Test AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA First Test. Dec 17-21, Gabba, Brisbane. 11.20am AEDT.

[BGman]

After a seven year hiatus due to the SA board not sending a squad to Australia over the Christian festive season the boys from the SA Republic have consented to once again tour here. Hats off to you all.
Lets hope you dont plan on feasting out in our conditions as we'll send the lot of you packing quick smart..


Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner.

Players in bold to miss out. Rotten luck for Nes on his home ground.

South Africa squad: Dean Elgar (c), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Eree, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo

 

[11kgm]

Heavy Balls is guaranteed to play so is Cumdog

 

[BGman]

I reckon the Saffas like touring here because our pitches, conditions and climate suit them to a tee as they are similar to their own. In fact this could well have been the catalyst for our two nations having played each other from 1902 to 1970 on a reciprocal basis every two/three years, only curtailed by two world wars. In 1970 cricket between us came to a sudden halt when SA Cricket was banned from playing due to its insidious Apartheid system. SA remained a pariah until 1992 when the ban was removed and matches between our two nations resumed a year later. It was to be business as usual after that with some of the best battles in cricket history taking place either in the Republic or on our shores over the following years.

 

[BGman]

This series will be won by the stronger bowling group. Both are world class, so who will come out on top.
Lets take a look at the averages of both groups.
Saffas:
K Rabada - 55/257 @22.4
L Ngidi - 15/49/ @21.6
A Nortje - 15/57 @ 27.5
M Jansen - 7/37 @18.5 - 22/105 @20.8 (FC)
Gerald Coetzee - 15/44 @ 32.2 (FC)

BGs:
PJ Cumins - 44/202 @ 21.5
JR Hazlewood - 58/217 @26.1
MA Starc - 73/296 @ 27.5
C Green - 16/18 @ 35.4
M Neser - 88/312 @22.6 (FC)
SM Boland - 90/321 @24.6 (FC)

We can be thankful to Vernon Philander for retiring. He hurt us badly last time the Saffas toured.

 

[BGman]

Standings | ICC World Test Championship | ICC

Official WTC website - live matches, scores, news, highlights, commentary, rankings, videos and fixtures from the International Cricket Council.

www.icc-cricket.com

Saffa aint far behind us.

 

[Westend]

Will be interesting to see the pitches we produce

Would love to see a turning SCG

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Will be interesting to see the pitches we produce

Would love to see a turning SCG

I wouldn’t hold your breath, has been a terrible pitch for a while now. Absolute shame, as it used to be an excellent deck.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

This series will be won by the stronger bowling group. Both are world class, so who will come out on top.
Lets take a look at the averages of both groups.
Saffas:
K Rabada - 55/257 @22.4
L Ngidi - 15/49/ @21.6
A Nortje - 15/57 @ 27.5
M Jansen - 7/37 @18.5 / 22/105 @20.8 (FC)
Gerald Coetzee - 15/44 @ 32.2

BGs:
PJ Cumins - 44/202 @ 21.5
JR Hazlewood - 58/217 @26.1
MA Starc - 73/296 @ 27.5
C Green - 16/18 @ 35.4
M Neser - 88/312 @22.6 (FC)
SM Boland - 90/321 @24.6 (FC)

We can be thankful to Vernon Philander for retiring. He hurt us badly last time the Saffas toured.

Are those numbers for Coetzee FC?

 

[PhatBoy]

Test

He’s yet to debut. They’re his FC numbers.

 

[frankrizzo]

This series will be won by the stronger bowling group. Both are world class, so who will come out on top.
Lets take a look at the averages of both groups.
Saffas:
K Rabada - 55/257 @22.4
L Ngidi - 15/49/ @21.6
A Nortje - 15/57 @ 27.5
M Jansen - 7/37 @18.5 - 22/105 @20.8 (FC)
Gerald Coetzee - 15/44 @ 32.2 (FC)

BGs:
PJ Cumins - 44/202 @ 21.5
JR Hazlewood - 58/217 @26.1
MA Starc - 73/296 @ 27.5
C Green - 16/18 @ 35.4
M Neser - 88/312 @22.6 (FC)
SM Boland - 90/321 @24.6 (FC)

We can be thankful to Vernon Philander for retiring. He hurt us badly last time the Saffas toured.

