RSA vs NZ, 1st Test, Durban
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<p>and that 31 includes a big over of bat swinging!!</p>
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<p>SA in the second innings are reeling with Southee and Boult the chief destroyers. Problem is the BCs were meek in the first innings. Barring a miracle the boys will be chasing over 400 in the last innings so any chance of a win is pretty much out of the question. Looks like the usual story, if Williamson and Taylor go cheaply she's all over, if one of them busts out a massive innings ( and you get the feeling Taylor used up all his form on Zimbabwe ) then there's the chance of an honourable draw.</p>
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<p>I look at the "pace" attack ( should have a medium in front ) and there is enough talent there to knock SA over quite quickly tomorrow morning but I dread the thought of one of those lower order batsmen getting a frustrating half century and making it a real uphill battle.</p> -
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="610657" data-time="1472508308">
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<p>SA in the second innings are reeling with Southee and Boult the chief destroyers. Problem is the BCs were meek in the first innings. Barring a miracle the boys will be chasing over 400 in the last innings so any chance of a win is pretty much out of the question. Looks like the usual story, if Williamson and Taylor go cheaply she's all over, if one of them busts out a massive innings ( and you get the feeling Taylor used up all his form on Zimbabwe ) then there's the chance of an honourable draw.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I look at the "pace" attack ( should have a medium in front ) and there is enough talent there to knock SA over quite quickly tomorrow morning but I dread the thought of one of those lower order batsmen getting a frustrating half century and making it a real uphill battle.</p>
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<p>Do you know, and this is crazy, but since Hesson took over, I have glimmers of hope that we can do it. Previously I would just look up the score to see what we lost by but now, if we did manage to grind out a win or even a draw, I wouldn't be as surprised as I would have been before the Hesson era.</p>
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<p>It may be false hope but In Kane I trust!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="610642" data-time="1472504162">
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<p>Never good when 31 is the teams third best score.....and number 10 gets it.....</p>
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<p>And I see Steyn has criticised Wagner for not occupying the crease and supporting Kane. </p>
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<p>As to the toss, Wagner commented that he still thought it was the right decision to bowl at the end of day 1. The drop catch by Nicholls proved costly in the context of the test.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="610662" data-time="1472509100">
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<p>Do you know, and this is crazy, but since Hesson took over, I have glimmers of hope that we can do it. Previously I would just look up the score to see what we lost by but now, if we did manage to grind out a win or even a draw, I wouldn't be as surprised as I would have been before the Hesson era.</p>
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<p>It may be false hope but In Kane I trust!</p>
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<p>Agree 100% but let's not forget the guy with the second best New Zealand average of all time* is in the team too and will be keen to atone for the first innings. As I said before getting run out in a test is pretty fucken unforgivable. Another score approaching his mammoth efforts against Oz last year would go down well.</p>
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<p>*Sorry Dempster and Donnelly, you didn't play enough tests to warrant a mention</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Donsteppa" data-cid="610640" data-time="1472503905">
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<p>Why oh why did we bowl first...</p>
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<p>A reasonable question.</p>
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<p>Whatever the plan was, it hasn't worked.</p>
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<p>A quick glance at the Cricinfo website and it looks like there's already variable bounce. Couple that with guys who can bowl at 150kmh and it's never going to be a happy time.</p>
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<p>Pray for rain! :)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="610664" data-time="1472509455">
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<p> </p>
<p>*Sorry Dempster and Donnelly, you didn't play enough tests to warrant a mention</p>
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<p>Madness!</p>
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<p>Like we've got a raft of guys averaging over 50.</p>
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<p>Statistically our greatest batsman was probably Rodney Redmond - he was not quite as good as Bradman, that I'll grant you, but he pissed all over Sir Viv and Sachin. :)</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8px;">(statistically)</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="610668" data-time="1472510313">
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<p>Madness!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like we've got a raft of guys averaging over 50.</p>
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<p>Statistically our greatest batsman was probably Rodney Redmond - he was not quite as good as Bradman, that I'll grant you, but he pissed all over Sir Viv and Sachin. :)</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8px;">(statistically)</span></p>
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<p>I always thought Mark Waugh should have retired after his first test. Woulda made the Xmas get togethers more fun laughing at his twin for taking 30 odd innings to achieve what he got first time round.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="tubbyj" data-cid="610672" data-time="1472511007">
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<p>Don't forget Guptill.</p>
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<p>His hundy on debut was in an ODI and he has gone on to have a great career in that format. It's the longer version that he struggles with.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:8px;">he needs to bat at 5</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mimic" data-cid="610717" data-time="1472520212">
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<p>I don't see why we can't just blood in the new guys from 5, even if they're openers.</p>
<p>Not sure what Nicholls has over Raval and Popli.</p>
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<p>Is Popli an opener? He basically only has one good season doesn't he? Also we don't really have that much talent as openers anyway. Most of our openers aren't good enough to bat 5.</p> -
<p>Do we just accept that we're never going to have all the components of a world class test team at one time ? by the time another opener ( Latham is good enough ) and a test class spinner emerge Taylor may well have retired and therefore the two class top order batsmen we have are reduced to one. The next Bond or even Hadlee may come along but by then Williamson might have gone etc.</p>
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<p>It seems NZ cricket has been on the hunt for an opening pair since Edgar retired and left Wright on his own and even then he wasn't exactly world class, he was solid and did his job.</p>
