Cricket

[Pakenhamtrain]

Good Afternoon from the MCG.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I'm very envious!

 

[youngiecj]

That looks awesome!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day one of the First Test saw Anderson take a wicket with the first ball of the match and at one time, South Africa were 111-5, but a steadying knock of 95 by De Kock saw South Africa close the day at 277-9. Curran was the England bowler of note, taking 4 - 57.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Just a cool 80k at the ground for day 1. The second largest non ashes crowd at the G.

Best part is the bar I frequent at the ground had full strength booze!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day two of the First Test was not one for the batsmen to remember with fond memories. England took the final South African wicket very quickly, leaving them on 284 all out.

England in their first innings reply were 142-3, then proceeded to lose their last seven wickets for the addition of only 39 runs, slumping to 181 all out. De Kock took no less than six catches behind the stumps, but Philander produced an amazing bowling return of 14.2 - 8 - 16 - 4.

South Africa in their second innings lost some momentum, finishing the day on 72-4.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Stumps day 3:

AUS 467 & 4/137
NZ 148

Australia are just dominating the test. Cummins the pick of the Australian bowlers with 5/28 off 17 overs.
The DRS has come into the spotlight with the 3rd umpire judging the ball hadn't hit Santner's glove. Replays showed it hit the sweatband of the glove.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day three of the First Test saw South Africa in their second innings move on to 272 all out, aided in no small way by Philander batting at number 9 making 46. That left England, with both Root and Buttler unwell, needing to score 376 to win. Archer got a five-haul but at a cost of 102 runs.

England closed the day on 121-1, with Burns on 77 not out.

 

[ainsworth74]

It's the hope that get you really when you follow England. After a day like that your hopeful that they might actually chase this down. But I think we all know that in reality they'll lose something crackers like nine wickets for 50 runs or something tomorrow and be all out for 200.

 

[Busaholic]

It's the hope that get you really when you follow England. After a day like that your hopeful that they might actually chase this down. But I think we all know that in reality they'll lose something crackers like nine wickets for 50 runs or something tomorrow and be all out for 200.

Where's Jack Leach when you need him?

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Peter Siddle has today announced his retirement from international cricket.

 

[Busaholic]

Peter Siddle has today announced his retirement from international cricket.

One of those players who may not have had the greatest talent but made the absolute best of their determination, and a great team man. The Aussie equivalent of Paul Collingwood.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

The very day Siddle announces his retirement from international cricket. Hes playing in the BBL.

Marvels outfield tonight is pathetic. The ball is traveling through the amazon undergrowth. Its stupidly thick.

Australia won the test match as well

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's the hope that get you really when you follow England. After a day like that your hopeful that they might actually chase this down. But I think we all know that in reality they'll lose something crackers like nine wickets for 50 runs or something tomorrow and be all out for 200.

Well, Day 4 of the First Test saw Burns only add seven runs to his overnight score, being dismissed for 84 and despite both Root and Buttler deciding to bat, it was reminiscent of an episode of a "Sharpe" episode with "the forlorn hope" with two days to bat, succumbing at regular intervals until the final wicket fell on the score of 268.

South Africa win the First Test by the comfortable margin of 107 runs, with Rabada 4-103 and Nortje 3-58 being the main second innings wicket-takers.

 

[High Dyke]

The very day Siddle announces his retirement from international cricket. Hes playing in the BBL.

Marvels outfield tonight is pathetic. The ball is traveling through the amazon undergrowth. Its stupidly thick.

Australia won the test match as well

Cracking BBL game in the Sydney derby yesterday though. Heard the second innings and the super over. Great death bowling by Tom Curran.

 

[DarloRich]

Typical rubbish from England against a poor Springboks side dealing with all kinds of off field shenanigans. Brainless at times from England.

When will they learn?

AND it is on bloody brain rotting talksport

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

AND it is on bloody brain rotting talksport

Ah...I'd forgotten that! i wondered why TMS wasn't on when I was out the other day. How bad is it, who are the commentators? Is it full of ads?

 

[High Dyke]

Ah...I'd forgotten that! i wondered why TMS wasn't on when I was out the other day. How bad is it, who are the commentators? Is it full of ads?

