Carnage in Cape Town

[julianlev]

Well people, its been a while but I'm back in the cricket chair. Yeah, with the local rugby season over I've been watching SA and my own beloved Cobras the last few weeks. Until now I really had little to post about, but as I think I all now know, when things happen, they happen quickly. The second day of the 1st Sunfoil Test has been nothing short of epic. For the BCCI this was an advert for UDRS, which has already played a monumental role in this game. And while the batting, aprt from Clarke's first innings, has been below par to say the least, the bowling has been right out of the top drawer. While our ownfirst innings total really disappointed me, I was willing to put it down to a good pitch and a lack of test readiness from our batsmen. But to see the vaunted Australian lineup get cut to ribbons was a rare sight, and a rare joy for anyone not from down under. In an attack including Steyn and Morkel, both of whom did well, the real x-factor was delivered by Vernon Philander, or the "Plunderer" as I call him. There are dream debuts, but this was just something else. To see a Cobra play as well as he did was a joy, and I would imagine that he can consider his place for the next test sealed. Even more heartening was seeing Graeme "Biff" Smith sending the Aussie bowlers to the boundaries. For a man struggling with form, Smith has looked exceptional in this match, taking the fight to the bowlers on a dicey wicket. Hopefully this return to form will continue tomorrow. The match is by no means over, and I wont be celebrating until the last run is scored, but for the Proteas is come back in a game which had looked all but lost is a testament to the determination and self belief in the side. And victory tomorrow will be just reward for that belief. Heres to a Protea win in the Mother City come tomorrow and the team that has made it possible. :hatsoff: PS. I'll be changing my username soon so watch out for that

[Manny_Pacquiao]

nice post. this is the most amazing day of test cricket ever. even better than that durban test india and SA played, when almost 20 wickets fell in a day. i wonder how the bookmakers made out. i am rooting for gary kirsten and south africa, hope they close it out tomorrow.

[CoverDrive]

crazy crazy day. I think the aussies just lost their mind for some time out there.

[ganeshran]

Waiting for highlights to begin :yess:

[kabira]

I doubt pitch was that bad. Bowling was good, but batsman looked inept with lack of footwork.

[King Tendulkar]

Terrible pitch. O wait only indian pitches can be slaughtered. God forbid india produces a spinning pitch with same scorecards. No doubt brain washed wiil claim this is great track

[ganeshran]

Terrible pitch. O wait only indian pitches can be slaughtered. God forbid india produces a spinning pitch with same scorecards. No doubt brain washed wiil claim this is great track

There was nothing wrong with the pitch. It was bowler friendly with good movement. The batsmen batted really poorly and threw it all away

[kabira]

^same thing can be applied for Kotla pitch that was banned.

[div]

^ Kotla pitch was banned due to uneven bounce

[kabira]

^so what, most pitches will have uneven bounce, some more than another. It wasn't terrible pitch to be banned.

[kabira]

They had same view on Galle Pitch

[panther]

square turners are fine

[Sid]

It wasnt a terrible pitch.

[ganeshran]

I am seeing the highlights and there are no demons in the pitch. Bounce is consistent and a touch on the high side. There is great lateral movement and thats what is troubling the batsmen. Its amazing how so few batsmen are willing to grind it out in unfavorable conditions. The impulse is to hit out of trouble which clearly didnt work today.

[saneindian]

For all the talk of DRS being a success today, it took a wrong decision by the umpire (Watson's lbw which was not referred) to trigger the Aussie collapse in the 2nd innings, once again highlighting the deficiencies in current rules on DRS.

[kabira]

square turners are fine

its never a lot of turn that will trouble batsman, its the extra bounce and zip of the wicket that will cause them issues.

[carnish]

there was nuthng in the pitch.... it was the overcast conditions which made the ball talk and the batsmen dance:girldance:

[satishg]

Can anyone please post a link to the highlights on the web, i have been searching frantically even for the first day's play but i just cant find any. Please, any links to the highlights would be awesome.

[deathmonger]

Can anyone please post a link to the highlights on the web' date=' i have been searching frantically even for the first day's play but i just cant find any. Please, any links to the highlights would be awesome.[/quote'] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhvM-3-IG9Q&feature=player_embedded]South Africa All Out for 96 vs Australia 2011 - YouTube[/ame]

[daryl1985]

For all the talk of DRS being a success today' date=' it took a wrong decision by the umpire (Watson's lbw which was not referred) to trigger the Aussie collapse in the 2nd innings, once again highlighting the deficiencies in current rules on DRS.[/quote'] DRS was implemented to get rid of the howlers. That was not a howler, it looked out in real time and must have been extremely close as Shane Watson declined to review it himself. This game was the best advert for DRS i have ever seen.