Wouldnt it be other way? This series is going to be decided by the few batsmen who can stand tall vs such high quality attacks both bowling lineups will roll through batting a few time this series but somebody from one of these sides is going to make that series turning ton or will be a series changing partnership.

 

[Gough]

Poll added.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Will be interesting to see the pitches we produce

Would love to see a turning SCG

Bet you Sydney is as flat as a pancake don’t get me started on it. I go every year and it’s been shocking for years

 

[Jim Prideaux]

FC. He is on debut and SA cricket saying he is our version of Lance Morris. We will see. Morris' FC stats are certainly more impressive. He is also 2 years older than the Saffa.

I figured, it was just the others had FC listed. As much as I’d like to see both of them play, I’m not holding my breath either.

Hopefully SA don’t fall into the classic trap of bowling too short at the Gabba, it might look good but it doesn’t get wickets.

 

[JackFlash]

This is a very good South African bowling lineup, Aussie batsmen won't have it all their own way this time.

 

[10Dulkar]

I didn't realise Zondo only averages 31 in FC and presumably that includes their second-tier FC comp at some point. Has he been in good recent form to justify a recall? De Bruyn has a miserable record from 12 tests with an average around the Brett Lee mark but at least puts up good numbers in domestic.

 

[PhatBoy]

If they pick Khaya Zondo the Saffas will have two blokes averaging in the @19s. The other is Theunis de Bruyn who scored " a dashing 80" against the CAX1 pace attack which included one bowler with seasoned shield experience, Chris Tremain, other three were rookies still finding their way at state level.

All well and good mate but what do you propose they do, rub two sticks together and hope it produces an AB de Villiers?? They can only use what they’ve got.

Australia at home has a habit of either feasting on opposition attacks full stop, or seeing off the threat and feasting off whatever comes next.

As good as Australia’s bowling is, usually it’s weight of runs that really crushes visiting teams so the first box they have to tick is to avoid Australia waltzing to 400+ every time they bat. If they don’t do that, it’s irrelevant how well their top order bats. They simply won’t win.

If I was them I would absolutely take the odds to six batsmen including the keeper and have Maharaj and Janssen at 7-8. They can both bat.

 

[Drunkcat]

Bet you Sydney is as flat as a pancake don’t get me started on it. I go every year and it’s been shocking for years

It is always raining at the Sydney test

 

[HugeJohnson]

Any of the players gonna be up watching the world cup final Monday morning? Might have an impact on performance, should look in to who of them are big soccer fans and exploit it

 

[BGman]

Hopefully SA don’t fall into the classic trap of bowling too short at the Gabba

There are two sides to this. One I have alluded to in above post. The other is they may try to ruffle the feathers of our two super bats, Smudge and Marn as is well known neither like the short stuff. Both were clocked by Archer in 2019 and Marn specially, still looks uncomfortable when asked to smell some leather.

 

[Marcel Proust]

I hope they do. But SA Cricket will have done its homework. Talk is they are picking only five bats, keeper #6 with five bowlers. This Saffa X1 is very lopsided, as their batting is far inferior to their attack. So they have to be careful that their attack actually has something to bowl at, if say we roll em very cheaply..

That sounds risky given how shyte their batting is?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

It is always raining at the Sydney test

As long as it doesn’t on the first 3 days don’t care really

 

[LukeParkerno1]

That sounds risky given how shyte their batting is?

Plus to their strengths and it makes sense

 

[Marcel Proust]

Plus to their strengths and it makes sense

If your average at batting, playing less batsman sounds risky?

Wouldn't four bowlers be enough given they are good at it

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If your average at batting, playing less batsman sounds risky?

Wouldn't four bowlers be enough given they are good at it

They have played 5 bowlers for a while actually it’s the way they have played. Is it risky sure but it’s just as risky playing a bat who is let’s face it ordinary least the bowling option is test quality

 

[Marcel Proust]

They have played 5 bowlers for a while actually it’s the way they have played. Is it risky sure but it’s just as risky playing a bat who is let’s face it ordinary least the bowling option is test quality

The saffie, Top 5, last game.
test averages;

28, 38, 31, 26, 19

Doesn't bode well. May be more ugly than the Windies?

Zondo only played 1 game but 31 average FC..