Mark Nicholas, Mark Butcher, Steve Harmison and Darren Gough are the ones I heard, so knowledgeable commentators in that respect

 

[Busaholic]

Mark Nicholas, Mark Butcher, Steve Harmison and Darren Gough are the ones I heard, so knowledgeable commentators in that respect

I gather from newspaper reports today that both Gough and Harmison are saying one of Anderson and Broad should be left out of the next test in order to allow a spinner (probably Bess) to play. The implication I got, also from Joe Root's comments that he held the bowlers more responsible for the defeat, was that they might never be seen in tandem again. Personally, I'd have thought the usual first innings batting failures were just as responsible, and the inability of Stokes to bowl for some of the time.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I recall that after a defeat by New Zealand in, I think, 2008 following a batting collapse England proceeded to leave out Harmison and Hoggard, replacing them with Anderson and Broad. Hoggard never played for England again. It's not uncommon for bowlers to be discarded following a batting failure! As badly as England bowled on the third morning (and they did) it is a very poor batting lineup, but that is all we have at the moment.

 

[Busaholic]

I recall that after a defeat by New Zealand in, I think, 2008 following a batting collapse England proceeded to leave out Harmison and Hoggard, replacing them with Anderson and Broad. Hoggard never played for England again. It's not uncommon for bowlers to be discarded following a batting failure! As badly as England bowled on the third morning (and they did) it is a very poor batting lineup, but that is all we have at the moment.

Inserting SA could either have been interpreted as a sign of great confidence in bowling them out cheaply or as avoiding exposing our batsmen to the SA attack as long as possible: have to say I'd side with the latter! It's time, I think, to question everything about the side, from the captaincy downwards. Captaincy certainly seems to have affected Root's batting, and I read today that no England captain in charge for so many tests has a worse record than the 40% of tests lost so far under his charge. During that third morning I also read that Root and Stokes had a very animated(!) public conversation on the field regarding tactics, with Stokes being none too happy with what was going on. Now that Burns appears to justify his place medium term at least, maybe change of captaincy to him should happen sooner rather than later. The wicket keeping position needs urgent reviewing too: personally I'd bring Foakes in, as best keeper, and make both Bairstow and Buttler justify their positions as batsmen only. I don't think Buttler will ever cut it in test cricket and maybe Bairstow has gone so backward there's no further room for him, although he seems poorly treated by the England set-up.

 

[PauloDavesi]

An alernative to the talksport coverage is the South African domestic coverage on radio2000.co.za

They have a very experienced comentary team, only a few adverts and overall much better coverage than the talksport offering.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Ah...I'd forgotten that! i wondered why TMS wasn't on when I was out the other day. How bad is it, who are the commentators? Is it full of ads?

We've already dealt with the commentators, and I thought that they were pretty good. To answer the other points: it's wasn't bad at all, and although there were adverts, they weren't too frequent and not too intrusive. I'd heard of the station's poor record, and wasn't too keen on tuning in, but I do have to say that I was pleasantly surprised how good it was. I'll be tuning in when I can for the rest of the series.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

CA are preparing for the possibility of smoke to affect the new years test.

 

[Busaholic]

CA are preparing for the possibility of smoke to affect the new years test.

B* oody hell, Australia's not that near is it?

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

B* oody hell, Australia's not that near is it?

The smoke from the fires down south will come up around day 2.
The NSW side of things there is a Tourist Leave Zone stretching half the South Coast and in Victoria there's a State of Disaster for the east.

 

[Busaholic]

The smoke from the fires down south will come up around day 2.
The NSW side of things there is a Tourist Leave Zone stretching half the South Coast and in Victoria there's a State of Disaster for the east.

Serious question from someone who's never visited Australia. How near to SCG are any of these fires and was there any serious consideration to cancelling the newly-started test match?

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Serious question from someone who's never visited Australia. How near to SCG are any of these fires and was there any serious consideration to cancelling the newly-started test match?

The worst of the fires are 200km south of Sydney around Batemans Bay.
https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/

If the smoke was bad enough they wouldn't have gone out.

If you want to know how bad the fires are:

Imagine every bit of land between the coast and Birmingham torched.

 

[Ferret]

Another glorious day for England’s batting unit. Really poor dismissals throughout the day, there’s no clarity of thought on what to play and what to leave. Fiddling at balls on a 7th/8th stump line to give QDK catching practice is just not acceptable.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Indeed so. Day 1 of the Second Test saw England at 185-4 at one stage, but then wickets fell at regular intervals. Pope with 56 not out and Anderson fortunately added a few late runs in the last wicket unbroken stand and at close of play, England had reached 262-9 from 89 overs bowled. All five South African bowlers took wickets.