Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Brisbane, 17-21 December, 2022

The pitches may have a say in how effective the quicks are. Everyone is building up for a pacefest, but our pitches are often pretty benign and tend to nullify the potential for fireworks.

Trueman: ‘Of course, we had it tough’.

"You were looky. I used to dream of livin in a lake"

Guess it was the good old cortisone injection in the old days, with little consideration of being able to walk after the age of 50?

skully wrote:
What's up with Purple? Two summers straight, he's pulled up sore after the first Test of the summer then missed the rest.

not enough bowling loads in the Shield, too much T20/ODIs

Probably a fair call, Nath.

Haze does not look fit certainly compared with Starc and Cummins. He strikes me as needing sustained work like Boland and Neser to get bowling fit as well.

Pitch looked very green on the Nooz. No doubt a mow and a roll will take some of the sting out but could be a very good toss to win.

Tomorrow's first ball feels like the first of the summer after the lack lustre Windies series.

Nath wrote:

skully wrote:
What's up with Purple? Two summers straight, he's pulled up sore after the first Test of the summer then missed the rest.

not enough bowling loads in the Shield, too much T20/ODIs

The bowlers don’t get much work in the T20 shitfests.

Aus win the toss, and send the Saffies in on a Gabba green top.

Drop Boland. Only 2wickets in his first over today

Boland keeps going; it was a good toss to win. Possibly will decide the match, though SA's pathetic batting was always predicted to be in free fall. Also Zhondo was lucky to be selected in front of TDB, but ironically skin colour is always a major factor in selecting SA teams.

Crisis in good Saffie schools?

I see Nigel's fave Bavuma has stopped the rot.

AO 152. 3 to Koo & Elmer.

Now how will we go?

Best you can say about Warner's innings is that he didn't hang about....first Golden Globe since 2018

it was a cracking catch

Smith gone. Evens it up a bit. Great bowling.

Crowd cheers Boland in.

Has there been a more improbable folk hero than Boland?

2 late wkts hurts.

Peach from Nortje to remove Smudge.

So good to see bowlers on top.

horace wrote:
Has there been a more improbable folk hero than Boland?

what about Richard Chee Quee?

Great day.

And people say Test cricket is dying, pfft.
When two evenly matched sides go at it, then there is nothing better imo.
Suffice to say Head hold the key to the Aus fortunes with the bat. The counter attack yesterday was Gilly-esque in its power and shot selection.
Not sure what GOAT did to be dropped as night watchman , but the two late wickets for the Saffies brought them right back into it.
Traditionally the Gabba pitch gets better for Batting as the game progresses, so will be interesting to see if that holds true.

Great Test match has been set up.