3rd Test v South Africa

[MightyEagles]

Can anyone give me a reason why Symonds is still in the Test team, had it been Boof or Blewett or someone who isn't from NSW or one of Ponting's mates, they would be out of the team for a long time.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Probably because he has been doing the job asked of him. He played very well in the Second Test in Melbourne, and also made a half century in the First Test at Durban on a pitch where scoring was difficult.

[am Bays]

Seth Efricans 34 ahead after 1st innings and 2 for 55 in 2 dig. Bit of work for the good guys to do this dig.

Langer DNB

[stan]

The Seth Efricans are building up a decent lead, too bad smith isnt here to set a soft target like he did in the 3rd test over here. I guess the guy in charge of the Seth Efricans must have some idea about whats going on.

[am Bays]

3/110 now, jarpies 143 ahead. Warnie has his first of hopefully many......

[noone]

South Africa 149/6

SM Pollock 27* (27b 5x4) SR Clark 14-4-48-4
MV Boucher 1* (3b) SK Warne 12-4-34-2

starting to wonder if im wrong about clark being a hack.

[am Bays]

Yep I've had to eat a bit of humble pie based on my original thoughts on Clark

[Rik E Boy]

I'm amazed that this ball took Langer by surprise, he should have been expecting it. He usually gets at least one short one early in his innings, expecially in the first 2-3 balls. Not a great idea to take your eye off the ball for any reason. I just hope he is okay and able to bat on day 3, we are going to need him.

I'm a fan of Langer's but he is getting hit more and more often in the last year or so. He got hit plenty of times in the Ashes series, got hurt playing for the Warriors and has now been sconed again. It might be time for JL to 'keep walking'....he is looking a bit punch-drunk for mine and I reckon a new opener should play in the Ashes series and I nominate Mr Cricket himself.

ASHES XI*

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Martyn - we are stuck with him it seems!
Clarke - time for Pup to return
Symonds - deserves a home series against the Poms
Gilchrist
Lee -should bat ahead of Warne
Warne
Clark
McGrath/Tait if McGrath not available

Hasta la vista JL and Kaspa.

regards,

REB


*Version 17!

[Punk Rooster]

An alternative REB, would be to drop Martyn (I do like his sledging abilities though), & move Langer down the order, as I feel he can still contribute, with Hussey taking the opener's spot.

[Rik E Boy]

Can anyone give me a reason why Symonds is still in the Test team, had it been Boof or Blewett or someone who isn't from NSW or one of Ponting's mates, they would be out of the team for a long time.

I've previously bagged Symo on this site but I reckon if we perservere with him, and I mean Steve Waugh perservere, we may yet end up with one of test cricket's greats. Symonds has had problems adjusting his style of game in Test cricket but heaven help the opposition once the penny drops.

Speaking of drops, forget the 'NSW Conspiracy line' because it betrays a low level of understanding of the great game of cricket. If you think Queenslanders, Tasmanians and Victorians are going out of their way to select NSW players you've got rocks in your head. The NSW players who were selected in the one day squad had the Blues on the top of the Moo Moo table and when they were unavailable NSW fell in a heap, so perhaps these guys might actually be able to play. Since then Katich (who I can't stand either) has kicked ar5e, Bracken topped the wickets tally during the VB series and Clark has had a successful series in South Africa. Also, Pup is still not in the eleven but Martyn is..how does your consipiracy theory explain that?

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

An alternative REB, would be to drop Martyn (I do like his sledging abilities though), & move Langer down the order, as I feel he can still contribute, with Hussey taking the opener's spot.

No mate, I think JL is gone.

regards,

REB

[JK]

I must admit I too thought this over the weekend, he's been one of my favourite players and you cannot deny the mans courage, grit and determination, but I think it's quite telling how often he's been sconed of late and I'd imagine the chances are only going to increase with the additional short balls he'd be likely to receive now!

I stopped playing cricket at a reasonably young age, so hopefully someone more in tune with the game can help me out here ... I noticed JL and some others regularly turn their faces away when a short ball approaches (he was hit in the back of the noggin in the Ashes series also) ... Surely players (young or older) aren't brought up to handle this type of bowling in that manner are they?

[Rik E Boy]

I must admit I too thought this over the weekend, he's been one of my favourite players and you cannot deny the mans courage, grit and determination, but I think it's quite telling how often he's been sconed of late and I'd imagine the chances are only going to increase with the additional short balls he'd be likely to receive now!

I stopped playing cricket at a reasonably young age, so hopefully someone more in tune with the game can help me out here ... I noticed JL and some others regularly turn their faces away when a short ball approaches (he was hit in the back of the noggin in the Ashes series also) ... Surely players (young or older) aren't brought up to handle this type of bowling in that manner are they?

