Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds bowl Australia to first innings lead
I've been saying for weeks that Andrew Symonds is a quality Test player and finally I stand vindicated as Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee dismissed South Africa to take a first innings lead. Okay, maybe I'm not Symond's biggest fan but I'll concede he delivered for us today. Day 3 firmly belonged to Australia as the first two sessions yielded a steady flow of South African wickets. Brett Lee bowled spectacularly as he toyed with Jacque Kallis before sconing him on the helmet that had Kallis almost reeling into his own stumps. The next ball was a brutal swinging yorker that clean bowled the dazed World #1 batsman. Next, Warne dismissed Ashwell Prince and will be licking his lips that Prince, not Kemp, is his new Daryll Cullinan - he's dismissed him each time this series. Lee struck again just before lunch, bowling Jacques Rudolph with the new ball.
The second session looked ominous as South Africa were only 100 behind with 5 wickets in hand, Herschelle Gibbs in the 90's and Mark Boucher looking solid. To everyone's surprise (mostly mine), it was Andrew Symonds who ripped the heart out of the South African middle order as his medium pacers seamed around dangerously. He took Mark Boucher with an LBW off-cutter although the ball was travelling safely over the stumps. But then he bowled Gibbs with another off cutter and for good measure, trapped Shaun Pollock LBW. Symonds almost dislocated his own hip when he convulsively celebrated his 3rd wicket and it looks like he's bought his ticket to the 3rd Test in Sydney. I have mixed feelings about this - I'll happily take the first innings lead but I'm skeptical he can bowl with such penetration on a regular basis.
Australia began their 2nd innings with a lead of 44 runs and built on it solidly. They lost Phil Jacques and Ricky Ponting to LBW decisions along the way so that at stumps, they have a lead of 154 runs with 8 wickets in hand - a handy position. The game is progressing strikingly similar to Perth and Day 4 will most likely see Australia building a lead then declaring late in the day. If we don't lose too many wickets before lunch, I'm looking forward to seeing Hussey, Symonds and Gilchrist smack it around in the middle session and a declaration half an hour before tea. You'd think Ponting would have to give himself more than 4 sessions to dismiss South Africa this time.
| Posted by JC on Tue 27 Dec |  11 comments |
So happy that Symonds came through for you John. He'll fire off a quick 80 at a run a ball tomorrow for you too!
Don't reckon Ponting will be looking for the same sort of lead as in Perth as the wicket is already difficult to bat on and will only get worse. I reckon a lead of about 280-300 might be enough and if we get an hour or two at them in the evening then so much the better.
De Villier's 60 odd and Gibbs' 94 were a couple of real ugly innings but they sure stick at it.
Looks like McGrath's batting (again deprived of his maiden Test century by a reckless Hussey)may yet make the difference!
Posted by Dan Darwin on 2005-12-28 03:33:58
Don't reckon Ponting will be looking for the same sort of lead as in Perth as the wicket is already difficult to bat on and will only get worse. I reckon a lead of about 280-300 might be enough and if we get an hour or two at them in the evening then so much the better.
De Villier's 60 odd and Gibbs' 94 were a couple of real ugly innings but they sure stick at it.
Looks like McGrath's batting (again deprived of his maiden Test century by a reckless Hussey)may yet make the difference!
Posted by Dan Darwin on 2005-12-28 03:33:58
First up, John, congrats on a fantastic blog. As an emphatic blogging and cricket enthusiast, this is like finding a diamond in the rough. As a South African citizen and ardent Proteas supporter, I feel a little outnumbered :), but hopefully my presence can bring some balance to the force.
I have found your updates and entries enlightening and objective - much to your credit. A much anticipated series, it has been interesting but underwhelming thus far. The reason: SA is good enough to hold off Oz, but not good enough to beat them outright. It's sad to admit but true. We are the less balanced side and although our batsmen have shown admirable guts and determination, we have never looked like dominating the Oz attack. As for our own bowling attack, it too has been adequate, but not deadly. We have taken advantage of some pretty ordinary middle order batting from the likes of Gilchrist and Symonds (thank goodness they haven't shaped... yet), but have not been able to nail down the ol' coffin lid quickly enough.
