Originally Posted by Alfresco

Both first innings complete.

Australia 85

South Africa 326

South Africa lead by 241 runs

Originally Posted by Beoz

Is it still going?

Originally Posted by Amazulu

Destruction of men in their prime.......

Originally Posted by Beoz

The Aussie's have to learn 2 things from that test. 2 things they should have learned from the past Ashes series in England.

1. Leave the balls that are swinging away from the stumps alone.

2. Learn to swing the ball when you bowl. Scuff it in the dirt, bounce it into the keeper. Polish the daylights out of it. See the Saffa's.

Well done to the Saffa's. Simple things done right.

Originally Posted by Beoz

Ditto

Of course everyone will blame the batsmen but if you bowl as well as the Saffa's on such a surface it's an even playing field.

Awesome bowling again from the Saffs

Originally Posted by Alfresco

Yep, they bowled awesomely. The batting by Oz has seriously gone downhill, but I'm not complaining. I spent many years watching S.A. (and other countries) get slaughtered by Oz.

S.A. now have the opportunity to whitewash Oz on their home soil for the first time in History, in test cricket.

Touch wood.

Originally Posted by chocolate cake

Yeah, the first test was close, and England have lost the last test match in a number of series over the last couple of years, both dead series (last year's home series to Aussies) and non dead ones (WI away last year, NZ home last year, Pakistan home this year).

Bangladesh deserved the win for sure, they would likely have beaten the Aussies who pulled out of their last series there, and have been well beaten India an Sri Lanka recently.

Still, even though Bangladesh was good practice and despite England being the last team to win a test in India never mind a series, I think they will struggle this time. The top order doesn't have the strength of Pieterson from last time or on form Cook, nor the quality of spin from Swan. However the England middle and bottom order is much stronger (2nd innings against Bangladesh excepted!), they have several all rounders and the Indian batsmen weaker too.

Should be an excellent series, had England not lost against Bangladesh they would have had a decent chance of topping the rankings, instead it's unlikely unless they win the series comfortably like last time. And then not in England's control with an unusually poor South African outfit playing in Australia now, and Pakistan being in NZ shortly. Though Asian teams typically tour NZ badly, on the other side Pakistan played excellently at times in England just gone so will have a shout if they play anything like that, as NZ relying heavily on Williamson, with McCullum retired, Taylor out of form and B J Watling not contributing much with bat either recently.

Originally Posted by chocolate cake

Crikey, I couldn't have been more wrong about a poor SA's chances in Australia, with them 2 -0 up and chance of a whitewash, and now the Aussies having lost 5 on the bounce.

The England v India match, seemed to have been played on a road, 6 days probably wouldn't have seen a finish. Good batting by India though in their first innings facing up to a big score. England certainly have decent batting line up at the mo, with all 11 in the last test having first class centuries to their name. Bodes well for a decent series, nice to see a full 5 tests, why is it only England, India and Australia are playing 5 test series? so much more exciting than 20/20's, maybe an age thing?

Here looking forward to NZ v Pakistan, I'd expect Pakistan to be competitive though they've barely played any warm ups.

Originally Posted by Alfresco

Yep, they bowled awesomely. The batting by Oz has seriously gone downhill, but I'm not complaining. I spent many years watching S.A. (and other countries) get slaughtered by Oz.

S.A. now have the opportunity to whitewash Oz on their home soil for the first time in History, in test cricket.

Touch wood.

Originally Posted by Kim67

Bowled awesomely huh? Ball tampering allegations against their captain! Du Plessis to face ICC hearing today | cricket.com.au

Originally Posted by Kim67

Bowled awesomely huh? Ball tampering allegations against their captain! Du Plessis to face ICC hearing today | cricket.com.au

Originally Posted by Beoz

I bet nothing comes of this. They were warned in the first test by the umpire about throwing the ball into the keeper on a few bounces to scuff it up.

To be fair, its all part of the game. The Australian's seem very lazy when it comes to ball maintainance which has cost them over the years, especially in England.

Australia need to either order pitches that are not swing friendly or learn how to swing the ball.

Blaming batsmen is not the issue here.