South Africa Retain Number 1 Test Ranking

When Australia last made 632, Boonie made a big ton.

Australia were set the task of chasing down 632, which was always going to be about 309 runs too many. Especially against the likes of Steyn, Philander and Morkel. And Petersen for that matter, who managed to wrangle a couple of important wickets.

 

Philander struck early, removing Warner to a catch behind the wicket. I’m not sure if Philander is a really good bowler, or if Warner is just very prone to nicking deliveries outside off stump. Probably both. The face of Brut Deodorant, Shane ‘Watto’ Watson was next in. ‘Watto’ played some punchy drives on his way to 25, before he too edged a ball just outside off stump. I feel that Watson is at something of a crossroads. He is a very valuable cricketer for Australia, across the three forms of the game, however he has not been consistent in Test matches for some time now. Ricky Ponting came out to a rapturous reception, and a guard of honour from the South Africans. A very nice touch. He played a vintage pull shot, then an on drive, before edging the seemingly innocuous spin of Petersen to Kallis at slip. Ponting departed, waving to the appreciative crowd at the WACA. Well played, Punter.

 

The game was something of a procession from this point, if it wasn’t already. Cowan fell to a hook shot, Clarke drowned in honey against Petersen. To be fair, it was a great piece of bowling by the left arm tweaker. Hussey, caught behind to a seemingly rage-filled Steyn. The traditional ‘futile-though-entertaining’ lower order hitting display followed, with Starc posting a half century from just 32 balls. This added some respectability to the total, though also added Starc’s name to the list of potential top 4 batsmen for Australia. I jest, of course. Though these positions are becoming a headache for Australia, if they hadn’t already been a headache of chronic proportions.

 

South Africa stay at number 1, and deservedly so. Cricket is all about being the best team in the moments that matter, and South Africa were clearly the best when it mattered.

Chasing 632 (Six hundreds, Three tens, Two ones)

Punter

 

To wrest the number one world ranking from South Africa, Australia need to chase down 632 runs in the final two days of play in Perth. Looking at this total as a whole, it appears quite daunting. Broken down into targets of ten, as cricketers often do when chasing, the total still appears insurmountable. How are Australia going to approach this task? I wish I could say.

 

If there is a benefit to such a situation, it is that Australia may feel they have nothing to lose. No one expects them to get anywhere near this total. This could allow the players to relax. Ponting has nothing to lose. His last Test innings. There will be no threat of the selectors tapping him on the shoulder if he fails. Michael Clarke has nothing to lose. 4 double hundreds in a year as captain, that’s some change in the bank. Why not go down, while having a go? David Warner has nothing to lose. He is coming off a ton, while there is arguably more pressure on Cowan and Watson to make a score.

 

If Australia can make 400 plus, they will have done well. The keys from an Australian perspective will be getting runs into players who need them. The selectors will be concerned about the top 4 spots in the batting line up, ahead of The Ashes. Where does Shane Watson bat? Do they persist with Ed Cowan and David Warner at the top? Who replaces Ricky Ponting? Some answers may arrive in this innings.

 

For South Africa, a quick kill would be desirable. These big run chases do have a tendency to last and last, well after the conclusion to the match appears foregone. Dale Steyn will want wickets. Of course, all bowlers do. However when you are the undisputed number one bowler in the game, you want to be able to prove it. If Ponting makes it to 96, just make sure you give him a half volley on leg stump, OK Dale?

 

 

 

 

Landing The Knockout Punch

For the first two Test matches in the current series, Australia predominantly held the upper hand. They walked away from Brisbane with a moral victory. They will have been very disappointed not to win in Adelaide. They arrived in Perth and after two days appear destined for defeat.

 

The failure to land a decisive blow in Adelaide will have unsettled the team. Michael Clarke will know that 20 South African wickets are required, if they are to win. After having the hosts 4 for 47, with 4 sessions still to play, the team will have just about ordered Micky Arthur to put the drinks in the esky and start arranging the chairs in the rooms for the post-match singalong. Not winning that game will have been experienced as a loss. They played out of their skins for the most part, and still couldn’t win.

