Australia's tour to South Africa, 2014

[GolGappe]

this series has got a 1-1 draw written all over it..saffers have a mental block against aus at home' date='they'll find a way to lose at least a test[/quote'] True. Australia in RSA since RSA's re-admission Series Played: 6 Won: 4 Drawn: 2 That is an amazing record. RSA have also won their last 2 series in Australia.

[Scarves]

Here is a bold prediction. Australia will not cross 300 runs in any innings throughout the test series. They may still win the series if Johnson maintains his red-hot form.

If you look at their bowling attack and Australia's batting attack, it kind of isn't that bold.

[Old guy]

Australia will impress everyone with some sparks of brilliance but South Africa will win and would show again why they are best I expect special performance from Faf and Amla

[cowboysfan]

you guys are overestimating SA,their performance against was very subpar and our bowling was very bad,the aussies will win this series unless Steyn produces some individual magic.

[GoldenSun]

I'm so excited and nervous about this series :--D. Always love playing South Africa.

[SLICKR392]

you guys are overestimating SA' date='their performance against was very subpar and our bowling was very bad,the aussies will win this series unless Steyn produces some individual magic.[/quote'] Lol. No way are Aussies winning the series. Might level it, don't see them winning one.

[Switchblade]

Clarke accepts SA favourites at home http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2013-14/content/current/story/714645.html Australia arrive for their tour of South Africa on the back of a rousing Ashes win and, although South Africa have never beaten the visitors at home since re-integration, Michael Clarke has picked the hosts as favourites for the series. Australia are scheduled to play three Tests and three T20s on their South Africa tour, beginning with the first Test on February 12. "Being in South Africa's backyard, I would imagine they will be favourites," Clarke said in his first press conference after landing in South Africa. "But that doesn't bother us." The last time Graeme Smith's side lost a series was nearly five years ago, when Ricky Ponting led a new-look Australian team. Since then, South Africa have established themselves as undeniably the best Test outfit in the world. The recent form of touring teams also seems to suggest that South Africa have the advantage. In 2013, Zimbabwe were the only side to lose Tests at home and Australia, too, had a torrid time on their tours of India (0-4) and the Ashes in England (0-3). "It will be a great challenge to come to South Africa and play the No. 1 Test team in the world," Clarke said. "We know we have to be at our best to have success." The biggest challenge for Australia will be South Africa's pace trio of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, one of the strongest bowling attacks in recent times. Australia have reasons to be buoyant, though, after their Mitchell Johnson-led attack turned in one of the great series performances in the 5-0 drubbing of England. "I think it's going to be a tough tour for the batsmen," Clarke said. "You have two very good bowling attacks. I don't know what the wickets are going to be like, but generally there is a bit in the wickets in South Africa." Clarke, though, tipped his bowlers as the better unit: "I'm a little bit biased, but in my opinion, this Australian attack is the best in the world. What I've seen from the Australian fast bowlers over a long period of time, I feel we have the best attack in the world. "I have said that, statistically the South African attack is unbelievable. They love their own conditions and they have had a lot of success here. They are going to be extremely tough to face." Australia have only one warm-up match to get to grips with the South Africa surfaces. Their training in Potchefstroom was also curtailed by rain. "It's about getting used to the conditions, but if we can play a similar brand of cricket to what we played in Australia, then I think we can have some success over here," he said. "It is important we get some good preparation and training in so we need this rain to disappear." The tour kicks off with a four-day practice game against a South African Invitational XI starting Wednesday.

[Magneto]

SA will blow Australia away in this series. Clarke will come back crying. :whine:

[sachin34357]

SA will blow Australia away in this series. Clarke will come back crying. :whine:

i hope they do, aussies need to come back down to earth after thrashing mediocre english team

[Magneto]

i hope they do' date=' aussies need to come back down to earth after thrashing mediocre english team[/quote'] I also hope that Scarves, GoldenSun and Miss Warner hangs around till then. :agree:

[Switchblade]

