Cricket season

Pakistan can declare once they get to 300 as they will bowl the Proteas out twice for less than that score Norman Ali and Sajid Khan two formidable spinners only play tests in Pakistan They bowled England out between them in two tests last season. 

I am watching the First Test (Proteas vs India) -   

An EMBARRASMENT - All good to start, but then India struck back (147/7 currently)  - but that is not what bugs me - 

1. Can't understand why the selectors insist on batting Mulder at 3 - yes he got a once in a lifetime 300 (but then there was no reason to not go for the Lara record)
2. I still maintain that we were 'lucky' to win the Test World Championship (played well in the final) but imo were very lucky to even reach the final - everything just fell into place
3: Conrad courtesy of the win against Australia, is not the answer imo - and I would guess he has the influence when selecting 

Hopefully (but with SA Cricket it seems a forlorn hope) they can come back from India and clean house    
 

SA have fought back well in only conceding a 30 run first inning lead Set a target of 160 and with to this wicket it’s game on 

Well the Proteas have somewhat clawed their way back - but firstly I think the pitch is a disgrace - breaking up on the 2nd day 

And I  don't think the Proteas will manage 100 runs in the 2nd innings - if they somehow repeat their first inning, they might have a glimmer of a chance - Gill might be the key IF he bats again 

Proteas going down on day 2 As Frodo  says an awful pitch, in fact disgraceful 2 day test match hit at all good for the game  

Temba Bavuma you little beauty

Match innings  knock and then brilliant captaincy in the field

Led SA to become Test Champions

Best captain that SA cricket ever have had

 

CnC 306 wrote:

Temba Bavuma you little beauty

Match innings  knock and then brilliant captaincy in the field

Led SA to become Test Champions

Best captain that SA cricket ever have had



 

I would not go so far as the 'best captain that SA cricket ever have had' 

Yes, he did 'carry his bat' in that 2nd innings, but it could have gone wrong many times -  the issue here is that the pitch was bad - that meant that it was a toss-up who would win (imo we were lucky again - especially in that one of their primary batsmen only faced one ball in the match  )

And on Bavuma's captaincy (and the 'selection committee') - he made many dubious decisions ito the bowlers - I'd go so far as to say that Maharaj (given 5 left-handed batters) should not have played - rather Muthusami (he made 100 in the series against Pakistan and took 7 wickets in an innings) - and had Patel struck another few boundaries who knows - still maintain that the batting line-up could be improved ... 

But we have to congratulate the Proteas - guts and glory as with the Springboks 

He led SA in winning the Test Championship, surely that alone puts him above all of the rest?

Now onto the long awaited Ashes England favourites to win the first test only because the two best Aussie bowlers are injured

Depending on the Brisbane and Sydney weather my early prediction is a drawn series 1-1 If the weather holds in all 5 tests the. 3-2 Australia 

Woke up at 2am to watch the first days play, now suffering big time for it. Gone are the days when I stayed awake most of the weekends 

 

Crazy first test

England must be kicking themselves after leading by 105 runs with 9 wickets in the bank and then to carry on throwing the bat at everything just to please the coach and captain. 

The bars, catering and the West Australian CB can’t be happy as 60k seats were sold for Sunday, millions of dollars lost

2nd test is a day nighter up in Brisbane hopefully the weather does not play a part 

Crazy first test in Perth - all over in 2 days; the English and the Aussies went helter for skelter - have they forgotten this is Test Cricket ? 

The Proteas played proper cricket - all batsmen made useful contributions and I am very happy that they moved Mulder to number 6. Unless the Indians make 600 over the next 2 days and bowl the Proteas out for less tha 150 on the last day (unlikely ?), chances are that we will win the first series in India in many years - and perhaps I was too harsh on Conrad - at least he realized that Mulder is not a No 3  

Proteas are out of sight already, no way India can win this test. A rare series win in India, good side without any egos.