Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test Adelaide

November 22-26, Adelaide Oval
Start time: 1030 CST, 1100 EST, 0000 GMT

Australia:
1 Ed Cowan, 2 David Warner, 3 Rob Quiney, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke*, 6 Michael Hussey,
7 Matthew Wade† , 8 Peter Siddle, 9 James Pattinson, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Nathan Lyon.

South Africa:
1 Graeme Smith*, 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers† , 6 Jacques Rudolph,
7 Faf du Plessis, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Imran Tahir, 11 Rory Kleinveldt.

Australia are unchanged from Brisbane with Shane Watson's bid to play as a batsman ending predictably on match eve.
Ben Hilfenhaus retains his spot ahead of Mitchell Starc and Rob Quiney has another Test to prove himself at No. 3.

JP Duminy's injury meant South Africa had to make at least one change from the Gabba side and it has been confirmed that Faf du Plessis will make his debut in Adelaide. Imran Tahir has also been named and will replace Rory Kleinveldt in the starting XI.

The Adelaide Oval surface should provide plenty of runs early in the match but it is also likely to deteriorate as the game wears on - which will bring the spinners into play. The forecast for the duration of the match is hot and sunny.

I worry about Tahir. He better make the step up and provide some better results.

an average of 37 is nowhere near good enough for an attacking spinner, his strike rate and economy all has to improve.

I sencerely hope FAF makes a bid because our batting line up has been relying on Kallis and Amla far too much this last 18 months.

In fact without checking I would guess between them they must have scored hlf our runs this year.

Apprantly I have been sniffing glue.

It isn't as bad as I thought. In the lst 12 months

Amla 952 runs
Kallis 832 runs
de villiers 801 runs
smith 705 runs

There were reports that Starc might make it ahead of Hilfenhaus for this match. But after his fine performance last year, I think Hilfenhaus deserves at least one more go.
As for South Africa, Tahir has to be back and rightly so. But its time he transform the potential into actual performance. In most of the previous tests he didn't have the best of conditions available and the pacers did most of the damage upfront. But This ground has provided help for spinners in the past and this has to be his chance and he has to take it.

AB has been scoring 40s more consistently than anyone else for the last 4 months. I hope he scores a real big one here. And never count Graeme Smith out. Its not about the top 4 that South Africa have to worry about, its the rest of the batting. AB is real class but since taking up the gloves the big scores haven't been coming. Rudolph hasn't really justified his 2nd chance as yet, and this series has to be his last chance. For Faf this is going to be his debut, one thing can be assured right away, SA's fielding will be that much better with him playing, but it is with the bat that he has to deliver.
I am not quite sure the SA selectors got it quite right with Elgar as JP's replacement. Considering the added responsibilities on AB and the inconsistencies of Rudolph, perhaps they should have recalled Prince and bat him at 6.

Probelm with Prince is his form, he has been struggling in the domestic season with a mere 35 average.

Biltong, what about Elgar? was he scoring big and consistent? Wasn't Prince scoring big in county cricket over the summer? And he still has a national contract right?

Don't really know MSP, I read somewhere that he did well in the SA A tour, but can't find any stats or results on it.

Tahir is a 3th / 4th inning, 5th bowler in a supporting role when pitch is deterioated to suit his bowling.

exepctations of him should be in line with the above and an average of 35 is OK for such a fit-for-purpose bowler.

offcourse if SA has a Warne or even a Swann...then Tahir doesn't play.
For now if Tahir is all that they got....then they play him...or they cn have Peterson....dunno where is Paul Harris

Onlike previous SA spinners, Imran Tahir, perhaps of his impressive FC record, is considered an attacking spinner in South Africa. A leggy is always more likely to be more of an attacking option, but I don't think Tahir has had a fair chance as yet, either due to the excellence of the seamers or because of rather unhelpful conditions.

