SA tour of India - 2015

[pinball wizard]

Hoover: "Can someone give Vilas a hug? Thrown into the deep end of the ocean as a novice swimmer."

So much lols.

 

[pinball wizard]

Why is the nightwatchman in the sa team?

 

[DanDango]

Couple of things

1. We're poor at playing spin + their spinners are much more accurate than ours
2. India batted first when the pitch was at it's 'best'
3. When you have a 136 run lead on a pitch like this, the pressure on you is vastly reduced
4. Too many inexperienced Saffers in this team.

I'd like to see them reshuffle the order completely in the 2nd innings - if the top 6 can't do it, the game is lost anyway.

1. Elgar
2. Hash
3. AB
4. Faf
5. JP
6. everyone else 'cos if they get this far down, the game is lost anyway

Team vs England
1. Elgar
2. Faf
3. Hash
4. AB
5. Rossouw or 3
6. JP
7.de Kock
8. Harmer
9. Steyn
10.Morkel
11.Rabada
12.Stiaan
13.Bavuma
14.de lange

 

[phoneJunky]

Since when is 200 a good score for a test match? That's only a good score when the pitch is dreadfull. Good first innings scores on good test wickets are considered 350-400. Fact is not one batsman has gotten a century in this series...

215 over 10 wickets is an average of 21.5. That is not high, but not that low either.

Our average score from 1950 until before we got excluded against England were 260.

Indias average score in this series is 232 (also low for a series, but not unheard of)
Our average is 146

That is just indicative us doing badly. Being bowled out for less than 300 should always be a reality. If it is not, then in my opinion bowlers are getting the short end of the stick.

Sure the pressure is off India now, but they managed to get close to our score just now without being 10 down. That just means that there is a part of the game that we are not capable of dealing with.

 

[Wall]

Is Rillie injured? Coz he wasn't in the ODI squad either...

 

[Stefanmuller]

We already lost against their spinners in our heads even before going out to bat. Thats the problem. No point playing defensive on a pitch like this against spin, trying to survive. You are bound to edge one or get one that bounces funny. Rather take as much advantage as possible from the 50odd balls you are going to face before receiving one of those unplayable balls.

Spin is much more unpredictable than pace on this wicket. We should be bowling more spin

 

[Neoprod]

Is Rillie injured? Coz he wasn't in the ODI squad either...

Played Ram Slam last night so he's fine now.

 

[stefan9]

Is Rillie injured? Coz he wasn't in the ODI squad either...

He was injured. Just came back for the knights last 2/3 ram slam games.

 

[Dan C]

go Tahir

 

[dunkyd]

Ever been a two day test ?

 

[satanboy]

How long did it take the Proteas to realise they should use spinner? This is shocking.

 

[Stefanmuller]

How long did it take the Proteas to realise they should use spinner? This is shocking.

The mind boggles. Also, why bowl Harmer for 13 overs without posing much threat, when you have Tahir, JP (who got a wicket) and Elgar who might get a breakthrough?

 

[Dan C]

Ever been a two day test ?

Could happen today, still about 30 overs left

 

[Neoprod]

The mind boggles. Also, why bowl Harmer for 13 overs without posing much threat, when you have Tahir, JP (who got a wicket) and Elgar who might get a breakthrough?

that ones explainable...the others are all part-timers or loose (Tahir). can't afford the runs they give away.

 

[NeonNinja]

Why is the nightwatchman in the sa team?

Why? Who?

 

[stefan9]

Ever been a two day test ?

Seen the one england vs west indies match end in 2 days but then england won by an innings. Not seen a 2 day test where it was 4 innings.

Team vs England
1. Elgar
2. Faf
3. Hash
4. AB
5. Rossouw or 3
6. JP
7.de Kock
8. Harmer
9. Steyn
10.Morkel
11.Rabada
12.Stiaan
13.Bavuma
14.de lange

Faf is no opener. The opener is a big issue as there is no one that really says pick me so its either makeshift option or go wit someone who probably isn't good enough but is a natural opener. Missing smith

Side I would go for:

1.Elgar
2.Van Zyl (last chance saloon for him)
3.Amla
4.ABD
5.Faf
6.JP
7.QDK
8.Harmer
9.Steyn
10.Morkel
11.Radaba*

If The vern is fit he obviously comes in for radaba and bats 8.

 

[Dan C]

310 to get... walk in the park

 

[Agent_Smith]

18 wickets in ONE day (with another 16 overs to be bowled).

Test cricket at it's finest

 

[Neoprod]

Batsmen in this series are getting a taste of what bowlers get pretty often when they have to bowl on tarmac pitches...it's a hard knock life.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Screw it! Just swing at everything. If you're going to go down, go down in style.