Cricket: Australia lose to South Africa

[osmoister]

i can't watch this match anymore, it's far too painful

[Matt The Rat]

Well turns out there was no need to change the title

[osmoister]

Well turns out there was no need to change the title

probably be the same for next test aswell

[kurrymuncher]

YES SOUTH AFRICA WINS!!!!!!!, end of an era for the shithouse australian team 


hopefully those dickhead,biased,dumbshit,fag commentators go too..... except for tony greig

[bilgia]

aussies were in a position to win, but it didnt eventuate

[vce01]

Indeed, can't wait til India tours again.

[scumel]

if we lost the third test, we will also lose the #1 ranking as a test team
most definitely the end of an era
south africa deserved to win though, so congrats to them for making history

[NE2000]

South Africa have played pretty well, but I think there's been a bit of an overreaction to everything, because neither have Australia been steamrolled and nor have South Africa dominated. In the 1st test Australia was all good until South Africa started batting in that 4th innings. 2nd test Australia would probably have won if Dale Steyn hadn't gone and scored that 70-odd.

3rd test: looks evenly poised as of now, courtesy of the Australian tail. But Smith probably won't take the field and that makes a difference, as well as being forced to open the next innings with a new combination.

[osmoister]

i think australia are still better overall at cricket than south africa. it's just that they're struggling to find the right combination for their team. when they retire some older players and find the right players to replace them, they will be a very formidable team.

firstly, they definately need a better spin bowler than hauritz or krejza. they both suck tbh. an off spinner who can't bowl the doosra is not much of an off spin bowler. i think a new leg spinner in the attack would be a better choice, and besides australia have several batsmen who can bowl part time off spin anyway. i'm not sure how many leggies are out there though and i don't think mcgain is a good choice (too old for one thing).

a couple of good quality batsmen also need to join the team. personally i think david hussey and brad hodge should do the trick, but there are other potential candidates out there.

[NE2000]

The fact is that there are no good leggies in the domestic circuit...otherwise they would be in instead of the expensive Krejza. His figures on debut were 12 wickets but the runs he gave away were double the margin by which India won.

As for batsmen, Hussey and Hodge won't get in, I would be surprised if they do. The focus is on youth for a new era, but Hussey and Hodge would be quick-fix measures. Most of the top Aussie domestic players are 28+, and Australia don't need more of those. If you want a long-term solution you need to get low-20-year-olds into the test arena.

[osmoister]

i was showing a bit of victorian pride there, i don't belive they will either

[kurrymuncher]

pfffft stop trying to revive an already dead team.

[osmoister]

pfffft stop trying to revive an already dead team.

we'll see the next time we play sri lanka, we'll see.

[NE2000]

pfffft stop trying to revive an already dead team.

we'll see the next time we play sri lanka, we'll see.

Don't be too hopeful

There's this guy Ajantha Mendis that, combined with Muralitharan, forms easily the most potent spin duo in the world. Sri Lanka's batting and pace bowling are still relatively weak, but the spinners come in after about 10 overs in Sri Lanka so...

[osmoister]

muralis gone, hes too old. yes, i also have plenty of respect for mendis, he's one of the players i really look up to. however, he's just one man and the rest of the team aren't really that good.