Australia vs SA is where it’s at.
Pandya with a good 50, but they’re falling all over him. 131 /7 now. The saffers bowling looks very good.
Shoild beba very good series.
Be interesting to see how the aussies go against a bowling attack similar to their own. Could get very tasty as hopefully Steyn and morkel play bodyline against the tail enders.
As an aside, what’s that English spinner like?
Ali still getting a gig shows how screwed England’s choice is at present.
In a way, the fact that they have had God spells against the aussies could be construed as the aussies not actually being the world beaters they are made out to be, or it could mean England aren’t that dire, but I suspect the former.
That Aussie batting line up is still no great shakes. The Marshes and Khawaja haven’t become world beaters overnight, it’s far more about England bowling. How Smith goes will determine a lot. I think the Aussie attack will go well there. Will Pattinson be fit @Fitzy? They need someone better than Bird to deputise if one of the starting three gets injured. Should be a cracking series, but I just think the Aussies won’t score enough runs unless Smith goes big consistently.
I don’t think Smith will. He’s due a drop in form, and, unlike England, he won’t have five out of six overs off. And that’s being generous.
I think England are very poor if it’s not seaming, and would be beaten by all the other top tier countries
On the radio they said he did “ok”. He’s only twenty though. He has a habit of pulling up in his run up to bowl if he doesn’t feel right. Did it about a dozen times and the ignorant Aussie crowd were booing him.
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It’s England’s lack of real pace combined with failure to post a decent total batting. Stokes’ availability would have made the series closer but they still would lose.
Australia were awful against a depleted South Africa just over a year ago in Australia. They lost by 177 runs in Perth and an innings in Hobart. Morkel and Steyn were both injured.
They reckon they finished that series on top and are the best test side the world has ever seen now though. (their meeja seem to at least)
Steyn left the field with a heel injury earlier. Didn’t look too bad, but didn’t see any update on it
After this series win Australia have probably improved on the Number 5 ranking they dropped to after losing to Bangladesh a few months back.
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You’re fairly selective as to when you take the rankings at face value Geoff
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Out for 4-6 weeks. Some tissue damage. Back for Aussie series, but a bad sign regarding his ability to get through Tests
You’ve already said that Geoffrey, we get the picture.
I can’t see Pattinson being fit, he’s just had back surgery (or was due to).
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Who are all these other top tier countries you are referring to who would beat England?
India, SA, Australia (obviously)
I’d give NZ half a chance at home and Pakistan maybe. Windies at home.
If it’s not seaming, England struggle badly.
They’ve been destroyed by an aussie side who ain’t all that Imo
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Don’t see the basis for all this confidence in South Africa beating England all of a sudden. England easily retained the Basil D’Oliviera trophy 3-1 less than 5 months ago. They hammered South Africa in those three wins by margins of 239, 211 and 177 runs.
England won 2-1 on their last visit to South Africa two years ago as well, something of a rarity in modern day test cricket, a touring side winning. They did have Ben Stokes admittedly to provide a match winning knock of 258 in Cape Town.