I’d say Henriques Braz. Doolan looks to be the favourite for three, though Hughes scored 83 in a practice match over the weekend. This is going to be a very good series.
Morgan has pulled out of the IPL auction so that he can play the start of the Championship season with Middlesex. I wonder if he’s had a word in his ear that they are looking for him to come into the Test team if he scores a few runs.
Looks like it, He is still only 27.
Great to see a lad put career progression before money for once.
South Africa on top in Centurion. They’ve picked up three wickets so far this morning. Australia 72/3.
we have been smashing Saffers around all summer, more of the same lads
Australia wobbling in a big way now with Dale Steyn after claiming the big wicket of Michael Clarke.
Australia 297 - 4 at the end of day 1, Shaun Marsh 122 no, Steve Smith 91 no.
Big gamble playing Marsh, especially when you look at his running between wickets, but its paid off big time, an intelligent, measured century from Shaun Marsh, who’d have thunk it? And he’s still there. Steve Smith continues to mature as a test player. Australia’s next captain. They should be able to kick on for a while, Haddin an Johnson come in and blast away and the tail is always good for 50+ runs (though the bowling here will be a lot more merciless than the stuff engerland served up over the summer). 450-500 should be achievable.
Aussies bowled out for 397. Tail did not add a lot. Centuries from Marsh and Smith. Haddin out for a duck.
South Africa 86/4. It was a lot worse, they were 23/3 after Johnson picked up 3 wickets in the first 8 overs. Need de Villiers to score big if they are going to get back into this.
Looks like one hell of a dumb decision by Graeme Smith to put Australia into bat after winning the toss.
Mitchell Johnson, just wonderful to watch this man go about his business.
Christ, Amla looks in all sorts at the moment. De Villiers though, what a player. He’s the big one now, but Australia might be happy to have him NO at the end of the innings and just concentrate on getting Peterson and the not very good batting tail out. If they can keep SA within 250 runs, then a huge chance of winning it. That was in 43 overs yesterday as well.
This is some knock by Brendon McCullum in Wellington. May well suffice for New Zealand to save the test.
That was some performanc by Australia at Centurion. Mitchell Johnson 12-127. He has Smith all over the place. What do they do now? Watson won’t get a run in this series and will find it very hard to get back in the team.
Brendon McCullum with a knock of 302 posts New Zealands highest ever individual test score overtaking Martin Crowe’s mark of 299.
Unbelievable knock by McCullum, with great support by Watling and Neesham to save the Test. Can’t understand why they haven’t declared now though. No possible way India can chase over 400 at this stage. Pitch is doing a little now, and India must be tired and demoralised. I don’t like the chance of any Test victory being needlessly given up.
Johnson was awesome. Smith’s dismissal second innings was odd though, and the little he faced Johnson he looked more comfortable than first knock. I think he’ll put in a good captain’s innings in Port Elizabeth. It’s a huge match in terms of legacy for him and the team.
Apparently Lehmann said Watson won’t play unless he can bowl, so unlikely for second Test.
Finally a declaration in Wellington.
302 in the 2nd innings. Brendon McCullum, that is a quite extraordinary knock.
SA 5-214 after bad light stopped play on day 1 of the second test at Port Elizabeth. SA looked stuck in the mud before lunch, not a bad analogy considering how dead the wicket is (on Tuesday the groundsman was saying it scared him how fast and green it looked, but he was about to make a call to Smith to see what sort of wicket he wanted). While the proteas have 3 changes due to injury, they’re still a strong line up, so Australia will be pleased with this. Smith gone for 9, oh dear. Amla out for a duck, questions have to be asked about him now. Very little there for the quicks so surprising how slowly they’ve scored. Nathan Lyon proving his worth again getting two of the more dangerous looking batsmen (Elgar 83 and Du Pleissis 55). De Viliers still in and he’s the key again. If Australia can keep them to 300 or less, it will be interesting to see how they bat on this ground.
Australia have really been outclassed here in Port Elizabeth. They made a good start, racing to 152/1 in pursuit of a record run chase of 448 but they’ve lost 4 quick wickets to slump to 156/5.