 

This series is reminiscent of the 1992/1993 series between Australia and the West Indies. To put it bluntly, Australia should have won that series. The Windies hung on in Brisbane to force a draw, at 8 for 133 in the fourth innings. Australia won in Melbourne when Warne announced himself as a matchwinner. Rain forced a draw in Sydney. The teams met in Adelaide. In a low scoring affair, Australia needed just 180-odd to win the game and the series. For Allan Border, this match meant everything, after years of being pulverised by West Indian teams. In  one of the great finishes to a Test match, Craig McDermott edged a ball through to the keeper, after a valiant stand with Tim May, which saw the pair add 42 for the final wicket. Of course, Australia lost by one run.

 

The team was devastated. They had lost, from an entirely winnable position. They went to Perth immediately afterwards and were absolutely destroyed by Curtly Ambrose, who ran through the demoralised Australians with a spell of 7 for 1 off 29 balls. The two series are so similar. The champions against the challengers. The challengers threw some good combinations, but could not land that knockout punch. The Australian team will learn from this, and will take this experience to England in 2013.

Amla and Smith Dominate Australia

South Africa v Australia

Third Test, Day 2

My mother always said, “If you don’t have anything positive to say, then don’t say anything at all.” In that vein, I should probably conclude this entry. However, I was never one to take advice, so I shall press on. The day began well. I turned on the television, and the cricket was about to start. Usually a precursor to a great day. Unfortunately, as a supporter of the Australian cricket team, things went downhill from there.

 

Warner played a dreadful shot, edging a wide ball through to de Villiers. Lyon got a beauty from Steyn. Ponting played for outswing, though ended up using his pad to block an inswinger from Philander. Clarke (see Lyon). Hussey hung around for a while, before Morkel roughed him up. Wade played a positive, counter-attacking innings and saved Australia from embarrassment in the process. After lunch, the previously fluent Wade was bogged down and then bowled trying to sweep Peterson. Johnson and Hastings followed, to shots that could have been left in the kit bag.

 

Australia all out, 62 runs behind. Nevertheless, the pitch seemed to be doing a bit, so there was still hope. Johnson showed his athleticism in dismissing Alviro Petersen early, to a running, then diving catch. This brought Amla to the wicket. With Smith in solid support, Amla blasted the Australian attack, with a series of beautifully timed, and occasionally improvised, cricket shots. The punishment dished out was unbelievable. At one stage, Amla and Smith held the record for the fastest ever partnership in Test cricket that had exceeded 100 runs. Against an inexperienced attack that just couldn’t put the ball in the right spot, the South Africans pounced in sensational fashion. Passing 200 with 1 wicket down, the South African lead had extended past 260 and the game appeared out of reach for Australia. Lyon took a great outfield catch to finally remove Smith, then dropped a regulation chance to remove Kallis. It was one of those days.

 

With three days to go, Australia literally need a miracle to either win or save this game.

Nathan Lyon: Nightwatchman

The concept of the nightwatchman is something peculiar to cricket. Fancy sending in a player that is not that good at batting, ahead of a player who is quite good at batting. In the case of Nathan Lyon, he was elevated above a man who has made 13,336 Test runs. Nathan Lyon has a grand total of 124 Test runs to his credit. The logic doesn’t quite add up to a sensible decision.

 

However, cricket is not always sensible and logical. Why do players stay seated in the same positions in the dressing room, when a game is going down to the wire. When Australia resumed at the MCG in 1982, requiring 25 runs to win against England, who only needed to knock over Jeff Thompson, Rod Marsh ordered the Australian players to resume the same activities that they were involved towards the end of the previous days play. For Marsh and a few others, this involved sitting at the back of the dressing room knocking back a few cans. This could be the first instance where drinking at 11am by a sportsman was viewed as being a positive contribution towards a team victory.

 

Cricket is very much a mental game. Why Ricky Ponting, or any top order batsman for that matter, would prefer to face Dale Steyn at 11am, rather than 5:50pm seems strange, however for anyone who has played cricket, it makes perfect sense. At 5:50pm, all that can happen is that you can either get out, or survive. Not much to be gained. At 11am, the day is young. Survive until 6pm that day, and you will have three figures to your name.

