How To Get Hashim Amla Out

Australia v South Africa: Third Test, Day 3

 

When I was 7, dad bought me a book of cricket cartoons. The front cover posed the question: “How to get Viv Richards out”, with a picture of a blindfolded Viv taking guard in front of about 5 sets of stumps. The 2012 version could feature Hashim Amla. He is just a nightmare to bowl to. Against Australia in Perth, he punished anything outside off stump, however if the bowlers even strayed within 5 inches of his off peg, he whipped them through midwicket. Then again, the Australian bowlers could have showed a little more consistency of line and length today. Though when you are bowling to a person in that form, line and length is easier than it sounds.

 

After Kallis was well caught by Johnson at fine leg, AB de Villiers strode out to the wicket with a few question marks over his head. Could he keep wicket and continue his stellar batting form of the past 4 years? OK, that was just one question, but a fair one at that. By the time AB had reverse-swept his third successive boundary with that audacious shot to bring up a scintillating hundred, the question had just about been answered. From that point, he really opened up the shoulders and raced to 169. By the way,Hashim Amla was relatively pedestrian today in making 196 off 220-odd deliveries. His innings ended by another fantastic Mitchell Johnson catch off his own bowling. This represented something of a purple patch for Johnson, who had Elgar out leg before in the same over. The unfortunate debutant registered a pair on debut.

 

From there, the innings fell in something of a heap. South Africa lost their last 5 wickets for 31, though the damage had well and truly been done. Mitchell Starc finished with 6 wickets in a good display of perseverance, though he conceded nearly 6 an over. Johnson took 4, and was the standout bowler. Australia were set 632 to win, or forced to bat for 14 hours to save the match. Despite intereference from a few flys that seemed to enjoy Ed Cowans helmet, the Australian openers went to stumps with their wickets intact. Two more days to go. Good news for Australia – Hashim Amla will not have to bat again this series.

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.

Day 3: Australia v South Africa

This day started with Kallis and Amla batting, continued for some time with Kallis and Amla batting. Then continued with Kallis batting with Rudolph. In short, South Africa did a lot of batting. Then, after appearing to tire of this, the South African innings went down in a flurry of wickets, sixes and Ben Hilfenhaus bouncers. Pattinson took the bowling honours with 3 wickets, while Kallis and Amla again proved that they are amongst the top few batsmen in the game with classy hundreds. The Australian innings started very shakily. Warner edged a delivery from Steyn that pitched outside off stump and moved fractionally towards the slip courdon.

 

Quiney came in for his debut Test innings and immediately went on the offensive, nearly pulling Steyn to the square leg boundary with the first delivery he faced in Test cricket. He then edged a ball through slips for four with his next ball faced. Six runs, two deliveries, one well executed stroke and one slice of luck. Quite a start. Unfortunately, Quiney’s luck ran out when he pulled Morkel in the air and picked out Steyn at fine leg. Unlucky, though if you hit the ball in the air…Ponting came to the crease with the side in trouble. Ponting walked into a defensive prod and subsequently exited with his side in greater trouble, after he edged a Morkley delivery to Kallis.

 

Clarke and Cowan, under pressure at 3 for 40, played with aggression and positivity. They executed a number of well chosen strokes on their way to an unbroken stand at the close of play. Cowan on 49, Clarke 34. Cowan’s game plan was simple. Defend the good, full ball; hit the bad, short ball. Simple, though very well executed. South African remain on top though, and early wickets on day 4 would put them under extreme pressure.

Australia v South Africa: First Test, Day One

Well, South Africa made a lot of runs (255). Australia didn’t take a lot of wickets (2). Over the winter of 2012, the man credited with single handedly reviving Australia’s deflated bowling attack, Craig McDermott, resigned from his post as bowling coach. At the time, I wondered what the impact might be. What is now referred to as the McDermott Mantra – pitch the ball up, you big quicks – seemed simple. So simple in fact, that I think I could tell Siddle, Pattinson and Hilfenhaus to do that. However, whatever McDermott did was bloody effective. It worked. The bowling line up looked like world beaters last summer.

 

The first Test since McDermott’s departure has seen a return to bowlers putting the ball in short, or just short of a good length, and the results are there for all to see. Australia barely looked like taking a wicket and the ball did not deviate at all. Either through the air or off the pitch. Prior to the match, the talk out of the Australian camp was that a pace barrage was going to unsettle the likes of Amla and Kallis. This means bouncers. Problem is, that Australia looked dangerous last year pitching the ball up, not short. Not rocket science.

 

The new bowling coach, Alistair De Winter, is well credentialled. He remade Ben Hilfenhaus as a Test bowler, yet inexplicably, Ben Hilfenhaus looked again like the bowler that Cook et al. made look second rate in the last Ashes series. Nevertheless, credit must go to South Africa. Amla, Kallis and Petersen batted with patience and authority. As in their last Australian tour, South African batsmen looked very hard to dismiss. Tremors will be going through the Australian camp. Let’s hope the bowlers get on the phone with Craig over the next few days.