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some big cricket coming up!!! Should be awesome.
Some pre series reading if anybody is interested.
Ponting talking about losing and seems worried about rankings
Smith having a laugh at Ponting's comments
And Shane Watson praises Graeme Smith.
Plenty nut scratching for u.![]()
Can't wait!! Even bought me a special nut scratcher!!
I just hope our team is fully fit and we have no injuries.
December 2008
Date Home Away Venue Start
11 Western Australia v South Africa XI OD WACA, Perth 05:00
12 Western Australia v South Africa XI 2/D WACA, Perth 03:30
17 Australia v South Africa Test WACA, Perth 04:30
26 Australia v South Africa Test MCG, Melbourne 02:00
January 2009
Date Home Away Venue Start
3 Australia v South Africa Test SCG, Sydney 02:00
11 Australia v South Africa 20/20 MCG, Melbourne 10:35
13 Australia v South Africa 20/20 Woolloongabba, Brisbane 12:35
16 Australia v South Africa ODI MCG, Melbourne 05:15
18 Australia v South Africa ODI Bellerive Oval, Hobart 01:00
23 Australia v South Africa ODI SCG, Sydney 05:15
26 Australia v South Africa ODI Adelaide Oval, Adelaide 05:15
30 Australia v South Africa ODI WACA, Perth 06:30
Apparently Steyn isnt playing in the first warm up match, hamstring niggle, let's hope it stays just a niggle.
We need Steyn fit.
Morkel will hopefully start bowling better, his last few matches ain't been great.
Ntini is a bit old for this.
Harris will probably get tonked.
That's what I think of our attack right now.
Otherwise it's pretty ok.![]()
Aye our hope is on steyn + morkel and a little ntini.
The rest our batsmen must do
We need a good wrist spinner and a left arm swing bowler! (good ones)
The good news is that the Aussie bowlers aren't better than ours, they also have worries.
Boucher vs Haddin - interesting, Haddin has just got his first test 100.
Boucher also got one, against Banglesh, so maybe even there.
Our batsmen vs theirs - I think they win there.
Allrounders - we don't have any these days (Kallis's bowling not threatening these days), nor do they, Watson and Symonds are not scary bowlers.
Aussies have home advantage.
They should take it 2 - 1.
Funny but I would not be all that to disappointed with that result....would love to win it but 2-1 will give us some balls to do better next time
They showed the SA vs Aus team the other day and the positions each player had on the world rankings.... look very even there.
Like you said they have home advantage
Also does anyone know if the "practice" matches are going to be broadcast here in SA?
The good news is that the Aussie bowlers aren't better than ours, they also have worries.
Boucher vs Haddin - interesting, Haddin has just got his first test 100.
Boucher also got one, against Banglesh, so maybe even there.
Our batsmen vs theirs - I think they win there.
Allrounders - we don't have any these days (Kallis's bowling not threatening these days), nor do they, Watson and Symonds are not scary bowlers.
Aussies have home advantage.
They should take it 2 - 1.
Disagree there.
Hayden vs Smith: Current form Smith wins out.
Katich vs McKenzie: Very close this one. I will go with Mckenzie.
Ponting vs Amla: In 2008 Amla has been in better form but Ponting is a class so I will still give the nod to him.
Hussey vs Kallis: Normall this would be a tie but because of Kallis current dreadfull form I have to give it to hussey.
Prince vs Clakre: Prince is the more consistent player. I go with prince.
Symonds vs AB: Symonds haveb't done much since his comeback from his hiatus and AB had a great 2008. I will give this to AB.
Haddin vs Boucher: Before Haddin's 100 vs nz this was no contest. He had looked totally out of his depth at international level. It will be interesting to see if he go forward with that form or if he will fall back. a Draw imho.
Watson/Krejza vs Harris: If they go with watson this is a no contest as far as batting goes. If they go with krejza then harris sneaks the win.
So overall its pretty dead even as far as batting goes. With Aus or SA taking the lead depending on Aus playing krejza or watson.
Now onto the bowling.
Lee vs Steyn: At the moment Steyn is the best fast bowler in the world and his stats back this up. His record in india this year was vastly better than lee's. Steyn wins this one.
Clarke vs Morkel: Clarke is the more accurate and economical bowler but tests are won by taking wickets and Morkel produces more wicket taking deliveries. Morkel wins for me.
Johnson vs Ntini: Before Ntini returned to form this was a no contest now its very close. I will still just go for Johnson.
Harris vs Krejza/Watson: Difficult to judge since the only test krejza played was a pitch perfectly suited to harris. He will take more wickets than paul but he will also concede a lot more runs. If he concedes the amount he did vs india I don't care if takes 12 in the match his side will still lose. Watson's bowling isn't anything special. Harris does the role smith requires him to play excellently. He is never going to run through a side but he keeps it tight and picks up crucial wickets at times. Also for those who think he is going to get smashed, the likes of pieterson,flintoff and the india's tried and neither really succeeded. Harris win for me.
Symonds/clarke vs kallis: Recently kallis has been bowling better imho. He is a better test bowler than both of these.
4-1 in the bowling for us imho.
Overall I think we will win the series 2-1. We will win in perth and melbourne and probably lose in Sydney.
Rankings:
Hayden(13) vs Smith (9)
Katich (26) vs McKenzie (29)
Ponting (7) vs Amla (21)
Hussey (4) vs Kallis (12)
Prince(15) vs Clakre (11)
Symonds (23) vs AB (25)
Haddin(50) vs Boucher (43)
Watson(97)/Krejza(100+) vs Harris (100+)
Now onto the bowling.
Lee (5) vs Steyn (2)
Clarke (3) vs Morkel (38)
Johnson (8) vs Ntini (4)
Harris(36) vs Krejza (48) / Watson (58)
Symonds (54) / clarke(71) vs kallis (19)