SA v Australia 3rd Test

Enjoy your retirement

Out thought, out psyched, out played and sadly methinks........OUT!

TNaicker ,

I agree with what you say ,its time for a major overhall of the test team . Management included !

Its a pity that Kallis and Smith where not hyped up enough for this series to clap the Ausses

They needed to lead from the front for 1 last time !

JAMES BLOND Wrote:

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> I wonder what GS is doing in the team
> no runs, making wrong decisions about reviews
> maybe time to move on, go and raise your kids
> play cricket in the backyard, be carefull not to
> losse your wicket


MY WISH WAS GRANTED!!!!!!!!!!

shrek Wrote:

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> Frodo Wrote:
>

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>

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> > So no follow-on - I think that is a mistake
> from
> > an Australian point of view - surely the less
> time
> > we have to bat in the 2nd innings the better
> for
> > us :S
>
>
> Right decision IMO. Bowlers had been out there for
> over 80 overs. Recon they will try and get a 450
> plus lead by tea and declare. No more bad weather
> predicted.


I am very happy that he did not enforce it - now it's going to be up to him to time his declaration right - if he does it too early, and leave us with say 420 to get, it is not impossible (unlikely yes) that we could still win this - had he enforced the follow-on, his 'tired' bowlers (82 overs :S) only needed to bowl 6 more - and with the Proteas' state of mind, could perhaps have picked up a wicket (or maybe two) before the close - then we would have been dead and buried - now we are very much still kicking

shrek Wrote:

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> Frodo Wrote:
>

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>

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> > So no follow-on - I think that is a mistake
> from
> > an Australian point of view - surely the less
> time
> > we have to bat in the 2nd innings the better
> for
> > us :S
>
>
> Right decision IMO. Bowlers had been out there for
> over 80 overs. Recon they will try and get a 450
> plus lead by tea and declare. No more bad weather
> predicted.

I think Clarke will be fairly positive in his declaration so probably around lunch but certainly way before tea.

Tim Wrote:

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> shrek Wrote:
>

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>

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> > Frodo Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > So no follow-on - I think that is a mistake
> > from
> > > an Australian point of view - surely the less
> > time
> > > we have to bat in the 2nd innings the better
> > for
> > > us :S
> >
> >
> > Right decision IMO. Bowlers had been out there
> for
> > over 80 overs. Recon they will try and get a
> 450
> > plus lead by tea and declare. No more bad
> weather
> > predicted.
>
> I think Clarke will be fairly positive in his
> declaration so probably around lunch but certainly
> way before tea.


I think even though Clarke is a positive captain this is the series decider and he will be crusified if giving SA a soft target to chase down. I believe they will bat positively and look to declare with around 40 minutes before tea, leaving SA a tough half an hour session before the break. With the half hour early start and Warner in there they should get a lead of around 430 to 450 by then. I am hoping from an SA point of view they bat until tea but can't see it happening.

shrek Wrote:

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> Tim Wrote:
>

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>

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> > shrek Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > Frodo Wrote:
> > >
> >
>

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>
> >
> > >

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> > > > So no follow-on - I think that is a mistake
> > > from
> > > > an Australian point of view - surely the
> less
> > > time
> > > > we have to bat in the 2nd innings the
> better
> > > for
> > > > us :S
> > >
> > >
> > > Right decision IMO. Bowlers had been out
> there
> > for
> > > over 80 overs. Recon they will try and get a
> > 450
> > > plus lead by tea and declare. No more bad
> > weather
> > > predicted.
> >
> > I think Clarke will be fairly positive in his
> > declaration so probably around lunch but
> certainly
> > way before tea.
>
>
> I think even though Clarke is a positive captain
> this is the series decider and he will be
> crusified if giving SA a soft target to chase
> down. I believe they will bat positively and look
> to declare with around 40 minutes before tea,
> leaving SA a tough half an hour session before the
> break. With the half hour early start and Warner
> in there they should get a lead of around 430 to
> 450 by then. I am hoping from an SA point of view
> they bat until tea but can't see it happening.


Probably depends a bit on if Warner stays in this morning as he will really press on.

Declaring around lunch gives SA a chance of getting the runs , which also makes it easier for Australia to take wickets.

I think Clarke wants a result in this game and an early declaration greatly increase it.

I think the logical assumption is that Australia will try to declare some time between lunch and tea; looking it from a SA point of view, they have to try their utmost to make it as difficult as possible for the Aussies to dictate - so there aim has to be to try and take wickets - especially Warner - early on, but also we do not want to be too attacking making it easier for the Aussies to score quickly. So If I was Smith, I would go in attacking for the first half hour at least - if we do get Warner and maybe another, we will be in a better position - if we don't, well then we would be in a position that everyone expects us to be in anyway.

Then re-assess the situation and if the Aussies are around 80 or 90 with no loss, go into ultra defensive mode, making it as difficult as possible to score - and try to force Clarke to either declare with less of a lead, or later than he ideally wants - and then we have to bat and bat and bat

I still say Clarke made a mistake by not enforcing the follow-on - in the context of the match, those 25 runs they scored does not make that much of a difference to the overall situation of the match - but if they could take a wicket or two in those 6 overs, it would have made a big difference

The thing with following on, there was a chance of SA getting a lead of maybe 250, which can be difficult getting on the last day.

Contest Wrote:

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> The thing with following on, there was a chance of
> SA getting a lead of maybe 250, which can be
> difficult getting on the last day.


Fully agree Contest and then if SA get them 30/3 with the bowlers tails up and you find yourself trying to save the game instead of trying to win it on a wearing 5th day pitch.