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The New and Improved Cricket Thread© - Now Roadblock Free!

Yagharek

Member
SA in big trouble here. Will be interesting to see how Du Plessis handles the pressure, and whether this is just good bowling or a bowler's pitch.
 

Dead Man

Member
Flintoff marks boxing debut with heavyweight win

4402568-3x2-700x467.jpg
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Predictable result, sadly. When SA were 70/6 it reminded me of that other test where Aussies bowled them out cheaply then got rolled themselves for 40-odd...
You knew if Australia could bowl as well as they did early yesterday then the quality of South Africa's bowlers could do just as well.

Hopefully we can get at least 150, though well short of what it should have been.

Edit: Wade's played well. I'm glad someone stepped up for us. Him getting his 100 would be a great reward.
 
Can't believe how fast this match got away from Australia especially with how the first innings turned out. Finally got themselves a wicket so maybe it's the start of something?

Incredible catch btw.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Happens all the time though with Australia nowadays -- letting a game slip away-- shits me off no end.

Both catches for Australia have been fantastic.
 
That Kallis drop might hurt them. He is looking quite good.

Happens all the time though with Australia nowadays -- letting a game slip away-- shits me off no end.

Both catches for Australia have been fantastic.

The second one in particular for mine. There are few if any more impressive things in the game of cricket than diving forward on the run for a catch like that.
 

Grug

Member
According to Graeme Smith... Ponting & Kallis > Lara and Tendulkar.

Interesting.

Another super knock by Amla. Gotta love him.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Finally. Took a great effort from Johnson to get a breakthrough.

Poor Elgar got a pair on debut.

Edit: Awesome by De Villiers. So many good batsmen for South Africa.
 

Yagharek

Member
South Africa a re just too good.

If Australia win this, they will deserve the #1 ranking because it's over 500 runs in SA's favour now.

Of course, that won't happen. Amla is ridiculously good.
 
A

A More Normal Bird

Unconfirmed Member
This should be interesting. Du Plessis' ability to dig in has been Australia's bane this series and it's exactly the sort of thing they need on their end right now. That and a Clarke/Ponting 400 run partnership that moves everyone at the ground to tears, SA included.

Speaking more earnestly, I don't think Australia have it in them to last 2 days; some cracks might start to show in the pitch. Although if Morkel's ankle worsens overnight and Steyn's form goes back to wherever it was in Adelaide and Brisbane... lol.
 
According to Graeme Smith... Ponting & Kallis > Lara and Tendulkar.

Interesting.

Another super knock by Amla. Gotta love him.

that would be difficult as in their prime each of them were crazy good. we are lucky to witness so many class players in last 20 years or so. I have personal bias of course towards kallis since he is alrounder and my favorite so I would take him first in my team but all four would have place undoubtedly. you just can not compare this four.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Hopefully we still have the best part of the next two days of cricket left. Even if Australia don't win I hope we put up a decent fight.
 
According to Graeme Smith... Ponting & Kallis > Lara and Tendulkar.

Interesting.

Another super knock by Amla. Gotta love him.

As far as i'm concerned it's Kallis >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Ponting, Lara & Tendulkar. All rounders are just so incredibly valuable and sometimes i think their impact is even understated. Kallis is probably going to end up with the best batting average of the lot (well ahead of ponting and Lara especially) and with close to or over 300 wickets to his name. There are very few names in the history of cricket i would put above Kallis.
 
RT Ponting 1995-2012 168* 287 29 13378 257 51.85


MJ Clarke 2004-2012 86* 143 15 6637 329* 51.85



both average same right about now. Good bye ponting you were great.
 

Yagharek

Member
There haven't been that many *great* all-rounders in a while. I reckon you would have to go back to Mark Waugh and Imran Khan before the use of the word great would be justified.

Kallis is in a completely different parthenon to those players though. His longevity and talent is incredible.

As far as batsmen go, the best I've seen in my life is Viv Richards, and the best bowler would be McGrath. I just missed out on seeing the best of the West Indies pace attack, though.
 
