South Africa v Australia: Second Test, Day Three

The day was marked by rapidly changing fortunes with the bat, as quick flurries of wickets derailed both batting line ups. South Africa started the day with two wickets down and 217 runs on the board. This quickly turned to 7 for 250-odd, as the momentum swung sharply in Australia’s direction. Ben Hilfenhaus looked dangerous again, while Nathan Lyon was extracting significant bounce from the wicket and causing some concerns for the batsmen.

 

Enter Jacques Kallis, who shuffled out to the wicket with his damaged hamstring. Batting at 9, Kallis managed to stick around, supporting Faf du Plessis in his debut Test innings. The pair stemmed the flow of wickets and pushed the South African innings towards respectability. Nevertheless, when South Africa were finally dismissed for 388, they were still 162 runs in arrears and seemingly destined for defeat.

 

Edward Cowan and Davidward Warner strode out to bat in the afternoon sun, which was now beating down on the Adelaide Oval with some force. What a time to be batting, late on day three against a tired attack in hot conditions. The pair initially made the job look easy, rattling along at 5 runs an over. Cowan mistimed a push towards the legside from Tahir which popped up to mid wicket. Tahir celebrated quite extensively, after his effort of 0 for 159 off 21 overs in the first innings. Unfortunately for Tahir, the third umpire was brought into play and ruled that the delivery was indeed a no ball.

 

Not long after, Warner popped a catch up to cover and left with the score on 77. The manner of dismissal suggested that the wicket was becoming two-paced. Quiney entered, knowing that he needed runs. He edged the second delivery he faced through to de Villiers, and resignedly left the Adelaide Oval to raucous cheers. The cheers were for Ponting, who was entering as a batsmen for perhaps the final time. Ponting looked nervous, and his vastly expressive method of leaving seemed to demonstrate this. Cowan was bowled by a ball from Kleinveldt that snaked in off the wicket, before Ponting himself played on to a rapid delivery from Dale Steyn. This brought nightwatchman Peter Siddle to the crease, who managed to last for a few overs before edging Morne Morkel through to de Villiers.

 

The day ended with Australia on 5 for 111, 273 runs in front. Australia should win, particularly as the pitch appeared to be starting to play some tricks.

Australia v South Africa: Day 5

The first Test between Australia and South Africa ended in a relatively tame draw, though not before Australia claimed some important wickets in the South African second innings. How much can be read into that is unclear at this stage, though Pattinson and company bowled with great fire and showed that the South African batting line up is penetrable.

 

Prior to this Michael Clarke made batting look rather easy. Possibly too easy, as Test cricket is meant to be hard and while Clarke is at the crease it appears as though I could stroll out and peel off a quick hundred. Hussey did his best to compound South African misery with a masterful hundred. Of the three 37 year olds in this match, two made tons. This clearly demonstrates that AB was shafted before his time was up. Well, maybe not. But I still have an axe to grind with Simmo.

 

Simmo’s leering mug aside, Australia set South Africa a chase of 116 to avoid an innings defeat. Not insurmountable, by any stretch. However, Australia landed some body blows. Smith failed to get above 22 in the Test, and Pattinson gave him a big old fashioned send off.

 

The series now heads to Adelaide, where all the stands have been pulled down because the head of the Australian Football League said they should be pulled down. The atmosphere will be different, however there will be a lot of tradies onsite, so if you need any concreting done at your place, then get down there.

De Winter to Mentor Young Quicks in England

Allister De Winter has been selected to fill the vacant role of bowling coach for Australia’s upcoming tour of England and Ireland. De Winter’s promotion follows the shock exit of Craig McDermott, who resigned from the role recently, after successfully turning around the fortunes of Australia’s bowling attack in his short stint as bowling coach. In announcing his resignation, McDermott cited the crammed international calendar, which he claimed was forcing him away from family and other business. The amount of cricket being played, and the subsequent demands on the coaching staff, is undoubtedly having an impact on the coaching staff. Furthermore, filling the role on a permanent basis could pose some challenges, with Andy Bichel and Damian Fleming among those who have already ruled themselves out.

Despite this, De Winter comes into the role as a well credentialed coach. Credited with rebuilding the action of the born again Ben Hilfenhaus, De Winter is highly regarded in Australian cricketing circles. De Winter played first class cricket for Tasmania from 1986 to 1993, claiming 35 wickets in 21 Sheffield Shield matches. Since his retirement, De Winter has progressed well as a coach, leading the Hobart Hurricanes to a strong showing in the inaugural Big Bash league, while being an intergral member of the Tasmanian state side for some time.

