South Africa v Australia, 1st Test, Cape Town, 9-13 November, 2011

Paul Keating wrote:Strauss is so overrated.

Led TWO Ashes winning teams.
Led a team that slaughtered the Indians 4-0 just lately.

I guess apart from all the above trivia - he is kinda "overrated".

PS - oh yes, I forgot, he scored a few runs during this time too!

In short, yes, yes he is.

beamer wrote:Kallis at his peak was better than any current England player, but is he now?

Just the point I was attempting to enlighten Taips about.
Plus the fact, whilst a very accomplished batsman, he is a heavy red-inker.

kallis averages around 80 for the last 2 years

one bad match does not make him a player not fit to walk into the english side. this is ridiculous

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:I think the future of Australian Test Cricket lays with the new selection panel. They can go one of two ways. Start making some bold but necessary cuts or revert to type & just keep making excuses for retaining the same dead wood ala Hilditch & co.

So where to BD?

Cut Ponting, Hussey, Haddin and Mitch. Drop Watson down the order. What then?

I think Hussey has deserved a farewell summer. Ponting maybe a farewell vs NZ.

strauss averages 32 over the last 2 years. thats 51st best for players with more than 500 runs. how is this even up for debate ffs

and on current form bell > AB

didn't know he had quite such a run

The One wrote:kallis averages around 80 for the last 2 years

one bad match does not make him a player not fit to walk into the english side. this is ridiculous

Nobody said he wouldn't be good enougn for the England side, or that he's not as good as Strauss did they? Just that he's not necessarily better than every player in the England side right now.

I take it that 80 average is with the ball?

beamer wrote:Nobody said he wouldn't be good enougn for the England side, or that he's not as good as Strauss did they? Just that he's not necessarily better than every player in the England side right now.

yes he is better than every english player

Henry wrote:Clarke boldly announces the new era of Aus cricket by wearing his VB sponsor's cap backwards instead of the baggy green during the presentation ceremony.

I'm guessing

In terms of pure ability - perhaps, though he's coming to the end of his career while most of our players are around their peak. As a team player though, probably not.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:The absolute fact is that on current form, JUST ONE (Clarke) of the 'Strine team would make it into an England Test XI.

The rest - it has to be said - are pure sh*te.

How the "mighty" have fallen ..... and how far!

I personally don't think so. I reckon they're prone to more f*ck ups, but they'll be competitive in every series they play IMO.

Possibly the most freakish thought is this: They're most likely the 3rd best Test team.

I assume you mean apart from the ashes? Let's be honest- they were thrashed then.

taipan wrote:

Merlin wrote:Smith - No - we've got two more than decent openers who've strung a few century partnerships together of late. No need for another left handed opener.
Amla - Yes - for certain.
Kallis - No ... too slow and getting on a bit - no room for red-inkers.
AB - maybe - if IRB fails to deliver!

Fark me, the poms are coming over all bannie.

First Trev reckons Jimmikins is better than Steyn.

Now this PMSL

Oh FFS. I said AS GOOD AS. There's a difference.....

lardbucket wrote:

Henry wrote:Clarke boldly announces the new era of Aus cricket by wearing his VB sponsor's cap backwards instead of the baggy green during the presentation ceremony.

I'm guessing

No way. That would mean the logo isn't visible and that would be almost as big a travesty as 47 all out.

Clarke's the type to ensure that there's a logo on the cap back, just so he can wear it backwards.

Contemptible, entitled, selfish, bogan qunt. Played well in the first innings here, though.

Aye. Why couldn't Marsh or even Watto have got the ton?

There seems to be quite a consensus on here that this is the most important tool available to CA at the moment. Almost from top to bottom.



But I say, wait and see.




(At least until after a couple more Ashes.)

Henry wrote:

taipan wrote:

Merlin wrote:Smith - No - we've got two more than decent openers who've strung a few century partnerships together of late. No need for another left handed opener.
Amla - Yes - for certain.
Kallis - No ... too slow and getting on a bit - no room for red-inkers.
AB - maybe - if IRB fails to deliver!

Fark me, the poms are coming over all bannie.

First Trev reckons Jimmikins is better than Steyn.

Now this PMSL

Oh FFS. I said AS GOOD AS. There's a difference.....

Even then (unless that was changed as well) Anderson as good as Steyn? I know Jimmy's a very good bowler, but are you f*cking mad?

Perhaps I am mad. And over the course of their entire careers, Steyn has been the better bowler. But in the last two years, there's not much between them.

taipan wrote:Well basically Smith, Amla, Kallis and AB would walk into the England top 6. So where does that leave Clarke?

So no room for one of Cook, Trott and Peitersen? I'm not sure about that.

Seriously though:

Why for example is Hilfenhaus not in SAf?

I know why Katich, Khawaja and Krejza aren't there.

But maybe they should be. Hell, even Kallum Ferguson or Nilethan Koulter-Nile (a better Wozzie Mitchell?) might have a bit more clue than a couple who played that last Test.

Good luck to Invers in sorting this mess of an Aus side out.

PeterCS wrote:Seriously though:

Why for example is Hilfenhaus not in SAf?

I know why Katich, Khawaja and Krejza aren't there.

But maybe they should be. Hell, even Kallum Ferguson or Nilethan Koulter-Nile (a better Wozzie Mitchell?) might have a bit more clue than a couple who played that last Test.

Khawaja is there. surely he'll play for Marsh in the next test.

Worst thing about this inept performance is that it almost guaranteed Dave Warner a Baggy Green.

JGK wrote:

PeterCS wrote:Seriously though:

Why for example is Hilfenhaus not in SAf?

I know why Katich, Khawaja and Krejza aren't there.

But maybe they should be. Hell, even Kallum Ferguson or Nilethan Koulter-Nile (a better Wozzie Mitchell?) might have a bit more clue than a couple who played that last Test.

Khawaja is there. surely he'll play for Marsh in the next test.

Another problem for Aus is that their three best performing players- Marsh, Watson, and Harris, are all chronic crocks.