There haven't been that many *great* all-rounders in a while. I reckon you would have to go back to Mark Waugh and Imran Khan before the use of the word great would be justified.

Kallis is in a completely different parthenon to those players though. His longevity and talent is incredible.

As far as batsmen go, the best I've seen in my life is Viv Richards, and the best bowler would be McGrath. I just missed out on seeing the best of the West Indies pace attack, though.

Best bowler for mine is Warne and it isn't even close. His retirement really has taken away so much of my enjoyment of cricket, spin is a dying art now it feels like.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
^ Wouldn't be surprised to see them bring back Quiney for another chance. Long term idk. I've heard Khawaja and Hughes' names thrown around but I don't keep track of form outside of the Australian side.

Haddin's had his time imo. They'd be going backward if they brought him back in. They need to think about the future players.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Watson go in favor of someone else. He seemed off in the last innings. Bowling helps him but he only bowled 9 overs in the 2nd innings to SA when they needed wickets even though he bowled pretty well.

It'll be interesting to see how they handle the bowlers. They may just keep rotating them in and out.
Johnson is the interesting one. Cricinfo says it had been a full year since his last test. I remember him having all sorts of problems. This last game was the best I've seen him bowl in ages. But while he did bowl well they reckon Perth is his best ground so I wonder whether they'll stick with him over Hilfenhaus.

Starc should have been in the first test imo. I've heard Starc's been in good form lately.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Warne says he'd play Tests if asked

Shane Warne says he'd consider an Ashes comeback - but only if asked by Australian captain Michael Clarke.

Australia's record wicket-taker, who is preparing for another season of the Big Bash League, told News Limited newspapers he could confidently bowl up to Test standard again.

While indicating he was happily retired form the longer form of the game Warne said if his close friend Clarke suggested his services were needed he'd give it some serious thought.

"If your best friend says, 'Mate, I want you to seriously consider making a commitment to Australian cricket and coming back out of retirement', (to) make myself available for selection, that's a different scenario," Warne said.

The 43 year-old, who has 195 Ashes wickets in 36 Tests at an 23.25, said he felt the urge to play the five-day game again while watching the third Test against South Africa in Perth, when the Australian attack took a beating in the Proteas' second innings.

"I felt like I wanted to jump off the couch and grab the ball," he said.

"I really felt for Michael Clarke from a captaincy point of view.

"When you've got international bowlers bowling one or two full-tosses an over and half-volleys, I felt for Pup, I really felt for him."

Warne said he was well pleased with his bowling for the Renegades in the lead up to the T20 BBL.

"I think I'm bowling as good as I have for a long time - the best I have since I retired from international cricket in 2007," he said.

"It's because I'm fresh. I don't bowl for 9-10 months of the year and bowl 5000 overs any more."

lol, could you imagine if he came back? Even if he was rubbish how awesome would it be to see him back out there playing another England side?
Ridiculous but a man can dream.
 

artist

Banned
Cook is still so young. He is going to end up with one of the most impressive records for an opening batsmen.
If he keeps up his scoring pace like this, he might do the impossible; challenge Tendulkar's records ..

Easily one of the best English batsmen over the last 2-3 decades.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
lol, I had to check what was so strange about Cook's wicket.

Has Cook been run out backing up? I think he has, you know. Kohli is sprinting around in delight, having scored a direct hit at the non-striker's end ... Pietersen turned the ball square on the leg side and, as the throw came in, Cook was about to ground his bat - then, inexplicably, he tried to get out of the way of the ball having not got back in. It sailed through the gap he had politely created and shattered the stumps and, after a bit of conferring to determine whether he was taking evasive action to avoid being hurt, it's decided he wasn't and has to go. What a way to be dismissed ten short of a double-hundred!

I need to see a video of it.

Edit: Don't think I've ever seen anything quite so bizarre.

*Video has been deleted - just search for "Cook run out" if anyone still wants to see.
 

Ashes

Banned
India end your resistance already. You didn't lose by an innings. We get it. But you guys are already dead. Give up the ghost.
 
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