Watson ruled out of first Test http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2014/2/8/watson-ruled-out-of-first-test Australia’s trouble-cursed tour of South Africa has endured another significant setback with allrounder Shane Watson ruled out of the opening Test starting Wednesday with a calf injury. Watson has been experiencing calf soreness since one of the squad’s initial training sessions upon arriving in Potchefstroom more than a week ago, and he has been unable to bowl since that time.On Friday, the official word from within the Australian team was that he was suffering from ‘calf tightness’ and while he was unlikely to bowl until shortly before the Test, he was not in doubt for the series opener. But having batted during Australia’s centre-wicket training session at the Wanderers in Johannesburg yesterday, and showing no outward signs that he was struggling with the problem, Watson reported soreness in the right calf this morning. He took no part in his team’s centre wicket and nets training sessions today, and team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris revealed that their plans to slowly get him right to bowl for the Test had been shelved and that the injury was such that Watson would be unable to play, even solely as a batsman. “He batted yesterday and was fine, and we've been building up his intensity,†Kountouris said. “Today we were trying to get him up to match level, and he struggled with that. “He could feel it (so) we just don't think he he's going to be right for the first Test. "We need a few more days now to let him recover and start up again. “It's not a tear, but he has got an injury there. “We've had a scan and it showed he's got a low-grade muscle injury that we've been managing. "We were hopeful he'd recover, but it needed to be a little bit more advanced than what it is at the moment. "He was very disappointed obviously, as we all are. “We were very happy we got everyone through the past Ashes, and Watto himself hasn't missed a game (due to injury) for a very long time. "It's disappointing, but it's part of the game." With Watson sidelined, Tasmanian batsman Alex Doolan is all-but assured of making his Test debut at Centurion as his country’s new number three. Debate had centred on whether Doolan would slot into the team to replaces the axed George Bailey at number six or if Watson would slip down the order instead. Now that Watson has slipped out of the team for the first Test at least – medical staff remain hopeful he will be able to be considered for the second Test in Port Elizabeth despite there being only a three-day break between matches – the speculation now shifts to the allrounder role. “Our first priority is to try and get him (Watson) back as a batter, give the selectors that option,†Kountouris said. “Getting him fit to bowl will be more challenging.†The fact that Australian coach Darren Lehmann has previously indicated his strong preference for always taking five bowlers into a Test match, the way would seem paved for NSW allrounder Moises Henriques to make an unlikely return to Test cricket. Henriques was not included in the original 15-man touring party for South Africa, but was a late addition when auxiliary all-rounder James Faulkner was forced to undergo knee surgery. The prospect of a green, seaming pitch at Centurion will heighten Australia’s reliance on pace bowlers, with spinner Nathan Lyon a chance to miss out due to the fact the conditions are unlikely to be conducive to spin.However, the sudden change of plans brought about by Watson’s injury coupled with the fact that batting is likely to be tough on the Centurion deck might convince the selectors to jettison a bowler completely and bat Phil Hughes – who top scored in yesterday’s trial match – at number six instead. The Watson injury is the latest in a series of ill fortunes to plague the Australian team since it arrived – even prior to arriving – on South African soil. Following the late changes to personnel forced upon them by injury, the tourists have seen rain in Potchefstroom wreck their training plans and lead to the abandonment of their proposed warm-up match against a South African Invitational XI. The team then hurriedly relocated to Johannesburg, only to find practice facilities at Centurion under-prepared due to the wet weather. And the hurriedly-organised scratch match at Wanderers was played yesterday on the same pitch that the South Africans had utilised for their warm-up fixture on the preceding three days, and its worn nature made conditions tough for batsmen to get any meaningful practice. The ray of sunshine for the tourists is precisely that – good weather has been forecast on the Highveld for the remaining three days leading into the first Test.

[Switchblade]

Guess that Moises will replace Watto Sent from my Micromax A110 using Tapatalk

[StriKe]

Guess that Moises will replace Watto Sent from my Micromax A110 using Tapatalk

http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=308916

[kaptaan]

as of now both teams seem to have equally good bowling attack but SA have home advantage.And SA have better batting line-up.Saffers are favourites as of now.But aussies are high on confidence winning ashes 5-0.So, we shouldn't underestimate them.All-in-all a mouth watering contest ahead

[Switchblade]

Aussies preparation has been scratchy so Saffers might get the upper hand.

[Switchblade]

One thing in favour of Australia is that Steyn is coming back from an injury he might take some time to settle so Australia can take advantage of it.Though they have Phil and Morne

[~ Miss Warner ~]

Good to see the Aussie quicks are fired up for this series, Australia having to cancel their nets session a couple of days ago because Clarke and Rogers were hit and injured by Johnson & Harris :) . Good signs.

