Well that's a great recovery. 323-5. Another ton for de Villiers. What a player he is.
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Duminy has all the quality in the world, it's about time he comes right. It's really make or break from him if he can't capitalise on it.
It's actually a horrible pitch, not ideal for both batting or bowling. It's tough to make a prediction until both teams have batted but I feel this will probably be a draw. SA will need better spinners than Duminy and Elgar as I don't think Philander, Morkel, Parnell and Steyn will get too much out of this.Comment
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His batting averages across all forms since 2009 has been pretty amazing. My fav playerOriginally posted by Shaggy View Post
Patience when teased often, transforms into rageComment
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Oz chasing 450 odd to win, 151-1 and have now collapsed to 205-7.Thanks very much for being ‘This Mornings’ Farmer’Comment
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Good.Comment
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Holy ****! What an ending. Can't believe that Petersen got that runout and Elgar of all people managed to get that last wicket.
Great turn around. Looking forward to the decider in Cape Town. Newlands pitch isn't as good as it used to be, but it'll be quicker than this and will hopefully lend itself to a result.Comment
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Been watching football so haven't seen any yet but it sounds like Steyn has got one back on Johnson. Sounded immense. When Steyn is bowling fast and furious he's ****ing terrifying
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Was on a hattrick at one point.Originally posted by Shaggy View PostBeen watching football so haven't seen any yet but it sounds like Steyn has got one back on Johnson. Sounded immense. When Steyn is bowling fast and furious he's ****ing terrifying
Breathed fire after SA got their break through.
The funniest bit was ABD shouting "we can get them to 150 for 4 boys", come on when the Aussies were 127/0. Warner fell straight away and suddenly they were 156/6
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David Warner’s lack of respect making Australia look like whingers
DAVID Warner is one of Australia’s most talented and important cricketers.
He lacks just one vital ingredient — respect.
It became obvious again this week when he alleged the South Africans were ball tampering, which is apparently why their pace attack decimated Australia with reverse swing to easily win the second Test in Port Elizabeth, levelling the series at one all.
This makes Australia look like a bunch of whingers.
Whatever South Africa did to perfect reverse swing when Australia’s bowlers could not make a single delivery go “Irish”, the home side did it much better than the tourists.
If there was a problem the umpires would have been all over it or there would have been television footage of someone handling the ball in an inappropriate manner.
This was the case four months ago when South African batsman Faf du Plessis was fined for ball-tampering during the Dubai Test against Pakistan. Television footage showed du Plessis rubbing the ball near the zipper of his trouser pocket, prompting the umpires to change the ball and award a five-run penalty.
Warner’s teammates readily admit they have no problem with what South Africa did and insisted that the Australians simply had to get better at the art of cultivating reverse swing.
The explosive left-hander has demeaned one of the most spectacular spells of reverse swing in the game, by the world’s most compete fast bowler, Dale Steyn.
To watch Steyn weave his magic last Sunday when the Australians spent all Test delivering the ball gun barrel straight was one of the great highlights during my 30 years of covering international cricket.
The late reverse-swinging deliveries that trapped Steve Smith leg before wicket first ball and comprehensively bowled Brad Haddin for one were as good as any I have seen in the conditions and circumstances.
These moments must be celebrated not criticised. They are at the high point of the many great skills it takes to survive and thrive in international cricket.
Warner made a fair point when he talked about how South Africa treated the ball to encourage reverse swing.
“I think it comes down to the umpires warning both teams not to throw the ball into the wicket which you generally try and do,” Warner told Sydney’s Sky Sports Radio. “They did it better than what we did, or more obvious than what we did. At the end of the day it comes down to who can do that the best and work on the ball.”
But then he went a step too far, which is the history of Warner’s topsy turvey off-field career.
“We were actually questioning whether or not AB de Villiers would get the ball in his hand and with his glove wipe the rough side every ball. That’s another thing we have to try and bring up with the umpires,” Warner said.
Criticising AB de Villiers is cricket’s equivalent of shooting Bambi.
Perhaps Warner and his teammates can spend more time working on their skills and less time worrying about what the South Africans may or may not be doing.Thanks very much for being ‘This Mornings’ Farmer’Comment
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He's been fined 15% of his match fee.Comment
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Matt Prior says England dressing room will be a BETTER place without Kevin Pietersen
Matt Prior says England's dressing room will be a BETTER place without sacked Kevin Pietersen.
The controversial batsman was dumped from the England set up following the dismal Ashes tour of Australia.
And wicketkeeper Prior backed the England and Wales Cricket Board's decision to dispense with Pietersen's services.
Speaking during England's limited overs tour of the West Indies, vice-captain Prior said Pietersen's ability should have made him "the best England cricketer to ever walk this planet".
However, when asked if the dressing room would be a better place without the South African-born batsman, Prior replied: "Yes, it will.
"I think one of the biggest things they (the ECB) want to rediscover is the value of playing cricket for England, the honour and the pride you need to show as an England cricketer."
"And they only want people in that dressing room that are going to be passionate about England winning and performing." .
Pietersen was released from his ECB contract earlier this month in the aftermath of the 5-0 test whitewash by Australia.
The ECB said captain Alastair Cook needed to be able to trust and rely on the support of all his players.Pietersen scored 8,181 runs in 104 tests and 4,440 runs in 136 one-day internationals but was never far from controversy.
He was briefly dropped in 2012 following media reports he had sent "provocative" text messages about England players to members of the South Africa squad during a series involving both teams.
More reports surfaced about Pietersen's divisive role in the squad after the latest Ashes series.
Prior, who has played in 75 tests and hit 3,920 runs at an average of 40.83, missed the last two tests of the Ashes series after being dropped because of poor form.
He said that being omitted when he was vice-captain, in the middle of a big series, "quite literally wrenched my heart out" but added he was determined to regain his place for the home series against Sri Lanka and India later this year.
"I have more passion now than I have ever had to get back in that team, turn things around and get back to winning ways," Prior said.
The wicketkeeper also predicted that opening batsman Cook would bounce back in style from England's humbling in Australia.
"He will break records and he's a phenomenal cricketer," said Prior.
"He will score the most runs for an Englishman in test cricket, no doubt, and he's a phenomenal bloke as well.
"To read some of the criticism he's got has just been incredible, as anyone who knows him respects him.
"When it comes to captaincy he's a big enough bloke to admit he's not the finished article yet.
"He's still very young in his captaincy and he needs to learn and needs to grow into the position.
"There are certain things I think a captain needs.
"I think being such a nice person is one of the things which doesn't stand him in good stead as a captain and the best thing about him is he accepts that and he knows he has to improve."
England begin their limited-overs tour of the Caribbean when they meet West Indies in the opening game of the three-match series of one-day internationals in Antigua on Friday.
*Except Michael, who died.Comment
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If Butler has a good end to the winter then Prior is finished.Comment
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Being dropped "quite literally wrenched my heart out".
No it didn't Prior. No it didn't.
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Fingers crossed.Originally posted by captainfog View Post
It's a shame cos I've loved Prior for England but reading that he just sounds like a brown-nosing lickspittle.
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