Day 2: Cricket in Summer Australia

Another summer’s day.

Boy of the Match

By Nick Withers Johannesburg 2011.   Where has Pat Cummins been? Why hasn’t he played forAustraliauntil now? What were the selectors thinking waiting only til now to debut him? The answers to these questions probably go something along the lines of a) in nappies; b) too busy sucking his thumb; and c) it would have [Read more]

From deserts the…

  Australia’s fantastic victory overnight had many of the ingredients of Edgbaston 2005, but thankfully a better result for the visitors. The Aussie cause seemed to be lost for most of the abbreviated day’s play, yet in the end a bit of old-fashioned spirit got us through. It’s a bit weird to have the stomach [Read more]

SA v Aus – Day 5: St Cummins Day

Australia has won the second Test at The Wanderers in Johannesburg by two wickets. In a tense finish, Pat Cummins secured the victory. He played with a freedom of spirit and nonchalance that made any old dog feel even more battered and confused as we watched in our own muck in the middle of the [Read more]

South Africa V Australia – Johannesburg – Second test – Sunday

20 November 2011 – Day 4 South Africa 266 & 339 Australia 296 and 143/3   First Session South Africa resumed with an overnight lead of 199 and seven second wickets in hand. It was to be an extended two and a half hour session with an early start due to time lost on the [Read more]

Day 4: what’s not to like about Test cricket

I was in the car when play resumed on the morning of the fourth day at The Wanderers, my mind strongly of the view that the Australians would struggle to contain the South African batting line-up, and certainly were unlikely to dismiss them unless they attacked early. It has been an unusual Test wicket in [Read more]

Second Test Day 3

When the bowler most likely to snare you a wicket is an eighteen year old Test debutant with less than five first-class games to his credit, it is a reasonable assumption that some serious soul-searching regarding the make-up of your bowling attack would be occurring. It is also fair to say that half-way through a [Read more]

Australia eats spinach for breakfast; SA has rocket salad for lunch

Cricket: 2nd Test: RSA v Aust, Wanderers, Joh’burg, Day 2, Friday 18 November 2011: South Africa (266 & 0/0) versus Australia (296) Australia’s evaporation at Newlands masked the fact that most ofSouth Africa’s Test cricketers have not yet woken up in this mini-series. Had either Hussey or Watson held the chances given early by Amla [Read more]

South Africa v Australia Second Test Day 1

by Peter Flynn Australia once had a ‘Big Ship’ as captain. Now it’s South Africa’s turn to have a skipper who cuts an imposing figure. Smith and Clarke look like Big Nick and a young Ted Hopkins as they make their out for the toss.

2nd Test Blog

After a week of varied traumas in the cricket world, the Aussies saddle up to try and make amends for the (not so) magic number 47. How do we rate their chances?