South Africa v Australia, 4th Test, Johannesburg, 30 March - 3 April, 2018

Congrats to the SAffers.

Far too strong in the end and made Aus melt when they stepped up the heat.

Australia's fragile top 6 exposed badly.

Well TFFT

SO we headed to SAf with a team that had just smacked the Poms, contained the world's best batsmen and allegedly the world's best bowling attack (I can hear the SAffer sniggers) and we return with our tails between our legs having our shitty top 6 badly exposed, our 3 best bats (MrsR did OK) rubbed out for a year and our much vaunted bowling attack broken and misfiring (save for 2nd).

All-in-all, a debacle of a tour

skully wrote:SO we headed to SAf with a team that had just smacked the Poms, contained the world's best batsmen and allegedly the world's best bowling attack (I can hear the SAffer sniggers) and we return with our tails between our legs having our shitty top 6 badly exposed, our 3 best bats (MrsR did OK) rubbed out for a year and our much vaunted bowling attack broken and misfiring (save for 2nd).

All-in-all, a debacle of a tour

Not a million miles from 1970.

Aye.

We started to turn it around after that disastrous SAf tour of 1970. Unfortch I can't see too many DKLs, GSCs or KDWs coming out of the woodwork.

Pity that a series that was shaping up well, was ruined by the stupidity of a few

taipan wrote:Pity that a series that was shaping up well, was ruined by the stupidity of a few

I blame skully.

Nice send off for Morkel.
There was no need at all for that chancy 2nd run so I think Lyon just wanted it over.

So was that the (increasingly grumpy) GOAT's entry in the 'dog in the manger' stakes, alongside Tony Greig's 4 wides to deep square leg in the last WSC game in Oz and Andy 'Giggles' Caddick's deliberate no-ball to end the Trent Bridge test in Ashes 2001?

So the series ended in a proverbial train-wreck.

Really only Cummins enhanced his reputation. He is basically an all-rounder now with his ability to occupy the crease and play some good shots if circumstances allow.
An honourable mention to Paine for valuing his wicket, being sound behind the stumps and taking on the leadership duties, but he's more honest than matchwinning.
The batting was très ordinary, despite some excellent bowling by the opposition.
Even Steve Smith before his fall from grace was found wanting both against spin and the pacemen.
Many were extolling the virtues of the selectors after the Ashes triumph, but the Marsh sisters didn't have much to contend with against the poms and Shaun in particular has reverted to type. Mitch has had his moments, but still looks a risk at number six.
The powerstation has been the most disappointing after publicly expressing his excitement at getting an opportunity to bowl on SA pitches.
Starc bowled out of skin in Durban, but without reverse swing, he became leaky.
Lyon was at least matched by Maharaj which went against series predictions by most.
But in reality the series reads like a litany of disasters which even those scripting a drama would struggle to have predicted.



• On top of their game in Durban, especially for the first half of the test. SA struggling against reverse swing with Starc a huge weapon and a decent support cast, but
• Warner antagonised de Kock which led to him muttering something naughty under his breath and all hell broke loose.
• Warner screamed at Markram for being part of the ABDV run out and had to be restrained
• Warner told de Kock that he was an effing sook twice.

• Warner had to be further restrained by teammates when de Kock was in his propinquity.
• Then Rabada turned up the heat and the bats collapsed. He got suspended but that was overturned.  ABDV seemed untroubled against our much vaunted attack.
• Smith was unhappy about Rabada’s reinstatement and seemed distracted by off-field affairs.
• Capetown capers continued the downward spiral as the Aussies sought desperate measures when the game seemed out of hand.
• Warner who else? Hatched a plot to expedite reverse swing by inveigling Bancroft into his plan.,
• Smith reluctantly rubber-stamped this.
• Bancroft’s sandpapering skills were honed by Warner.
• Bancroft is exposed on the big screen but convinces the umpires that he was merely polishing the ball with his sunglasses soft case.
• Bancroft stuffs a foreign object down his pants.
• Smith and Bancroft seem  contrite at post-match press conference but believe that the furore will blow over and the former can retain his captaincy.
• CA send a merry band of men over to the republic.
• Sutherland arrives on the slow plane after two days in the air.
• The integrity unit and Sutherland dish out tough penalities
• Smith and Warner fly home on separate planes.
• All are lachrymose in their respective pressers, with  the architect Warner seeming to be the least apologetic
• Of course the Aussies were belted in Capetown and destined to fly to Joburg with reinforcements to replace the bad boys.
• Three extras fly in, two of whom were victors in the SS and still in celebratory mood.
• The team showed some pluck on day one, but eventually fell in a heap to record one of the worst losses in our storied history and in test cricket in general.
• The team also became the first to be vanquished by SA on home soil since readmission.
• Lehmann who had tearfully resigned after seeing the fallout from Smith’s raw presser finished on a disastrous note.
• SA could basically smile after toying with the visitors on the last two days.
• Australia was left to pick up the pieces after a 3-1 drubbing, the suspension of three players, unprecedented flak from media figures, hypocritical politicians and fans alike.
• The three suspended players lost a plethora of sponsors, while CA shed at least one with its ambition to receive truckloads of money for the television rights now shattered.
• Aussie cricket is left to deal with the sceptre of player appeals, onfield leadership questions, but the search for some decent batsmen who can make runs away from autobahns among our scarce resources.

