Australia Vs Seuth Efrica, first test

[DexterPunk]

fuckin lee and his no balls.

pun intended.

[norbs]

Many congrats to SA. They have belted the Aussies in both tests.

[Enforcer-J]

OMG Australia lost a series on home turf!

Sack em all!

[Bauer]

good on SA. The Aussies have a bit of catch up to do.

[Vilante]

Yeah well done to SA, smashed us!

[macca]

Yep, congrats to SA, they outplayed us & had the better captain.

[Montey]

OMG Australia lost a series on home turf!

Sack em all!

I agree..... no seriously... I do, at least for the next test anyway.

The next test should be used to blood the more junior team members. Drop Ponting, Hayden, Lee, and Symonds. Let Hussey captain the side and bring in some young up-and-comers to get them some international experience and give them a chance to knock some of the old blokes out of the side.

[DexterPunk]

Ponting just hit 101 and 99, and you wanna drop him??? And why would Hussey stay in the side when hes not hitting runs? why would he be captain when Clarke is there? I agree on Lee and Hayden need to go.

[norbs]

Hayden is there for Sydney. Jesus Christ! Symmonds is gone to have an operation.

[Righteous]

It was always bound to happen, I'm just stoked that I was around to see australia on top when they were. Maybe south africa will start to dominate the way other countries have in the past. Regardless, SA played really well and to some back from where they were on day 2 is awesome.

I agree with hayden and lee, I think symonds should go too. Need some sort of bloody creative bowler too. Crazy to drop ponting i think.

We'll see what happens in Sydney, I think Hayden will retire at the end of the test anyway.

[Nigel]

Ponting just hit 101 and 99, and you wanna drop him???

I wonder how much he wishes that extra run in the first innings was in the second

Well done to the S'Africans. Why Hydan was picked again for the next test in stead of blooding some younger players is beyond me. Sure it could be to let him find some form in a game that doesn't matter, but that's really not the point when you need more talent in the team.

[DexterPunk]

its kinda sad that he is going out this way... he really should have retired along with Langer and McGrath in my opinion... he may hit another hundred eventually but i dont see him returning to his previous form. Having said that, hes also had some horrible luck.. i guess when things arnt going your way, thats what happens.

[norbs]

Hayden is a flat track bully. Instead of knuckling down and trying to build an innings, he tries to blast his way out of a form slump. 5 years ago he might have intimidated a lot of bowlers, but most of them know where to bowl to him now, and he hasn't adjusted. Listening to guys like kerry O'Keefe and Ashley Mallet, who are both very good technicians of the game, you come to realise that Hayden has quite a few technical problems, that it seems he is too arrogant to address.

Ponting and the selectors should bare the brunt of the responsibility for this and the indian series loss. Australia had both of the last 2 games in hand, and let them slip away. Pontings negative captaincy had a lot to do with it. Dropped catches didn't help. Batsmen throwing away their wickets played a part.

The writing has been on the wall for a while. They struggled against india last year at home, and if we are honest, they were lucky they didnt lose that series. They beat the West indies and NZ, the 2 bottom ranked teams. Got beaten by India away and now handed their arses at home. Times are a changing. You must take 20 wickets (well most times) to win a test match. Apart form Johnson's Perth haul, no bowler has looked like doing it. If we don't have a spinner thats up to the job, don't play one. Or, if you do, give them a few games to come to terms with test cricket. How many spinners have they tried since MacGill gave it away?

Whats the answer? I don't think there is one. I don't believe we have the players to continually win test matches these days. Its sad, but I think it is a fact.

[DexterPunk]

Whats the answer? I don't think there is one. I don't believe we have the players to continually win test matches these days. Its sad, but I think it is a fact.

i agree, and i think it comes down to something ive mentioned before, not enough kids out there playing the sport.. its probably a generational thing... but going through highschool i didnt know one kid playing cricket.. footy yes, basketball yes, tennis, soccer, etc etc etc How are we are going to compete with countries like India with 10x the population and all the kids out on the streets everyday playing? Ive been baffled as to how we have been dominant in cricket as long as we have considering these things.

[r8response]

Not only does the team need a decent shakeup but the selectors as well. They should change the selectors every 3 years

How are we are going to compete with countries like India with 10x the population and all the kids out on the streets everyday playing? Ive been baffled as to how we have been dominant in cricket as long as we have considering these things.

I personally believe thats part of the problem, when i was young saturday and sunday afternoons we're devoted to a game of neighbourhood cricket. These days, all the kids are inside playing PC's and Consoles. Sport these days is an after thought

[DexterPunk]

yeah thats another good point re: PCs, consoles etc..

thats really not good enough, and if i ever have kids ill be making sure they are out being active.

[Nigel]

I think there is another thing missing too. When was the last time there was a Chinese, Aboriginal, Turkish, Greek etc etc person playing cricket ?? Not enough is done to bring others into the game.

[norbs]

I think there is another thing missing too. When was the last time there was a Chinese, Aboriginal, Turkish, Greek etc etc person playing cricket ?? Not enough is done to bring others into the game.

Katich and Kezja are both Croats from memory. Symmonds has West Indian roots and was born un the UK from memory. Michael Kasprowicz is from Estern European heritage. Jason Gillespie has aboriginal background and Greek heritage. I have hazy memories of Tim Zoehrer and Holland. Im not sure if he is Dutch though. Lenny Pascoe was Macedonian. Richard CheeQee played for NSW and was a terrific bat. Thats all I have off the top of my head. My be worth looking into though.

So I think there have been a few around Nige, but you are probably onto something. The Aussie team is and has always been mainly anglo.

[Bauer]

I think there is another thing missing too. When was the last time there was a Chinese, Aboriginal, Turkish, Greek etc etc person playing cricket ?? Not enough is done to bring others into the game.

You are confused. It is England that fields a World XI

[r8response]

I can't say much for the greeks, turks or chinese. But from what i've seen personally, most of the aboriginals out in the middle of australia don't give a rats arse about cricket. They play AFL and thats it