2nd Test, Day 1: Ricky Ponting scores 29th century
Ricky Ponting scored his 29th century today to guide Australia to a precarious 5 for 229 on Day 1 of the 2nd Test against South Africa. A late collapse and another dodgy pitch still has Australia's innings teetering on a knife edge. How the not out Symonds and Hussey fare on Day 2 will go a long way in either setting up a dominant position or letting South Africa back into the match. I'm particularly interested to see what kind of ticker Symonds displays after getting bloodied by an Ntini bouncer.
Matt Hayden continued his Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde act as he fell on the 2nd over of the match, nicking a loose drive. He can display great powers of concentration as in his ultimately match winning innings in the 1st Test. But then it's like he's bought himself enough credit for a few Tests and he reverts back to his bludgeoning ways. He just can't stop thinking about the "good ol' days".
Andrew Miller makes a good point at Cricinfo that now Langer and Hayden are no longer the powerhouse they used to be and Australia's middle order has lost it's reliability, we are seeing just what a champion Ricky Ponting is. It's hard to fully appreciate his class when he comes in after a double century stand or when Gilchrist scores a blistering hundred to overshadow his less flamboyant double century.
Still, Ponting's innings would be nothing if it weren't for the dropped chances from the South Africans. Their poor catching is reaching epidemic proportions and have put them behind the 8-ball in almost every Test they've played against Australia this summer. At least Australia are taking advantage of their reprieves nowdays.
| Posted by JC on Sat 25 Mar |  1 comments |
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