The depth and quality of young Australian bowlers ensures that whoever claims the role permanently will have some talent to work with. The key challenge could be ensuring that the young quicks stay on the park, given frequency of injuries to yoiung fast bowlers in recent times.

 

Australia Takes Series Two Nil

Third Test: Australia v West Indies

Windsor Park, Dominica

Australia 328 and 259

defeated

West Indies

228 and 294

Despite some late order hitting by West Indian captain Darren Sammy, Australia has defeated the West Indies by 65 runs, winning the series 2 Tests to nil.

The unlikely bowling hero in the final Test was Michael Clarke, who claimed his second 5 wicket haul in Tests. On a turning surface, Nathan Lyon was the other chief wicket taker, with 3 victims to go with his 4 in the first innings.

With Shivnarine Chanderpaul dismissed just prior to stumps on the penultimate day, the West Indian cause appeared defeated. However, the ever-underestimated Darren Sammy had other ideas. Sammy smashed 3 sixes and 4 fours, in 51 ball innings of 61. Despite his heroics, he couldn’t get his team over the line, in what would have been a remarkable victory.

The Australians bowled with discipline, and with the victory have leapfrogged India in the Test rankings. The West Indian team will be heartened by continued good performances, however they will be keen to start turning honourable losses into victories.

Chanderpaul claimed the man of the series award with a stunning batting performance for the series, in which he averaged 86; head and shoulders above any batsman from either side. Kemar Roach and Shane Shillingford both claimed 10 wickets in a match, with Roach taking the bowling honours with 19 wickets for the series.

The Australians had no standout performer with either bat or ball. Ben Hilfenhaus had another excellent series, while Ryan Harris excelled in the matches he participated in. The series was won with consistently good performances – when a wicket was required, someone chipped in. When a partnership was needed, the two batsmen at the wicket grafted tough runs. This is a good sign for an emerging team.

 

 

Third Test: Australia v West Indies

Day Three

Windsor Park, Dominica

Australia 328 and 6 for 200 (Ponting 57, Cowan 55; Deonarine 2 for 28)

West Indies 218 (Chanderpaul 68, Powell 40; Lyon 4 for 69)

The West Indies are facing a substantial fourth innings chase to level the best of three series, despite showing some fight on the third day at Windsor Park.

In contrast with many of his team mates, Shivnarine Chanderpaul playing a typically determined innings in taking the West Indian total past 200. Ravi Rampual again reinforced the trend of strong tailend batting in this Test with a dogged 31. Nathan Lyon ended the innings with a four wicket haul, including the crucial wickets of Powell and Barath, which turned the match in Australia’s favour.

Ed Cowan strode to the wicket in what would be his final Test innings before a 6 month break. Cowan, who had not passed 34 in his previous 7 innings, had not looked out of his depth in Test match cricket. However he had failed to press on with promising starts. Today he anchored the innings as Warner and Watson fell in quick succession. Cowan batted serenly in collaboration with Ricky Ponting, who would have been thankful for an extended stay at the wicket. Cowan launched a cut shot to Deonarine, only to edge the ball to Sammy at slip, who held onto a lightning quick chance. This will have frustrated Cowan to no end. On the other hand, Sammy’s allround versatility as a cricketer is coming to the fore, after few gave him a chance of succeeding as West Indian captain.

Ponting played an assured innings, and for once in the series had an ounce of fortune, surviving a run out and a dropped catch. His nemesis Kemar Roach claimed his wicket with a lifting delivery, and thus ended Ponting’s batting career in the West Indies. Ponting was out to a ‘periscope’ shot as he ducked a bouncer, leaving his bat in the path of the ball and spooning a catch. Another bizarre dismissal for Australia’s former skipper, who appears to be batting quite well, though is just finding ways of getting himself out.

With Australia holding a lead in excess of 300, with 4 wickets in hand and two full days to play, only two results seem possible. A win would cap an excellent 6 months of Test cricket for Australia, while the West Indies will be feeling as though some good cricket in recent times has been somewhat unfulfilled. Then again, being ‘good’ isn’t necessarily good enough in Test match terms.

Third Test: Australia v West Indies – Day 2

Australia v West Indies

Third Test: Windsor Park, Dominica

Day 2

Australia 328 (Wade 106, Warner 50, Watson 41, Starc 35; Shillingford 6 for 119).

