1st T20 - South Africa vs Australia at Johannesburg (3am Saturday Morning)

[OzBomber]

http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/1605/rsaip3.gif vs http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4149/aus8ir.gif
1st T20 - Wanderers, Johannesburg
3am AEDT Saturday March 28th

It's been a superb summer. Probably the most competitive summer in more than 15 years for Australia. There have been thrills and spills. Up sides and down, and the tests ended up 3 apiece. Now it's limited overs time again.

In Australia, the Aussies dominated the Twenty 20s, but were thumped in the ODIs, releasing their hold on the number 1 ranking. After a huge victory in the final test, the South Africans will be full of confidence and looking to continue their new found form into the one day series.

It all starts at 3am tomorrow morning. I'll be watching. Should be fun. Steyn vs Warner in the bullring. It's going to go off! Let's hope Mitchell Johnson gets a go in the middle order.


South Africa Squad (According to Cricinfo):

*Johan Botha
Yusuf Abdulla
Hashim Amla
+Mark Boucher
AB De Villiers
JP Duminy
Herschelle Gibbs
Johanna Louw
Albie Morkel
Justin Ontong
Wayne Parnell
Robin Peterson
Dale Steyn
Roelof van der Merwe
Vaughn Van Jaarsveld

Australia Squad (According to Cricinfo):
*Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Nathan Bracken
Callum Ferguson
Brett Geeves
+Brad Haddin
Shane Harwood
Nathan Hauritz
James Hopes
David Hussey
Michael Hussey
Mitchell Johnson
Ben Laughlin
Marcus North
David Warner
Cameron White

New = Green

Coverage:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/images/logo-foxsports-fs2-mini.gif Live from 3am AEDT

[Blue Dimension]

Shane Harwood and Warner will be the definates for this game as they've been specifically selected for the 20/20 match.

Perhaps the likes of Laughlin or Geeves may get a hitout. Imagine Bracks would play first up to get into the groove of things. Maybe Johnson to be rested?

[Poz_Utd_V.2]

1.D.Warner
2.B.Haddin
3.R.Ponting
4.M.Clarke
5.D.Hussey
6.M.Hussey
7.C.White
8.M.Johnson
9.S.Harwood
10.N.Bracken
11.B.Laughlin

My guess on how they'll line up

[Cousin Jed]

Damn should have stayed at the pub a bit longer

[OzBomber]

Geez, Steyn getting a bit of swing and bounce. Speedo says he's only topping 140, but it seriously looks like he's edging into the 150s.

Aussies

Warner
Clarke
Ponting
White
M Hussey
D Hussey
Haddin
Hopes
Harwood
Johnson
Geeves

Gibbs
Amla
De Villiers
Duminy
van Jaarsveld
Boucher
Morkel
Botha
Peterson
Parnell
Steyn

[Mr_Smooth]

stream here if anyone is awake... ;)

http://cric7.com/indexindnzhai.php

[Mr_Smooth]

and that was a poofter shot pup...

[OzBomber]

Good morning Mr Smooth, nice to see I have some company.

Haven't been many crowd shots, but it looks like there are a few empty seats around the ground.

You can tell Warner really wants to go into the midwicket area.

[Worldheroxx]

warner is a great player, i dont care if he gets out in the next ball after this

[Mr_Smooth]

morning sean :thumbsu:

[OzBomber]

Atrocious camera work from Supersport (Or whoever the host broadcaster is). 3rd time that's happened and he's gets out. But the last time was actually good to see because you could tell it wasn't going to carry.

[Mr_Smooth]

channel 31 > supersport!!!! :p

[aussie1st]

Our T20 woes continue

[Cotchin 9]

Ordinary start.

[OzBomber]

Our T20 woes continueWhat do you mean they continue? We don't have any T20 woes. We've won our passed 4.

[OzBomber]

Warner slips over and is nearly run out. I think he may be in.

But is the bat grounded? Geez that's a tough decision. Not out in the end.

[aussie1st]

More rubbish batting is what I meant.

[OzBomber]

Warner starting to get into Rhythm. 16 from that over. Let's hope the beast is about to be unleashed.

This is the worst broadcast of cricket I've ever seen. Not only are the angles all stuffed up, the quality is too. Screen just went and inverted red for 30 seconds.

[Mr_Smooth]

warner seems to be playing pretty well at the moment

[Cotchin 9]

Nice thick edge.

[Blue Dimension]

Warner starting to get into Rhythm. 16 from that over. Let's hope the beast is about to be unleashed.

Can only hope Sean. Bit disappointed he's not staying for the OD games but hopefully we see a lot of him in full flight at the T20 World Cup

[Mr_Smooth]

cow corner is looking pretty vacant for botha..

[Cotchin 9]

Do not rate Robin Petersen at all.