I am not even going to mention the sub-standard fielding from a side that as always prided itself as being the benchmark for fielding sides worldwide. We are missing opportunities that should never be missed, and it is the nature of Ponting and co. to really make us pay for our errors.
SA is a great team, with some astonishing young talent coming through. The likes of De Villiers, Steyn (who you haven't seen yet), Smith and Kemp will likely carry us to great heights. But right now we are an imbalanced side playing an experienced, passionate Oz team fighting for pride after an unbelievable Ashes series, which could have gone either way. The one thing saving South Africa is that Oz is firing on 80% power, and that we never, ever, ever give up.
I look forward to the rest of the series, I look forward to the riveting contests still to come (my hometown clown Andre Nel will surely provide some entertainment - ha ha - gotta love him!), and I look forward to being a part of the future conversation on this blog.
Lastly, I'm sure Daryll Cullinan would love to know that he is the quintessential bunny benchmark for the Spin-meister. Lol.
Posted by Mike Stopforth on 2005-12-28 06:01:42
I have found your updates and entries enlightening and objective - much to your credit. A much anticipated series, it has been interesting but underwhelming thus far. The reason: SA is good enough to hold off Oz, but not good enough to beat them outright. It's sad to admit but true. We are the less balanced side and although our batsmen have shown admirable guts and determination, we have never looked like dominating the Oz attack. As for our own bowling attack, it too has been adequate, but not deadly. We have taken advantage of some pretty ordinary middle order batting from the likes of Gilchrist and Symonds (thank goodness they haven't shaped... yet), but have not been able to nail down the ol' coffin lid quickly enough.
I am not even going to mention the sub-standard fielding from a side that as always prided itself as being the benchmark for fielding sides worldwide. We are missing opportunities that should never be missed, and it is the nature of Ponting and co. to really make us pay for our errors.
SA is a great team, with some astonishing young talent coming through. The likes of De Villiers, Steyn (who you haven't seen yet), Smith and Kemp will likely carry us to great heights. But right now we are an imbalanced side playing an experienced, passionate Oz team fighting for pride after an unbelievable Ashes series, which could have gone either way. The one thing saving South Africa is that Oz is firing on 80% power, and that we never, ever, ever give up.
I look forward to the rest of the series, I look forward to the riveting contests still to come (my hometown clown Andre Nel will surely provide some entertainment - ha ha - gotta love him!), and I look forward to being a part of the future conversation on this blog.
Lastly, I'm sure Daryll Cullinan would love to know that he is the quintessential bunny benchmark for the Spin-meister. Lol.
Posted by Mike Stopforth on 2005-12-28 06:01:42
I'm enjoying Andre Nel too. There was a entertaining moment yesterday when Nel bowled a sharp off cutter that Hodge inside edged to square leg. As Hodge ran past him, Nel gave him a spray then had another go at him as he walked back to his mark. Hodge just looked nonplussed and had a bit of a chuckle with the fielder at short mid off. South Africa does look promising - your captain is younger than anyone in our side, I think - even the dropped Michael Clarke who we call 'pup'. I haven't heard anyone do a comparison of the two team's ages which was done over and over during the Ashes but the SA team would have to be significantly younger than the Australia squad which bodes well for your future (and not so well for ours). Lastly, Mike, do you have your own blog? If so, click the 'add your cricket blog' in the right margin and we can exchange links. Look forward to your comments - especially from a South African perspective to get some balance (us Aussies are pretty one eyed).
Posted by JC on 2005-12-28 12:18:40
Posted by JC on 2005-12-28 12:18:40
Actually, I started a cricket blog with WordPress.com about 2 months ago, but I run a few other blogs and quickly ran out of time. Darn. Regretting that now :)
Don't you worry, you'll be seeing plenty more of me here.
Posted by Mike SA on 2005-12-28 20:05:29
Don't you worry, you'll be seeing plenty more of me here.
Posted by Mike SA on 2005-12-28 20:05:29
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