[Scarves]

Watson ruled out of first Test http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2014/2/8/watson-ruled-out-of-first-test Australia’s trouble-cursed tour of South Africa has endured another significant setback with allrounder Shane Watson ruled out of the opening Test starting Wednesday with a calf injury. Watson has been experiencing calf soreness since one of the squad’s initial training sessions upon arriving in Potchefstroom more than a week ago, and he has been unable to bowl since that time.On Friday, the official word from within the Australian team was that he was suffering from ‘calf tightness’ and while he was unlikely to bowl until shortly before the Test, he was not in doubt for the series opener. But having batted during Australia’s centre-wicket training session at the Wanderers in Johannesburg yesterday, and showing no outward signs that he was struggling with the problem, Watson reported soreness in the right calf this morning. He took no part in his team’s centre wicket and nets training sessions today, and team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris revealed that their plans to slowly get him right to bowl for the Test had been shelved and that the injury was such that Watson would be unable to play, even solely as a batsman. “He batted yesterday and was fine, and we've been building up his intensity,†Kountouris said. “Today we were trying to get him up to match level, and he struggled with that. “He could feel it (so) we just don't think he he's going to be right for the first Test. "We need a few more days now to let him recover and start up again. “It's not a tear, but he has got an injury there. “We've had a scan and it showed he's got a low-grade muscle injury that we've been managing. "We were hopeful he'd recover, but it needed to be a little bit more advanced than what it is at the moment. "He was very disappointed obviously, as we all are. “We were very happy we got everyone through the past Ashes, and Watto himself hasn't missed a game (due to injury) for a very long time. "It's disappointing, but it's part of the game." With Watson sidelined, Tasmanian batsman Alex Doolan is all-but assured of making his Test debut at Centurion as his country’s new number three. Debate had centred on whether Doolan would slot into the team to replaces the axed George Bailey at number six or if Watson would slip down the order instead. Now that Watson has slipped out of the team for the first Test at least – medical staff remain hopeful he will be able to be considered for the second Test in Port Elizabeth despite there being only a three-day break between matches – the speculation now shifts to the allrounder role. “Our first priority is to try and get him (Watson) back as a batter, give the selectors that option,†Kountouris said. “Getting him fit to bowl will be more challenging.†The fact that Australian coach Darren Lehmann has previously indicated his strong preference for always taking five bowlers into a Test match, the way would seem paved for NSW allrounder Moises Henriques to make an unlikely return to Test cricket. Henriques was not included in the original 15-man touring party for South Africa, but was a late addition when auxiliary all-rounder James Faulkner was forced to undergo knee surgery. The prospect of a green, seaming pitch at Centurion will heighten Australia’s reliance on pace bowlers, with spinner Nathan Lyon a chance to miss out due to the fact the conditions are unlikely to be conducive to spin.However, the sudden change of plans brought about by Watson’s injury coupled with the fact that batting is likely to be tough on the Centurion deck might convince the selectors to jettison a bowler completely and bat Phil Hughes – who top scored in yesterday’s trial match – at number six instead. The Watson injury is the latest in a series of ill fortunes to plague the Australian team since it arrived – even prior to arriving – on South African soil. Following the late changes to personnel forced upon them by injury, the tourists have seen rain in Potchefstroom wreck their training plans and lead to the abandonment of their proposed warm-up match against a South African Invitational XI. The team then hurriedly relocated to Johannesburg, only to find practice facilities at Centurion under-prepared due to the wet weather. And the hurriedly-organised scratch match at Wanderers was played yesterday on the same pitch that the South Africans had utilised for their warm-up fixture on the preceding three days, and its worn nature made conditions tough for batsmen to get any meaningful practice. The ray of sunshine for the tourists is precisely that – good weather has been forecast on the Highveld for the remaining three days leading into the first Test.

Best news I heard and then Marsh coming back ruined it.

[Scarves]

The thing with South Africa is that like Australia they have been playing T20 cricket. It helps Australia that they do have some red ball experience that is more recent with the Ashes.

[GoldenSun]

Straya! <3. Gonna be a hell of a series :D. I hope we get revenge for that loss in Perth.