Depends on the level you play at. Many amatuer cricketers tend to shun the helmet as they don't face hostile fast bowling that often and as a consequence, they keep their eye on the ball. A lot of first class cricketers these days take their eye off the ball and I reckon it's down to helmets. I just think JL is no longer picking up the ball as well as he did a few years ago when he was regularly scoring tons.

regards,

REB

[Punk Rooster]

The selectors also need to be mindful of not making too many changes to the side at once, like when Marsh, Lillee & Thompson (?) retired all at once. So if Langer does go, Martyn will prob get a few extra tests, or vice versa. Agree that Pup needs to come in, he seems a logical replacement for Martyn, but he can also come in for Hussey, who gets promoted to opener.

[JK]

Cheers Rikke

[Booney]

I must admit I too thought this over the weekend, he's been one of my favourite players and you cannot deny the mans courage, grit and determination, but I think it's quite telling how often he's been sconed of late and I'd imagine the chances are only going to increase with the additional short balls he'd be likely to receive now!

I stopped playing cricket at a reasonably young age, so hopefully someone more in tune with the game can help me out here ... I noticed JL and some others regularly turn their faces away when a short ball approaches (he was hit in the back of the noggin in the Ashes series also) ... Surely players (young or older) aren't brought up to handle this type of bowling in that manner are they?

Depends on the level you play at. Many amatuer cricketers tend to shun the helmet as they don't face hostile fast bowling that often and as a consequence, they keep their eye on the ball. A lot of first class cricketers these days take their eye off the ball and I reckon it's down to helmets. I just think JL is no longer picking up the ball as well as he did a few years ago when he was regularly scoring tons.

regards,

REB

At the level I play at CP,I dont face any one fast enough to instill fear into me,however,my natural instinct is to stand up and face the ball to play a hook/pull shot. Once I did join the higher ranks I found the extra pace and my instinct didnt blend together very well,thus I started to wear a lid.

I recall seeing an interview with JL where he mentioned he had spoken with Ian Chappell about the amount of times he was getting hit,and asked Chappelli what he did,(as Chappell hooked well) to get him back into the form he needed to be in.Chappell's response was "Watch the ball closer",and you simply cant do that when you turn the other way round.The last thing I would be doing with a ball travelling 140ks + at my head would be to take my eye off it.

[JK]

I must admit I too thought this over the weekend, he's been one of my favourite players and you cannot deny the mans courage, grit and determination, but I think it's quite telling how often he's been sconed of late and I'd imagine the chances are only going to increase with the additional short balls he'd be likely to receive now!

I stopped playing cricket at a reasonably young age, so hopefully someone more in tune with the game can help me out here ... I noticed JL and some others regularly turn their faces away when a short ball approaches (he was hit in the back of the noggin in the Ashes series also) ... Surely players (young or older) aren't brought up to handle this type of bowling in that manner are they?

Depends on the level you play at. Many amatuer cricketers tend to shun the helmet as they don't face hostile fast bowling that often and as a consequence, they keep their eye on the ball. A lot of first class cricketers these days take their eye off the ball and I reckon it's down to helmets. I just think JL is no longer picking up the ball as well as he did a few years ago when he was regularly scoring tons.

regards,

REB

At the level I play at CP,I dont face any one fast enough to instill fear into me,however,my natural instinct is to stand up and face the ball to play a hook/pull shot. Once I did join the higher ranks I found the extra pace and my instinct didnt blend together very well,thus I started to wear a lid.

I recall seeing an interview with JL where he mentioned he had spoken with Ian Chappell about the amount of times he was getting hit,and asked Chappelli what he did,(as Chappell hooked well) to get him back into the form he needed to be in.Chappell's response was "Watch the ball closer",and you simply cant do that when you turn the other way round.The last thing I would be doing with a ball travelling 140ks + at my head would be to take my eye off it.

Cheers Booney, thats where I was heading at with my questioning .. I only played up to about u/16's and whilst there were some quick bowlers going around, they abviously weren't as quick as at senior level .. However whilst I had a "lid" I never wore it, and was a hooker and puller (lol some things never change) myself and despite a few close calls I never took my eye off the ball as per the way we were all taught back then ... Just seems odd the number of world class players who in their effort to get out of the way of the cherry, turn their heads ...

[Punk Rooster]

If they can't see it, then it's not there?

[Booney]

If they can't see it, then it's not there?

Dunno mate,ask JL............

[Kevin]

Simmons & Martyn will have to come out from behind the Punter's shadow if we are to win this one.