Cricket Banter

What a bizarre test series that was in south Africa I must say from south Africa embarrassing India in the last test to being totally humiliated in the second and in barely two days will be interesting to see what the icc will think of this

(04-01-2024 18:56 )hornball Wrote:  

(04-01-2024 18:00 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  ^^ I'd be surprised that South Africa, or it's groundsman deliberately produced this wicket, given the 1-0 lead in the series, a flat wicket would've been ordered. I realize that the groundsmen are just trying to prepare a good wicket, but cricket boards do interfere. Something went wrong in this case. I don't mind, far better than a road. Other than being robbed of 3 days of cricket, it was great to see the batsmen that found a way to stay at the crease & score runs.

Tribute goes to Dean Elgar in his final Test, A gritty batsman who had a habit of scoring tough runs.

True, but you know as well as I do that the opposite would be classed as a poor wicket and, although I agree with you re batsmen who can battle to a score, Maybe this track was too far the other way?? I guess I was trying to be a touch sarcastic with the 'killing Test cricket' by producing a pitch like this, however the Proteas decision regarding their squad for NZ is a clear indicator!

NB Just as an aside, I am flatly opposed to home captains being able to ask for any specific pitch type!

I suspect that some of South Africa's multi-format players may have opted to play in their own re-launched Domestic T20 comp. It would be interesting to know what the top players are earning in that as opposed to what the Board are paying for the New Zealand Tour.
The T20 comp is in a succeed at all costs situation, similar to our Hundred. I think that all nations are trying to match the IPL, as daft as that may seem.
Without hindsight would Test Cricket have already died without the introduction of this 3rd format, or has the process been speeded up.
The gap between the Big 3 & the rest is getting wider, until the ICC gets all the Test playing nations around the table & puts sustainable funding in place these situations will keep happening.
New Zealand are only able to put on a 2 Test series, which is solely down to cost, so even if the Proteas had selected a full strength squad you would've more than likely ended up with a tied series, as in the recent SA India one, which leaves you feeling robbed of a decider.

(04-01-2024 08:30 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(03-01-2024 11:05 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  AUS v PAK 3rd Test Sydney Day 3 Close
Pakistan elected to bat
PAK 313 (77.1 overs) Rizwan 88 Jamal 82 Salman 53 Masood 35 Cummins 5-61 Starc 2-75
AUS 299 (47 over) Labuschagne 60 Marsh 54 Khawaja 47 Smith 38 Carey 38 Jamal 6-69 Salman 2-43
PAK 68-7 (26 overs) Ayub 33 Babar 23 Hazlewood 4-9
Pakistan lead by 82 runs

At 289-5 Australia were in a position to take a sizeable & vital 1st innings lead with Marsh & Carey well set. They then lost their last 5 wickets for 10 runs, with their new star allrounder Aamer Jamal in the wickets again.
With an unexpected 1st innings lead Pakistan lost opener Shafique & captain Masood for ducks. Babar & Ayub on debut played well as the pair added 57, before Lyon removed the youngster. Head took the key wicket of Babar & then in the penultimate over of the day, Hazlewood took a hattrick. W 0 W 0 W 0

(05-01-2024 10:22 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(04-01-2024 08:30 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(03-01-2024 11:05 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  AUS v PAK 3rd Test Sydney Day 4 Close
Pakistan elected to bat
PAK 313 (77.1 overs) Rizwan 88 Jamal 82 Salman 53 Masood 35 Cummins 5-61 Starc 2-75
AUS 299 (47 over) Labuschagne 60 Marsh 54 Khawaja 47 Smith 38 Carey 38 Jamal 6-69 Salman 2-43
PAK 115 (43.1 overs) Ayub 33 Rizwan 28 Babar 23 Hazlewood 4-16 Lyon 3-36
AUS 130-2 (25.5 overs) Labuschagne 62 no Warner 57 Sajid Khan 2-49
Australia won by 8 wickets

Australia completed a 3-0 series win over Pakistan, & with it they displace India at the top of the Test Rankings. Pakistan improved as the series went on, competing for large parts only to be let down by poor catching.

The focus for Australia moves quickly on to a visit from the Windies for 2 Tests. The tourist squad contains 5 uncapped players, which sounds familiar.

After Warner made his farewell from Test Cricket at Sydney decisions have to be made for a replacement opener. Harris, Renshaw & Bancroft are all in the mix, but more interestingly the option of Labuschagne moving up, or promoting Green in order to get him back in the side. A left[field choice could be Smith who has made his interest know, which he sees as a new challenge which could reignite his faltering Test career. He has been averaging in the 40's in recent times as his overall figures drop below 60.

The Newlands pitch has been rated as unsatisfactory. The New Year Test Match between South Africa & India was the shortest result Test in the history of the game, lasting just 642 balls.

(09-01-2024 13:44 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  The Newlands pitch has been rated as unsatisfactory. The New Year Test Match between South Africa & India was the shortest result Test in the history of the game, lasting just 642 balls.

Fair enough! too lively!! However, when are we going to see 'flat roads' marked down??

Australia Test Squad v West Indies
iCummins ©, Boland, Carey, Green, Hazlewood, Head, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Lyon, Marsh, Renshaw, Smith, Starc

(10-01-2024 09:09 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  Australia Test Squad v West Indies
iCummins ©, Boland, Carey, Green, Hazlewood, Head, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Lyon, Marsh, Renshaw, Smith, Starc

The windies are going to get the hiding they deserve! Hopefully SA too!!