Also good to see the Poms getting pantsed by the Windies.

[OzBomber]

That is mammoth from Hussey. Nearly as big as those sixes from Ponting in the WC Final. Esxcept his were in the top level, and Hussey's was in the 1st.

What a catch from Peterson! Hammered back from Warner. Big wicket. Any chance of Mitchell Johnson being promoted?

[OzBomber]

Hussey's woes continue. Run out first ball. Oh dear, everything is going wrong for him at the moment. That was thrown like a bullet by Botha.

[OzBomber]

3 wickets in the over. We're throwing our wickets away! Poor shot from Haddin. If you're going to go, go hard. But he played a dinky little chip shot and was caught easily.

[Mr_Smooth]

what the **** are they doing out there???

[OzBomber]

Awesome, we can listen to a dropped catch instead of watch it. :thumbsu:

The telecast is becoming laughable.

[OzBomber]

David Hussey is creaming them. Very good 50. A couple of those sixes have been massive. Especially that one over extra cover.

[illegaleagle]

thank god whites out he was batting crap, might get a few runs with johnson in

[aussie1st]

Awesome 50 by Dussey, he loves playing away from home it seems. White continues his laughable run though, at least Johnson is in now.

[OzBomber]

What a freakish catch from AB De Villiers. Pity that went for six (On his part that is). That was an awesome catch. One haned.

[illegaleagle]

brilliant batting by hussey, terrible by johnson

[aussie1st]

Johnson looked like he was trying to over do it, just needs more practice and then he bounds to click one day.

[OzBomber]

Comedy of errors tonight. Now the light tower goes out. Can they go off for light?

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Gibbs liking the look of Harwood.

[OzBomber]

Harwood has been hammered today. What's with old Victorians getting smashed.

Geeves gets one to beat AB for pace! De Villiers bowled. Going to be a tight finish one feels.

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Why was Harwood even picked? Seems a bit strange to play a 35 year old with pretty much no experience in a T20. Guess it shows how much we care about this form of the game.

[aussie1st]

Should have gone with Nannes but geez the list for Victorians struggling at the next level is growing.

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Safe to say Dussey will be MOM.

[OzBomber]

My eyes are getting heavy. It's really hard to stay awake.

Hussey has bowled brilliantly. But we need to get Morkel out soon if we want to win.

[OzBomber]

Aussies crumbling under the pressure. Could really do with a wicket right now.

What's the deal with the ole soccer chant going around the ground?

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Can we ever get this guy out? That missed run out chance a couple of overs back will end up costing us the game.

[OzBomber]

Morkel! He is creaming them. That six was huge! Would have to have been 100 metres at least. Next ball was hammered as well.

We can never get him out.

[OzBomber]

Great catch under pressure from David Hussey. That would've been hard to judge with the ball going so high in the air.

Botha is a solid batsman as well. Not over at all.

[OzBomber]

Geeves and Harwood to bowl the final 2 overs. Gonna be very tight.

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Harwood and Geeves to bowl the last two overs. Trouble here.

[notting18]

13 odd 9...we NEED a wicket or we won't win!

[aussie1st]

Shane Mick Lewis Harwood looks to have cost us the match.

[notting18]

...and that dropped catch was it. It wasn't easy, but 3 runs instead of wicket is deadly.

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Geeves to bowl the final over with 7 needed. I don't like our chances.

[notting18]

Shane Mick Lewis Harwood looks to have cost us the match.

His figures aren't that different to Steyn's. If Geeves takes that catch he would've had 1/40ish and thats not a murderable offence in 20/20 cricket.

[TimeIsRunningOut]

Game over. ****ing Harwood.

[aussie1st]

Geeves good start to the match totally undone by that dropped catch, his poor over and another poor over to give SA the win.

[illegaleagle]

why was those two spuds geeves and harwood in the team, they are hopeless line and length bowlers. Where was siddle or hgilfenhous or bracken or any other decent state league bowler. Also poor ponting captainc two leave the last two overs to those two. Hopes bowled poor as well, two many short pitched and bowls that were on the full

[aussie1st]

His figures aren't that different to Steyn's. If Geeves takes that catch he would've had 1/40ish and thats not a murderable offence in 20/20 cricket.

Not murderable but when you are 35 and a T20 specialist you are expected to do a hell of a lot more than what he has shown in his 2 matches.

[illegaleagle]

Also what is the obsession with the selectors with playing victorian and new south wales cricketers of late in all forms of the game. McDonald, White , Harwood, McGain from Victoria shouldnt get anywhere near an australian team. Also the many average NSW players over the years as well.

[Cleavy]

Still don't have a plan to get A Morkel out cheaply. It's been 3 months already!

[Cousin Jed]

Someone tell Australia that spinners are almost always the best bowlers in 20/20

[Dez!]