Red wrote:Congratulations South Africa.

Summary for those that can't be bothered to read.

Missed the ending to this due to all-morning meetings and see that it was even more feeble than I anticipated.

What a disastrous series on and off the field. The only positives were Cummins and Paine.

Congratulations to the Saffers on the very convincing series win. Outplayed Aus in all departments.

Heaviest defeat by runs since 1934. Ouch.

Although really it was pretty much what everyone expected after the third test, can't really expect much better after losing your captain and vice captain. Can't imagine Australia's morale ever being lower in the dressing room after the third test.

Red wrote:Aussie cricket is left to deal with the sceptre of player appeals

The spectre, I think you meant. And not the Blofeld one.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australian-test-great-shane-warne-calls-for-mass-changes-at-all-levels-following-disastrous-tour-of-south-africa/news-story/bbcddab22a84089043c1f243d77f3520

nice of Warne to call for change, but when the time comes for him to accept a full time role in helping, he's nowhere to be seen/found.

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Aussie cricket is left to deal with the sceptre of player appeals

The spectre, I think you meant. And not the Blofeld one.

I certainly did. I think there might be a few mangled words among that hastily scribbled diatribe.

Red wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Aussie cricket is left to deal with the sceptre of player appeals

The spectre, I think you meant. And not the Blofeld one.

I certainly did. I think there might be a few mangled words among that hastily scribbled diatribe.

And I'm guessing that's not the gin-addled English twit one either

OK time to start casting:

DAVID WARNER: (Frankie Abbott from Please Sir)
STEVE SMITH: Dan Ackroyd
SHAUN MARSH: Dannii Minogue
MITCH MARSH: Kylie Minogue
JAMES SUTHERLAND: George Cole

Dave Warner would more appropriately be represented by Terry-Thomas or Gert Frobe.

JGK wrote:Top 10 wins by runs - gonna be hard for Aust to stay out of this list:

Match Country Versus Ground Margin
1 30/11/1928 England Australia Exhibition Ground 675 Runs
2 18/08/1934 Australia England Kennington Oval 562 Runs
3 17/02/1911 Australia South Africa Melbourne Cricket Ground 530 Runs
4 16/12/2004 Australia Pakistan WACA Ground 491 Runs
5 03/01/2009 Sri Lanka Bangladesh Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium 465 Runs
6 08/07/1976 West Indies England Old Trafford 425 Runs
7 24/06/1948 Australia England Lord's 409 Runs
8 26/01/1980 West Indies Australia Adelaide Oval 408 Runs
9 16/07/2015 Australia England Lord's 405 Runs
10 07/11/2002 Australia England Brisbane Cricket Ground 384 Runs

Where does this this fit in?


http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17544/scorecard/62652/england-vs-australia-5th-test-australia-tour-of-england-1938/

2 England-esque collapses in one series. How very un-Australian.

The 1980s are back.

If he keeps his spot, it is time for Haze to be first change. Cummins must have first use of the ball. If OP is fit and in form he plays ahead of Haze.

Cummins must take the new ball. He can actually swing it at pace.

Ima did ok but is just a solid good ordinary player. Every other other player beyond the three suspended lost ground.

fwiw, I do not believe we can ever play again home town ftbs like UK, the promising Bog and his pea hearted brother or technically challenged players like Monty or the Sneak.

I'd like to see Boof jnr, Head, Wildebeest, No Show, Doran, Langoustine and Wrench ordered to play county cricket on the basis they will never be selected to play for their State let alone Oz.

Woops. Unless they comply.

Agree that only Cummins and Paine came away with their reputations enhanced. I am concerned that Cummins is at risk of injury if he continues to carry his recent load. Lyon and Starc are the only other players who deserve ‘automatic’ selection going forward.

I would be selecting Agar, and pushing him, Starc, and Cummins yo play all-round roles. I think we have to face up to the probability that OP will never be back.

I expect Doran, Gabe Bell, and Tom Rogers to figure in selection discussions over the next 12-24 months. Bowling prospects look OK but I’m not sure where our next 1-6 are coming from.