captain, Read somewhere kallis mentioning that the team can make the decisions LOL . . loser

 

[Oxy]

JP Duminy drops a sitter of Hughes!

Whats happene dto their fielding this series??

 

[Oxy]

LBW!!! Hughes

58-1

 

[pakistani pride]

Review would have saved him i think !

 

[pakistani pride]

Ponting gone first test wicket for morkel !

Hussey together with Katich next 20 overs 10 runs for 0 wickets haha. lets hope SA bolwers knock these 2 over, will be intresting

 

[pakistani pride]

Its LUNCH - AUS 66 for 2 . Slow going.

 

[Sheikh]

2 quick wickets and the complexion of the first session changes.

Love test cricket.

 

[Oxy]

Another wkt! 'Outstanding spell from Steyn'

81-4

Clarke OUT for a DUCK!

 

[Informer]

It seems like Steyn had too much wheatgrass for lunch. He is on fire

 

[On_the_up]

38.3 Kallis to Haddin, FOUR, Fabulicious extra-cover drive, the most beautiful shot of the day. It was full in length and outside off stump, Haddin leaned across to cream it through the off side. Again, reminded a bit of Martyn there

 

[On_the_up]

121-4 (39)

 

[Amjid Javed]

Australia 148/4

Aussies in trouble here! Katich needs to get a ton here as does Haddin!

 

[Oxy]

Harris gets Katich for 55!

Imran Khan takes his 1st catch - about time to!

152-5

SA back on top

 

[On_the_up]

Harris doing well, maybe the pressure of loosing his place to Imran Tahir is the motivation.

 

[MoNkEy]

McDonald is poor.

Cheapest baggy green handed out since Casson?

Although that wasn't so long ago!

 

[pakistani pride]

Well he did his thing with the bowl. He was very crucial in the second test match win. Agree batting wise he looks lost but bowling wise he did a good job.

 

[Oxy]

Haddin goes LBW immediately after the break!

158-6

Referral called

 

[Oxy]

Umpires Union sticks together

158-6

 

[Amjid Javed]

S.A on top here and will be looking to knock Aussies over for less than 200 here!

 

[pakistani pride]

PL Harris (sla) 9.0 4 10 3 1.11

9 overs for 10 runs and 3 wickets WOW

 

[Informer]

Exciting wicket, fast bowler getting something, spinners getting something and batsmen can get runs if they apply themselves

 

[Savak]

Hussey failed again. Over rated player. Struggling against a quality South African attack.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Aussies have won 9 out of 10 tests at this ground! Will have to do very well to win this one!

 

[Oxy]

I can see Aus bowlers digging their batsman out f this hole - and winning the test comfortably

 

[Informer]

Newlands is Kallis home ground and 'his happy hunting ground'.

Kallis has a test average of 64 at Newlands.

It's also the home ground of Ashwell Prince.

Prince has a average of 62 at Newlands.

It's also the home ground of J.P Duminy. I am expecting Duminy to do well at Newlands

I just a this feeling that the Proteas will score more than 500 runs in the first innings of this test

 

[Oxy]

Kallis pounces at slip!

MacDonald edges Ntini for 13

Aus: 190-7

 

[Oxy]

Siddle goes for a DUCK! Ntini gets him straight away

Aus: 190-8

 

[On_the_up]

looks like this series will end up being a mirror image of the one in Australia

 

[Oxy]

209-9

Steyn strikes - Johnson out! Fine catch by Prince Ashwell

What a day for SA!

 

[Lightning]

looks like this series will end up being a mirror image of the one in Australia

With the roles reversed of course.

 

[Oxy]

Steyn wraps it up nicely!

Aus: 209 all out

 

[Lightning]

Lets hope the Saffies don't lose their top order before stumps.

 

[Informer]

Khan seems a little nervous. He is not playing his normal game

 

[Amjid Javed]

S.A 54/0 now and off to a flyer here!

 

[Oxy]

Khan seems a little nervous. He is not playing his normal game

Settled down very well.

1st time Ive seen him - seems a ver compact player

 

[Oxy]

Close - Day 1

Aus: 209 all out

SA: 57-0

 

[Da Best]

Settled down very well.

1st time Ive seen him - seems a ver compact player

But got beaten by McGain first ball of the over.

 

[Oxy]

But got beaten by McGain first ball of the over.

1 ball? No drama.

 

[Da Best]

All an all a very good day to SA, bowling crisply and sharply, and getting 50 before the close of the day's play without loosing any wickets.

 

[Da Best]

1 ball? No drama.

Ok, ok but agree, looks very compact, sensible opener.

 

[OZGOD]

Replacing North with McGain was silly but I guess they had no choice as there wasn't a replacement batsman. Too much reliance on the top order now. They'll have to bounce back tomorrow and try and grab some wickets early otherwise we'll be chasing a big score.

 

[Savak]

Clarke and Hussey. These guys have been extremely poor against South Africa. They always look in huge trouble against Steyn.

 

[Random Aussie]

Not a great day for Australia.

209 is not good enough. Hussey now is getting into "soon to be dropped' territory.

 

[Bublu Bhuyan]

Hussey has gone down the pit since the Test series against New Zealand. Incredible, ain't it ? I mean how quickly a batsman loses form and gets into the verge of getting replaced. He was the most consistent batsman of his team till the Test series against India.

 

[Amir]

How is Prince scoring at more than run a ball. He neever does that. Not even in ODIs. And when I saw a six to his name, I almost fell off my chair.

Good start by SA, they should aim for a lead of 200.

 

[Informer]

How is Prince scoring at more than run a ball. He neever does that. Not even in ODIs. And when I saw a six to his name, I almost fell off my chair.

Good start by SA, they should aim for a lead of 200.

Newlands is Aswell Prince home ground and he has an average of 62 on this ground. He always scores big and fast at Newlands.

 

[Random Aussie]

Newlands is Aswell Prince home ground and he has an average of 62 on this ground. He always scores big and fast at Newlands.

I think South Africa should make him angry more often Informer.

This Ashwell Prince>>>>the old Ashwell Prince

 

[IronMan2009]

Mr.Cricket has become Mr.Earth worm.

 

[Random Aussie]

Mr.Cricket has become Mr.Earth worm.

Mr Cricket is about 2 Tests away from being dropped. Can't put up with this forever.

Day 2 starts in an hour or so, Aus need some early wickets.

But 209 is not enough runs so we are going to struggle in this match.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Aussies need early wickets otherwise they will be in big trouble come close of play on day 2.

 

[Oxy]

OUT!

Nervy start by Khan - and he is C&B by Siddle for 20

SA: 65-1

Amla in

 

[Random Aussie]

I love Peter Siddle, yes I do.

This guy is our next gun bowler.

 

[Oxy]

LBW appeal turned down - Referral made.

Should be turned down also

 

[Random Aussie]

Rubbish from the blind Bucknor

 

[Oxy]

Rubbish from the blind Bucknor

Pitched outside leg - i.e NOT OUT! - he would have been rubbish if he had given that out (it would have been referred and overturned!)

 

[Random Aussie]

Pitched outside leg - i.e NOT OUT! - he would have been rubbish if he had given that out (it would have been referred and overturned!)

No for all the heat we get for this guy, he might as well work for us.

This LBW referral stuff is garbage and needs to be scrapped. Not just because of this, Hussey and Katich have both been given not out to LBW that were plumb to the naked eye but pitched about a millimetre outside leg.

The sooner these reviews go the better.

1/69, Siddle causing problems.

 

[Random Aussie]

Dammit Mark Nicholas on commentary

 

[Random Aussie]

1/76 some good bowling here