Planet Rugby Forum

Good day all. So its all kicking off on Thursday in Durban, lets start the debate

TEAMS

PROTEAS

Squad Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungisani Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.

BAGGY GREENS

Steven Smith(c), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers

FIXTURES

1st Test - Thu Mar 1 - Mon Mar 5

DURBAN, KINGSMEAD


2nd Test - Fri Mar 9 - Tue Mar 13

PORT ELIZABETH - ST GEORGES PARK


3rd Test - Thu Mar 22 - Mon Mar 26

CAPE TOWN - NEWLANDS


4th Test - Fri Mar 30 - Tue Apr 3

JOHANNESBURG - WANDERERS

4 tests in 33 days.

That's a full schedule.

kiap wrote:4 tests in 33 days.

That's a full schedule.

I suspect a few tests won't go past day 4

Whats the gist; Aussies firm favourites as better batsman and better spinner?

Screwing up the margins with the OP. Poor form.

Mr. White wrote:Screwing up the margins with the OP. Poor form.

Wut? Margins are just fine by me

Big Nipper wrote:

Mr. White wrote:Screwing up the margins with the OP. Poor form.

Wut? Margins are just fine by me

Apols then, must be something up with my display.

As you were.

I am going to watch day 1 of the 1st test, and the 2nd test in PE

I hope its going to be a cracker series. Both teams have brittle batting lineups, and express quicks. Here is to hoping the curators prepare some venomous decks

Big Nipper wrote: Here is to hoping the curators prepare some venomous decks

Thank fudge we aren't going back to Centurion. Stupid Clutchplates.

Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

Sandstorm wrote:

Big Nipper wrote: Here is to hoping the curators prepare some venomous decks

Thank fudge we aren't going back to Centurion. Stupid Clutchplates.

Brian Bloy is a clutchplate ?

Who do we pick as keeper? De Kok's form is terrible and Klaasen has been great.

Wilson's Toffee wrote:

Sandstorm wrote:

Big Nipper wrote: Here is to hoping the curators prepare some venomous decks

Thank fudge we aren't going back to Centurion. Stupid Clutchplates.

Brian Bloy is a clutchplate ?

The grease rubbed off on him from the locals.

Sandstorm wrote:Who do we pick as keeper? De Kok's form is terrible and Klaasen has been great.

He has been a revelation. Not sure about Klaasen as a test player, but it's good to have someone as backup to De Kock. He needs someone to put him under pressure.

handyman wrote:

Sandstorm wrote:Who do we pick as keeper? De Kok's form is terrible and Klaasen has been great.

He has been a revelation. Not sure about Klaasen as a test player, but it's good to have someone as backup to De Kock. He needs someone to put him under pressure.

Plus De Kok keeps getting injured, he's barely fit now anyway. I'd leave him out of the 1st Test and give Klaasen a shot.

Sandstorm wrote:

handyman wrote:

Sandstorm wrote:Who do we pick as keeper? De Kok's form is terrible and Klaasen has been great.

He has been a revelation. Not sure about Klaasen as a test player, but it's good to have someone as backup to De Kock. He needs someone to put him under pressure.

Plus De Kok keeps getting injured, he's barely fit now anyway. I'd leave him out of the 1st Test and give Klaasen a shot.

Agreed, but as a number 7 batsman. Aussie attack is very good. I would play 6 batsmen, a keeper, 3 fast bowlers and a spinner.

Apart from Smith and sometimes Warner, Australia's batting is terrible. Expect the Saffas to knock them over pretty easily.

If Stark gets re-injured, it's all over.

Sandstorm wrote:

Wilson's Toffee wrote:

Sandstorm wrote:

Big Nipper wrote: Here is to hoping the curators prepare some venomous decks

Thank fudge we aren't going back to Centurion. Stupid Clutchplates.

Brian Bloy is a clutchplate ?

The grease rubbed off on him from the locals.

There comes Little Nipper. ..

Big Nipper wrote:

kiap wrote:4 tests in 33 days.

That's a full schedule.

I suspect a few tests won't go past day 4

Only if the Aussies take it easy

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

749a wrote:

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

A pitch officiated over by 2 umpires sporting gold watches

749a wrote:

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

None. Both sides are basically clones. Except the Proteas are nice.

Sandstorm wrote:

749a wrote:

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

None. Both sides are basically clones. Except the Proteas are nice.

Thomas would have you know that Davey Warner has become a real treat of a gent, now that he has a family and doesn't drink.

749a wrote:

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

A totally unplayable one.

Big Nipper wrote:

749a wrote:

handyman wrote:Let's hope our curators prepare pitches to suit the Saffers more than the opposition.

We need our batsmen to perform. Cannot afford to play 6 batsmen when a few are not in form.

What sort of pitch would suit South Africa but not Australia?

A pitch officiated over by 2 umpires sporting gold watches

Even a broken watch is right, twice a day.

Nice if it was on FTA here

Stats and trivia

Australia have not played a Test in Durban since 2009, when Phillip Hughes burst onto the Test scene with a hundred in each innings of his second Test match

The last two times Australia and South Africa played series of more than three Tests, South Africa won them both - but they were in 1966-67 and 1970 respectively

Morne Morkel is six wickets from reaching the milestone of 300 in Tests and he would be the fifth South African to the mark, behind Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald

Quotes

"There's no doubt it's a tough tour. Conditions-wise it's as similar as you get to back home but you're still away from home and they're a good team."
Steven Smith

"It's the most competitive series that you play. We are both very passionate and competitive and we try and leave all out there on the field."
Faf du Plessis on the fierce nature of the competition between the two sides

Aus win toss and will bat first unchanged from Sydney.

De Bruyn has come in for Ngidi which is a big surprise. Maharaj expected replacement for Phulwenkayo (sp?).

Massive series this. Time for SA to win a home series vs Aus.

3 wickets by lunchtime would be great.

15/1. Bancroft gone. Big Vern!

39/2

Rabada to Khawaja, OUT, edged, and that is a stunning grab from the keeper!
UT Khawaja c †de Kock b Rabada 14

guy smiley wrote:Australia have 35 runs for the loss of one wicket within the first hour and SA have used up both reviews.

and?

Now to get the wicket of a certain S Smith sharpish.

handyman wrote:Now to get the wicket of a certain S Smith sharpish.

You chase the mockers away.

OomPB wrote:

guy smiley wrote:Australia have 35 runs for the loss of one wicket within the first hour and SA have used up both reviews.

and?

They may regret that if there is a later howler.

guy smiley wrote:

OomPB wrote:

guy smiley wrote:Australia have 35 runs for the loss of one wicket within the first hour and SA have used up both reviews.

and?

That was the state of play when I posted. I'm not saying anything about it apart from the fact SA now have no reviews available to them and an innings can sometimes last a long time.

Are you feeling defensive this morning, Oom?

He's hungover. Posted drunk yesterday.

[img]https://ibb.co/ju11dH/img]

Damn. Cant upload. Currently on the North Stand

guy smiley wrote:

OomPB wrote:

guy smiley wrote:Australia have 35 runs for the loss of one wicket within the first hour and SA have used up both reviews.

and?

That was the state of play when I posted. I'm not saying anything about it apart from the fact SA now have no reviews available to them and an innings can sometimes last a long time.

Are you feeling defensive this morning, Oom?

Not at all, reviews will reset after 80 overs, I think.