 

Enter Nathan Lyon. For the top order batsman, the nightwatchman who can succeed at their task is invaluable. Unfortunately for Lyon, has capacity to blunt the South African attack late on day one will ensure that this remains his role for the remainder of his career. Some players thrive on this. Most notably, Jason Gillespie made 201 in the nightwatchman role.

 

Well done Nathan Lyon, may your forward defence save many top order players for years to come.

South Africa v Australia: Third Test

Day 1

 

Australia entered the game with an unprecedented number of changes to the bowling department, with Pattinson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus making way for Starc, Johnson and Hastings. A bold move from the selection panel indeed. South Africa opted for a more cautious selection, with de Villiers retaining the gloves, and Robin Petersen coming in for the much malinged Imran Tahir.

 

South Africa won the toss and batted. The curator had assured all that the pitch would have some bounce and pace; not unusual for a WACA wicket. Smith and Alviro Petersen were looking comfortable, until Watson wobbled a ball which deflected off the edge of Smith’s bat to Clarke at first slip. 1 for 38 – no major problems. Johnson came into the attack and immediately looked threatening. He unsettled the batsmen and appeared the most likely to break through. This is why the selectors love him. He can take wickets. He can spray the ball as well, but when he is good, he is very hard to play.

 

Starc was reintroduced to the attack, and produced a brace of searing, inswinging balls on a full length which removed Petersen and then Kallis before lunch. Big wickets. After lunch, the trend continued. Amla, dropped by Ed Cowan, was then run out by David Warner shortly after. AB de Villiers went hard at a full ball from Hastings and edged through to a waiting slips courdon. Johnson had new man Edgar pulling at a short ball aimed at his throat, which he gloved through to Wade. 6 for 75. South Africa reeling. Enter Faf du Plessis, inexdplicably at number 7.

 

Du Plessis played another masterful innings, chaperoning the tail towards a semi-respectable total of 224, contributing an unbeaten 78. He really is a good looking player. Calm, composed and clear-headed, when his more experienced team mates fell around him.

 

Australia’s openers were asked to endured a tricky session prior to stumps. Ed Cowan went first ball, edging Steyn to Kallis at second slip. Shane Watson entered at number 3, though departed soon after to another LBW decision. The DRS has worked for South Africa, however Watson has an uncanny knack of letting the ball hit his pad right in front of the stumps. Not good for a number 3. This raised the prospect of Ricky Ponting hbeing required to face out the remaining overs. Great cheers greeted Nathan Lyon, as he strode purposely to the wicket. He played the nightwatchman role to perfection though, blunting all South Africa could throw at him. Australia will resume tomorrow at 2 for 33, just ahead after an entertaining first day.

Hastings debuts for Australia in the Third Test

In the final of three Tests to be played at the WACA, John Hastings has made his Test debut for Australia. The forgotten man of Australian cricket, Mitchell Johnson, has also been recalled. This has ensured that Australia enter the game after making 4 changes, with Mitchell Starc and Shane Watson coming into the team, in place of Pattinson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus.

 

This represents a shift towards the modern era of Australian cricket, with first choice players rotated out of the team based on sports science and medical opinion. That the winner of this Test will be the number one ranked team in the world, indicates the faith placed in this method by the Australian hierarchy. Not sure if this could possibly have happened back in the 1970s, but then again, playing cricket for Australia was not the all round assignment that it is now.

 

Mitchell Johnson is an interesting character. The 2009 ICC player of the year, which now seems remarkable, is back in the team after a 12 month stint in the wilderness. He has a good record – 190 Test wickets in 47 matches at 30. He can handle the bat as well, notching up an unbeaten Test ton against South Africa in 2009. He can bowl the unplayable ball, however he can be maddeningly wayward as well. More than any other player in recent years, Johnson has driven the Australian cricket fan to extremes, with frustration being the end result, more often than not. However, he has another chance. A rapid opening over to Smith in this Test is testament to Johnson’s ability to unsettle the opposition.

 

The Test has much riding on it. Certainly, Australia will want to win for Ricky Ponting. However, with the number 1 ranking on the line, expect this to be a savagely contested encounter.