SA Footy

Rahane strangled down the leg side off Boult who hasn't really continued where Jamieson started but gets lucky and gets Rahane.
5/109

And then Pant survives a review off Wagner which always looked like it was missing leg stump.
5/116, lead by 84

5/139 still 66 overs left today weather/light permitting

2 wickets in 3 balls

Lead by 128. Need to bat 20 more overs or they will have to bowl them out.

DOC wrote:Lead by 128. Need to bat 20 more overs or they will have to bowl them out.

150 will be hard to get on this pitch reckon India in with a chance here

9 down 138 ahead.

All out. Chasing 139 off 53 overs.

them Kiwi's eh?

Dutchy wrote:them Kiwi's eh?

Very impressive. Over a long period of time too and in all formats.

Meh, still never won anything decent until today and haven’t beaten us in a test series in an eternity. I hope we get another chance to destroy them soon

2/89

Williamson and Taylor at the crease 50 required in 18 overs

NZ win the WTC! How good!
They win by 8 wickets, Williamson 52* and Taylor 47*. Great effort on the last day to win the match.

Good win to the Kiwis, a very gritty win from them, they deserved the chance to be and got the job done.

Jim05 wrote:Meh, still never won anything decent until today and haven’t beaten us in a test series in an eternity. I hope we get another chance to destroy them soon

Jim's spot on here

They only qualified because of our crap over rates in Melbourne (our fault noone else to blame)

Last two series home and away we've won 5-0 IIRC

They've won fair and square, better prep, won a good toss and played the percentages but *

For mine India is the best team in the world, hands down

We don't play NZ enough.

Only 10 tests in the last 10 Years. Aus 8 , NZ 1, Drawn 1 . Only two of those in NZ. The last NZ win was 2011

Not due to play again until 2023/24 I think

Agreed. Has always been that way for some reason even though we're next door neighbours.

Most of our series against them have only involved 2 tests FFS.

But I agree we'd flog them. For some reason they always fall apart against us and England (but no-one else).

RB wrote:Agreed. Has always been that way for some reason even though we're next door neighbours.

Most of our series against them have only involved 2 tests FFS.

But I agree we'd flog them. For some reason they always fall apart against us and England (but no-one else).

They beat england the last two times so certainly don't fall apart against us. They have also beaten India 3 tests on the trot so they certainly deserve this. No way Australia would flog this NZ team in English conditions. You will smash them here as you did previously but no way in england would you do that. Last time you played them in NZ Voges dominated and NZ were playing Bracewell who is now there 7th bowler so not really relevant to now.

Its not just NZ there is a real reticence amongst our administrators to program tests against the lesser countries.

it irks me for two reasons:

1. How are the likes of Bangladesh, Ireland, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and to a lesser extend Pakistan and Sri Lanka going to get better unless they play the likes of us, Eng, India and NZ more often. The fear of the bottom line is given more credence than the health of the collective test playing nations. it is very short sighted IMO.

2. it denies us "easy wins" that boosts our ranking. Only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have played less test than us in this last "test championship period" and we cancelled/rescheduled tests against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Afghanistan in that time (some due to COVID granted)

but the principle remains we play another six tests in that time period to match what NZ has done and were in that final.

People go on about our test players and their attitude but to me the attitude of our administrative leaders is far worse and sets the tone. None more so than that obscene four nil background when we won the ASHES in 2017-18

Agree with all the above. The Bangers have come on leaps and bounds recently. It was extremely disappointing that we had to cancel a series against them recently as they were really competitive last time we played them and they've certainly earned the chance.

It is short-sighted and not playing the so-called weaker teams more often benefits no-one.

am Bays wrote:Its not just NZ there is a real reticence amongst our administrators to program tests against the lesser countries.

it irks me for two reasons:

1. How are the likes of Bangladesh, Ireland, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and to a lesser extend Pakistan and Sri Lanka going to get better unless they play the likes of us, Eng, India and NZ more often. The fear of the bottom line is given more credence than the health of the collective test playing nations. it is very short sighted IMO.

2. it denies us "easy wins" that boosts our ranking. Only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have played less test than us in this last "test championship period" and we cancelled/rescheduled tests against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Afghanistan in that time (some due to COVID granted)

but the principle remains we play another six tests in that time period to match what NZ has done and were in that final.

People go on about our test players and their attitude but to me the attitude of our administrative leaders is far worse and sets the tone. None more so than that obscene four nil background when we won the ASHES in 2017-18

Couldn't agree more. Its very short sited to only play India and England on a regular basis. Yes the money is there now but what about in 20 years time, if England become another version of their 90's self and crowds dwindle. What about if India go back to being rubbish anywhere outside of their country, even worse what if somehow other sports find a way to crack into the Indian market. Hey what if Covid continues to get worse at a point that India is not allowed to travel anywhere on the globe......who you getting in then.

Surely the best long term financial strategy to make money from test cricket is to have as many strong test nations as possible.