West Indies 8 for 165 (Powell 40, Barath 29; Lyon 3 for 49)

Australia took a stranglehold on the third Test, with a dominant display at Windsor Park. Resuming at the precarious position of 7 for 212, Australia would have been hoping for a score over 250. However Matthew Wade, in just his third outing in the baggy green, forged an excellent century with great support from Starc and Hilfenhaus, which forced the Australian score past 300.

Captain Michael Clarke had only just publicly reinforced his support for regular Test keeper Brad Haddin, who returned to Australia at the start of the tour for family reasons. Perhaps this spurred Wade, who had yet to demonstrate his potential with the bat in the Test arena. The innings ensures the Australian selectors will have to make a tough decision when the Test team resumes later this year, however the innings also took control of the match away from the West Indies, who had edged ahead at the close of day one.

Shane Shillingford continued to pose the greatest danger on a turning wicket, claiming his best figures in Test matches and perhaps exposing the weakness of Australian batsmen against quality spin bowling.

The West Indies batsmen, as is so often the case in recent times, lost wickets at crucial stages and failed to build partnerships. From a position of relative comfort at 1 for 62, the innings imploded to 8 for 120 as Nathan Lyon and the Australian quicks ran through the West Indian middle order. Some late resistance from Ravi Rampaul and the ever reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul saved the innings from absolute capitulation.

Lyon is to be commended; after struggling to take wickets throughout the Australian summer and the first Test in the Carribean, he has responded with game turning performances in the past two matches.

The West Indies must push the score past 200 in the early stages of day three, then bowl the Australians out cheaply to have any chance of levelling the series.

What next for Australia?

After the calamitous defeat in Hobart, the much-pilloried Australian cricket team has received further criticism in the time since. The subjects of this criticism are the old warhorses, Haddin, Ponting and Hussey. Phil Hughes is already cast aside by the armchair critics, so he is feeling their pity, rather than their scorn at this point in time. Predictably, there have been calls for each of these players to bow out of the team; to make way for a fresh injection of youth. The youth that is apparently battering down the down to selection. However, a quick glance of the Sheffield Shield batting averages reveals that in terms of up-and-coming batsmen, there are very few viable options.

The most obvious is Ed Cowan, a New South Welshman playing for Tasmania. In his last three first class matches, he has made three hundreds. This is on the back of a couple of good seasons for Tasmania, suggesting that he has ability and is currently the form player in the competition. He isn’t a young colt – he will be 30 next year. Another batsman who has been making runs for a few seasons now is Michael Klinger. Unfortunately for Klinger, he is now on the wrong side of 30 and has not received much love from the selectors in recent times, despite big seasons with the South Australian Redbacks. The time may have passed for him, however there will be batting vacancies in the not-too-distant future, so he still has hope. An emerging player is Peter Forrest. He achieved modest success with New South Wales, though did have a good run with the bluebaggers in 2009/10. Having moved to Queensland this season, he has made three hundreds and a 94. Currently topping the runmaking list, he could be a dark horse. At 26, he is one of the younger batting talents in Australia. Interestingly, Dan Christian has made almost as many runs as anyone, with an average of close to 60. Batting at 6 or 7 for South Australia, he is another former New South Welshman making a name for himself in an adopted state. Despite his low position in the batting lineup, he regularly comes to the wicket in pressure situations; such is the diabolical nature of South Australia’s top order.

For now, the changes will not be sweeping. Clarke is a good leader of the team, and should be given time. His batting is top class, and at this stage is the most reliable Australian bat – by some distance. Hussey has a few credits due to a truckload of runs scored in Sri Lanka. Haddin is on very thin ice, due to lacklustre keeping and ill-disciplined batting. Ponting may struggle to survive the summer, however he was showing signs of promise prior to Hobart. Shaun Marsh is very doubtful with injury, and even still, is only a very recent addition to the Test team. He may be overtaken by Ed Cowan, who could come in for the beleagured Hughes. Watson is likely to return in his capacity as a batsman.

On the other hand, the bowling is remarkably secure. The only change that may occur is Ryan Harris coming in for Mitchell Starc. Outside of the squad, there are a number of bowlers who can be called upon, if need be. Hilfenhaus, Peter George, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazelwood, Trent Copeland, et al. What Australian cricket really needs now, is a couple of reliable batsmen, rady to graft and grind their way out of trouble. Less strokemakers, less entertainers, more backs-to-the-wall, doughty and pugnacious resistance fighters in the David Boon mould.