Also what is the obsession with the selectors with playing victorian and new south wales cricketers of late in all forms of the game. McDonald, White , Harwood, McGain from Victoria shouldnt get anywhere near an australian team. Also the many average NSW players over the years as well.

Yeah let's go get Brett Dorey.

:rolleyes:

Nevermind the Victorian that almost one the game off his own bat and then with the ball.

[Jimthegreat]

why was those two spuds geeves and harwood in the team, they are hopeless line and length bowlers. Where was siddle or hgilfenhous or bracken or any other decent state league bowler. Also poor ponting captainc two leave the last two overs to those two. Hopes bowled poor as well, two many short pitched and bowls that were on the full

Siddle and Hlifenhaus have been carrying and injured foot and sore back respectively and have gone home to rest the injuries for the Ashes.

[pluga_4]

What do you mean they continue? We don't have any T20 woes. We've won our passed 4.

maybe he meant our "away" T20 woes continue

4 from 12 away
7 from 7 at home.

playing at home you can pick a specialist team, playing away its basically your one day squad. although in this case they flew in 2 specialists.

[superfreak]

Just watching the replay and we were seriously dudded by the umpires (two south africans) with the wide calls. about four or five clear non-wides were called against us, yet they got away with a few obvious ones....they all add up and make a difference in the end.

Johnson got called for a wide down leg side that went over middle and off.

[happy_eagle]

Lovely work by David Hussey
Century in the sheild final, now this
If he has a good ODI series, he can book his ticket to England (in the squad)

[Cousin Jed]

Which squad?

[happy_eagle]

Both in my oppnion
North still ahead at number 6 in tests, but if David contiunues this form, then he should get the nod for the extra batsman spot (providing we take one). He has the experience in england

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

A lot of hysteria in this thread, not much cricket knowledge on show.

We batted poorly, not sure if i'd open with Clarke, i'd open with Haddin.

Hussey obviously batted very well but at the Wanderers with its thin air and relatively small boundaries 160 odd probably was about 15-20 runs too short.

Impressed with Geeves early spell and definitely looks like a decent bowler. Harwood was better then that but may not get a chance in the 2nd match.

Hopes was inconsistent with the ball and Johnson and Hussey were the standouts.

Impressed by punters captainicy too, having 2 slips in and a slip for the new batsmen is the way to play this game. Take wickets.

Umpiring was poor about those wides, fair dinkum, sometimes a bit of commonsense wouldn't hurt.

South Africa, Australian and India look like the best 20/20 teams in the world and they should be part of the semi-finals in the world cup.

Good to see Australia taking the format seriously and trying pick a specialist team.

Overall, a good effort in patchs but probably lacking the consistency required in this format of the game.

[Chris25]

Don't forget Australia play Pakistan in April. So there is plenty of time for David Hussey to lose form again before the England tour.

Although, if he continues with this form, he will be a good chance of replacing his brother in the team. We need to keep playing the young guys like Ferguson, so I don't think we can keep playing both Hussey's in the one team.

The same goes with the Test team. We need to start bringing some youth into the middle order. Having D Hussey as the back up batsman on the Ashes tour, isn't going to help anything.

Anyway for the next match, I would drop M Hussey and Hopes for Ferguson and Laughlin, and open with Haddin.

Warner
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
D Hussey
Ferguson
White
Johnson
Geeves
Bracken
Laughlin

Should be plenty of batting, even without Hopes at 8 or 9. Wouldn't surprise me to see Johnson rested, and Harwood get another game though. Also Hauritz could come in for one of the quick bowlers, as spin worked very well for South Africa.

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Right, lets bring in more inexperienced players to an already inexperienced team, what a great move.

[Chris25]

It's hardly an inexperienced team. Warner, Ferguson, Geeves and Laughlin would be considered inexperienced, but the rest have played a lot of international and domestic cricket.

It's only 20/20 cricket, experience isn't everything. Ferguson showed in Australia that he is a very good player, while Warner and Geeves have both shown enough to get another game. The only "risk" would be Laughlin, but he is in the squad for a reason and has to actually get a game at some stage.

There is more than enough experience in that team to guide the 'younger' players through.

[Archimedes]

Yeah let's go get Brett Dorey.

:rolleyes:

Nevermind the Victorian that almost one the game off his own bat and then with the ball.

He might play for Victoria but he is West Aussie.

[Dez!]

He might play for Victoria but he is West Aussie.

Just like Gilchrist is a West Australian? or Mitchell Johnson?

[matty p]

Warner
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
D Hussey
Ferguson
White
Johnson
Geeves
Bracken
Laughlin


Pretty much the team that I'd be playing in the 2nd game. Ferguson, Bracken and Laughlin in for M. Hussey, White/Hopes and Harwood.

[Romeo]

Punter said Harwood will play in the 2nd match.