He'll have the opportunity to show his wares tomorrow. I was surprised to read that Kallis is the only South African to have played Test cricket at AO.

I'm also looking forward to see how Lyon performs on his own turf. Personally, I would have liked to have seen Starc in there but I just hope Hilfenhaus has more success in this one than in Brisbane. He needs to contribute more.

They have ripped the Chappell Stand and the City End (South) Stand down so it's only the Members and the Northern Hill (old scoreboard end) area available. Capacity only 18,000 but it's already sold out for Friday, Saturday and Sunday apparently.

It's been very hot in that part of the world. Massive firestorm on the Eyre Peninsula yesterday but they've got it under control now.

The Adelaide Oval redevelopment is perhaps the most thoughtless development of a cricket ground ever undertaken anywhere.

Bear in mind that this image is presumably the glorified design version - http://www.fiveaa.com.au/photo_upgrade-to-adelaide-oval_100897.

The red brick rooves and relatively small stands (height-wise) were an important part of the charm of the venue. I also believe that views of the cathedral will be lost. Now looks like any other modern sports stadium.

It has definitely lost a lot of charm Shelsey.

What annoys me is that the proposed development was directly a result of the failed FIFA 2022 bid to get the facilities up to the required standards. But an oval-shaped cricket ground? Would have been better to build a (proposed) new football stadium somewhere else... towards Port Adelaide. Most of the Cathedral will still be visible because of it's elevated position but I agree it's too bold a development.

Same as the SCG. I was there a few weeks ago and saw the plans. They have decided to build this fancy looking roof above the Bradman stand (out of kilter with the roof line of the recent redevelopments) and worst of all - a bloody gap at the top of the stand which will no doubt affect the wind dynamics... right behind the bowler's run up at the Paddo end. Thoughtless design!

Massive headaches for South Africa.

Duminy is already out.

Now Philander is out with a bad back.

Which means another Test for Kleinveldt. Oh how I'm missing my boy Marchant de Lange

I also would've preferred Robbie Peterson over Tahir

Good start from Warner, murdering Steyn and Morkel. WoW. Spanking them. But the bowling is below par for these two.

Aus 43/0.

Then some 18 mins from SA, Kallis trapping Cowan lbw and Morkel having Quiney caught by Smith in the slips and only 1 run in that 18 mins.

Aus 44/2.

Kallis, who was bowling quite brilliantly, cleaned up Ponting with a ripper.

Pulls a hamstring.

We are going down like flies! Grrrr!!!

What a year Michael Clarke is having, yet another ton, and tons are not becoming news with him these days. Extraordinary. And Hussey and Clarke looks good for another huge partnership and trouble for South Africa here.

David Warner underscored his value and answered his doubters in some style, scoring a brilliant ton at better than a run a ball. But Rob Quinie went for a duck, and Ricky Ponting will have more questions facing him after this latest failure. Australia well set to score more than 400 here. When Australia scored 400 on the first day and scored 556 in the first innings against India, they eventually lost the test match.

Jacques Kallis was turning the clock back with his bowling, and such a shame he got injured. What is the status of his injury? Will he be able to bat? These days there is no runner allowed. Will be dificult for Kalliss and South Africa.

Means nothing until we see SA bat and Oz bowl.

Remember also 2006/7 v England and earlier this year when they put on 600 odd against India. Both results are possible... or a draw.

Seems like SA have completely lost their way.
Is this the beginning of them going the Indian and English way after reaching the top spot?

It's just baffling isn't it? Like Oz and England to a degree they are having rotten luck with injuries. I really don't know what to think.

Well ,this is not going well for SA at all, I beleive Philander withdrew and now Kallis is injured as well?

Easy win for OZ on the cards.

So much for competitive series, eh?

Philander woke up with back spasms. Talk about unlucky timing.
Kallis got 2 early wickets then pulled up mid-over.
Australia were well and truly on the ropes at 55/3.

