Official Cricket Thread Part 99.94

[Axver]

When the last cricket thread began, we were enjoying an Australia vs South Africa series, and now that we're onto a new thread, we're also onto a new Australia vs South Africa series. Meanwhile, New Zealand look halfway decent for once. Continue.

 

[cobl04]

Ohh what a great title, how have we not had this before. Most excellent.

 

[cobl04]

Victoria's second innings FOW vs NSW: 1/0. 2/0. 3/0. 4/5. 5/5. 6/9. 7/32. now 7/70.

NZ 4/84 vs India. Taylor not playing due to birth of his child.

 

[Axver]

Ohh what a great title, how have we not had this before. Most excellent.

Haha cheers. I decided we needed to move away from timeframe titles and this one came to me in a flash of inspiration.

Victoria's second innings FOW vs NSW: 1/0. 2/0. 3/0. 4/5. 5/5. 6/9. 7/32. now 7/70.

Oh my god that's hideous.

NZ 4/84 vs India. Taylor not playing due to birth of his child.

MOST POORLY TIMED CHILD EVER.

Though even without him we should be better than this. Stop playing as if that first Test was a fluke, New Zealand.

 

[Axver]

Not even 200 in the first innings, Black Caps? Oh well.

Fingers crossed it's just a bowler's wicket and the Indians embarrass themselves to an even greater extent. We do have a halfway threatening bowling attack...

 

[Axver]

Well that was a day of disappointment for Kiwi cricket.

Interesting stats in this article: : Numbers Game: The toughest venues for openers | Cricket Features | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

Who knew it was so difficult to open at Seddon Park and the Basin! (Actually, given batsmen probably just want to get the fuck out of Hamilton and are being blown the fuck out of Wellington, perhaps it makes sense...)

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Fair to say South Africa are a joke now.

 

[dan_smee]

So, when does the world start to acknowledge that this Aussie team is greater than the sum of its parts, and actually one of the strongest in cricket today?

Clarke's captaincy is easily the most creative and dynamic in the world today. He makes things happen, where we have seen Smith and Cook run out of ideas and protect runs very quickly.

The strength of the side is that at least 1 or 2 batsmen put their hands up to do the hard work in each innings, but it is shared around relatively equally from game to game.

 

[dan_smee]

Also, Steve Smith - fast becoming one of the most damaging and reliable players around. 572 runs in the last 7 games (including this one, still to bat 2nd innings) at 57.20, including 4 x 100s (as many as Watson's career).

 

[Axver]

So, when does the world start to acknowledge that this Aussie team is greater than the sum of its parts, and actually one of the strongest in cricket today?

Series isn't over yet, we know what South Africa are capable of, and we know just how Tests can turn on their head. Happy to revise my opinion once we're more than three days in. I'm tipping this first Test to end in a draw right now.

 

[dan_smee]

Series isn't over yet, we know what South Africa are capable of, and we know just how Tests can turn on their head. Happy to revise my opinion once we're more than three days in. I'm tipping this first Test to end in a draw right now.

Totally agree, and South Africa could even win it from here, the point I'm making is this Aus team have dominated every day so far against the best team in the world on their home soil. No mean feat.

 

[Axver]

Totally agree, and South Africa could even win it from here, the point I'm making is this Aus team have dominated every day so far against the best team in the world on their home soil. No mean feat.

Has anyone really been suggesting that Australia aren't good, though?

And given the way it seems most people like to hang shit on South Africa's home performances, are you sure it's no mean feat?

 

[dan_smee]

Has anyone really been suggesting that Australia aren't good, though?

And given the way it seems most people like to hang shit on South Africa's home performances, are you sure it's no mean feat?

Most commentators were suggesting that, while Aus smashed England, they would be brought back to earth hard over in SA. I was expecting a competitive series, but nothing like the way it has started.

 

[Axver]

I'm certainly surprised how well Australia have done, that's for sure. I was being somewhat hyperbolic when I was suggesting South Africa would smash Australia, but I was still very confident that South Africa would have control.

I think the question now is whether they will try to chase down whatever total Australia posts, or bat for a draw.

 

[dan_smee]

It will depend on Clarke's declaration - I tend to think he will take the game away from them. Johnson will expose people defending for a draw, and even so, a draw means that one more win will at least draw the series. Perhaps bat an hour fairly aggressively, and have 45 minutes at them before lunch from 550 in front. It means they get a new ball 5 overs into the 5th day as well.

 

[Axver]

Whatever the total, I just hope South Africa go for it.

Meanwhile, I'm worried that the Wellington Test is slipping away from New Zealand. We batted poorly, and now India are accumulating runs on a wicket that favours bowlers. We need to dismiss Dhoni in a terrible hurry to have any hope of getting through the tail without giving away too big a lead.

 

[cobl04]

I too did not expect the Test to go this way. Selectors have certainly been vindicated.

 

[cobl04]

Pretty horrid showing from NZ. Wagner had Zaheer Khan out in the slips last over but it was a no ball because he bowled too wide of the crease. No Test cricketer should ever be making a mistake like that.

 

[Axver]

Judging by the Cricinfo commentary, Wagner bowls numerous no balls but the umpires rarely/never bother to call it, just check when there's a wicket. I've noticed this habit creeping into umpiring, and it's both infuriating and lazy.

 

[cobl04]

Annoys the hell out of me too.

 

[Axver]

Good god, I'm stunned. Well done Australia. That's a very impressive win, and at the moment Mitchell Johnson just seems unstoppable.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Number 1 team in the world? Piss off, South Africa.

 

[Axver]

Nasty feeling New Zealand's going to lose by an innings today.

 

[Axver]

Brendon McCullum just became the fourth New Zealander to bring up 5,000 Test runs, so at least there's that high note today.

Unfortunately we're still 33 runs in arrears with five wickets in hand, and to have even half a chance we need to give the Indians a proper total to chase over the remaining two days. At this point I think we need to play for the draw. Bat well into tomorrow and then bowl as miserly as possible, with fingers crossed that a raging southerly brings some rain at some point.

 

[cobl04]

158-run stand for the sixth wicket between McCullum and Watling

I do really hope this is the start of a resurgence of NZ cricket. But seriously you cunts should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing Ishant The Shit Rat-Looking Man Sharma to take six wickets in a Test, let alone one innings.

 

[Axver]

I'm the only person who doesn't hate Ishant Sharma, aren't I? Do I just have a knack of catching him on a good day? I haven't exactly seen much of him play, but when I do he's seemed like a decent enough bowler.

Anyway, I'm just relieved New Zealand's avoided an innings loss. Now the challenge is setting a defendable total. McCullum and Watling were just sensational. I love that McCullum took about 160 balls to bring up his first fifty, but then took just 51 balls to bring up the next fifty, hitting his century with a six.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

He's more likeable than half the Australian side.

 

[Axver]

McCullum and Watling have been astonishing this morning, holding their wicket all the way to lunch. They now have New Zealand's second highest sixth wicket stand ever, 253*, and the highest in a second innings. We're now 101 runs in front. To think McCullum was dropped in the thirties and is now on 169! Watling's on 90; hope he can go on to a century.

There's almost, almost, a flicker of hope here...

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Big heart this New Zealand side.

 

[Axver]

McCullum brings up 200, Watling brings up 100, partnership is over 300 - this is just amazing. Not in my wildest dreams did I think we'd have this much fight in us. Go Kiwi go!