When India was in England last year, Zaheer Khan after looking absolutely menacing for 12 overs, walked off the field injured. Then Virender Sehwag didn't recover in time, Gautam Gambhir got injured, Harbhajan Singh got injured, Praveen Kumar got injured. For South Africa, Duminy got injured on the first day of the first test, then Philander and now Kalliss.
Graeme Smith will have to play a backs to the wall innings to somehow try and save this one, They appear mentaly shot at the moment. Michael Clarke looks like this time he'll go pass Lara.

The 2nd new ball is getting closer. That his the only remaining hope for South Africa. Michael Clarke, on root to 400, is not out on 180 and Michael Hussey is closing in on his hundred. Will Australia score 500 today?

That's the 150 for Imran Tahir!!.

No new ball taken. Tahir and du Plessis are going on.

Michael Clarke - 4 x 200+ run scores this year.

Now the Huss picks one off Tahir to reach his back-to-back hundreds.

And Clarke has reached 200.

What is going on? Has the pitch gone dead? Have the Australians batting in an out of this world way? The SA bowling has suddenly become club standard?

Exactly what I'd like to ask as well MSP! 459/4 off of 83 overs. At this rate they could make 1000 runs and still have good time to bowl the Saffers out!

Imran Tahir - 21/0/159/0

No wonder Ken Barrington liked playing there. His favourite ground apparently.

See the no.1 ranking is a curse. You can look like the business for many years until you become no.1 and then, suddenly, you look second-rate.

A peach from Steyn to remove Hussey for 103.

482/5 off 86.5 overs. What a day!

Just need to pile 700 on the board and pile the pressure on. If that happened, SA would need 501 to avoid the follow-on!

Matthew Wade and the bowlers need to support Clarke as Hussey is bowled by Steyn at the stroke of Stumps.

Duty281 wrote:See the no.1 ranking is a curse. You can look like the business for many years until you become no.1 and then, suddenly, you look second-rate.

Speak for yourself mate. It didn't affect Australia for many a year.

Now let one bugger tell me tahir is international standard.

Linebreaker wrote:

Duty281 wrote:See the no.1 ranking is a curse. You can look like the business for many years until you become no.1 and then, suddenly, you look second-rate.

Speak for yourself mate. It didn't affect Australia for many a year.

Australia cursed the position before they left, now they're swooping in to take it back!

We must have.

I just can't believe the ups and downs in Test cricket these last few years. Australia, India, England and South Africa. They are/were all very good teams, some big stars in each but we're all having to dig deep with the disruptions to our line-ups through injuries, coaching changes... controversies, etc.

What is evident though is it can all change overnight.... seemingly.

but that is good for test cricket, isn't it?

Gone are the days where one team rules for yonks, now you get it for a while, then someone takes it away, then someone else gets it and the health of test cricket grows.

Biltong wrote:Now let one bugger tell me tahir is international standard.

he is a 3rd / 4th inning bowler.
Who gave the ball in his hand on D1 of a test match

ICC Ranking predictor shows.....by the time Eng and Aus finish their respective series with the most likely results...the new world order would look like:

1) SA
2) Aus
3) India
4) Eng
5) pak
6) Lanka

KP_fan wrote:

Biltong wrote:Now let one bugger tell me tahir is international standard.

he is a 3rd / 4th inning bowler.
Who gave the ball in his hand on D1 of a test match

The Umpire?

The way things are going it could be different again KP_f.

Australia could even be on top. SA or India vying for 2nd place. We'll be more the wiser in the new year.

Unless Tahir spinns Australia out in the 2nd innings to provide SA an unlikely win, this looks like his last tast. He's not young, and if he goes out, then a comeback will be dificult. He hasn't really set the world on fire in his 10 test matches and was smashed around here. If he and the rest of the bowling find a way through Michael Clarke and the rest of the Australian lineup quickly and then the SA batting click big, he may have one last chance to redeem himself.