6 Tests

Australia won 3

South Africa won 3

Australia's 1st innings runs: 2,241

South Africa's 1st innings runs: 2,076

Australia's 2nd innings runs: 1,783

South Africa's 2nd innings runs: 1,530

Australia's 2nd innings runs per innings: 297

South Africa 2nd innings runs per innings: 306

Australia's loss of wickets: 109

South Africa's loss of wickets: 95

Australia's loss of wickets per innings: 9.08

South Africa's loss of wickets per innings: 8.64

Highest run scorer for Australia: Simon Katich, 557 runs

Highest run scorer for South Africa: AB DeVilliers, 600 runs

Highest score in an innings for Australia: Phil Hughes, 160 runs

Highest score in an innings for South Africa: JP Duminy, 166 runs

Number of centuries for Australia: 7

Number of centuries for South Africa: 7

Leading wicket taker for Australia: Mitchell Johnson, 33 wickets

Leading wicket taker for South Africa: Dale Steyn, 34 wickets

Best bowling performance in a match for Australia: Johnson, 11-159

Best bowling performance in a match for South Africa: Steyn, 10-154

10 wicket match hauls for Australia: 1

10 wicket match hauls for South Africa: 1


Not much to choose between the 2 sides is there?

Ashwell Prince for a change has played an entertaining knock.

The way he picked Johnson for boundaries last night and how he charged McGain's 2nd delivery and deposited him for 6 over long on suggested that he was a man on a mission.

It is no secret that he was upset at not being considered for the first 2 tests against the Aussies.

He was further upset when he was thrust into the opener's role for this test.

But this might just be the thrust he has needed all this time.

I have always considered Prince a boring batsman.

Even more boring than Kallis and that is saying something!

He has been effective but he has laboured thus far in his career.

Batting at number 5, he has scored a lot of runs mostly by working hard for them.

Maybe that was because of the situations in which he came out, usually trying to get South Africa out of trouble.

Opening the innings has allowed him to play with the kind of freedom that hasn't been visible before.

The Prince of old would not have gone after McGain the way he has today.

The Prince of old would not have scored a 100 striking at a rate of over 60.

He has a career strike rate of 43.

And I remember him scoring his runs at rates of 30-35 before.

So a rate of 60 is fast for Prince!

Maybe he played more attacking cricket because he wanted to vent his anger. Maybe he felt he could bat with more freedom at the top of the order. Maybe it was to prove something to the IPL franchises. Or maybe it was to get a look in for the ODIs.

Who knows.

Whatever it was, it has turned him into a more effective batsman.

Graeme Smith might have found the ideal opening partner.

I can't tell you how excited I am to watch another Australian leg spinner play on the big stage.

Moreso when the leggie is from Victoria!

There's something about leggies isn't there?

There's a buzz when they're bowling.

And you expect something to happen every ball they bowl.

We'll probably have to wait till the 2nd day to watch McGain with the ball, but it should be worth the wait.

A hearty congratulations to my fellow blogger, Uncle J Rod of Cricket with Balls, who has probably been waiting for this day since he started blogging. Or maybe longer.

Hope its been worth the wait Jrod!

I was going through some domestic matches scorecards on Cricinfo and came across this one.

Yes that AG Prince who scored 254 opening the innings is the same Ashwell Prince we know.

So then why all this talk about it being a gamble to open with him?

And why is everyone saying that Prince will be batting in an unfamiliar position?

The card clearly shows that Prince opened for the Warriors and managed his highest every score in first class cricket!

Who said Prince can't open?

You're not that talented but break into South Africa's strong middle order.

You become one of the mainstays of their batting line up.

You out-shine Kallis and bore the crap out of viewers with your long and slow innings.

You are elevated to the Vice Captaincy.

Your tag of being a test player does not get you a bid at the IPL auction.

You are your country's best test batsman.

You injure your thumb.

A young promising batsman replaces you in the middle order and makes his mark.

You are fit again but lose your place in the team.

But you're still Vice Captain.

The captain gets injured mid way during a test and is ruled out for the next test.

The opener is dropped from the team for the next test.

You make your return to the team as an opener and the captain.

You were the Vice Captain so obviously you would be the captain in the original captain's absence.

24 hours later the selectors decide that you need to focus on your new opening role and should not be burdened with the captaincy.

So its taken away from you.

But are you still the Vice Captain?

Should we be happy for you or feel sorry for you?

When I started batting I used to hold my bat high trying to emulate Amir Sohail. The only thing was that my bat used to be facing somewhere around 3rd slip, which my coach corrected so that it points towards the wicket keeper.

Face down ofcourse.

Phil Hughes' bat not only points towards first slip, the face of his bat points towards the point-cover region.

No wonder his cut shot is so fierce.

His stance and the way he holds hit bat would embarass Ijaz Ahmed!

After the shit he played on the 4th ball of his test career, I thought he would have to work really hard to make it at test level.

Three innings later, with scores of 75, 115, and 136*, he has out done the likes of Sir Don Bradman and George Headley.

In a matter of a few innings, Hughes has ensured that Australia don't even think about a certain Matthew Hayden.

Moreover, all his knocks have come in pressure situations and have been match winning ones. Not meaningless scores notched up in high scoring draws.

Hughes has been the batting mainstay for Australia in this series, which has allowed Johnson, Hilfenhaus, and Siddle to attack the South Africans.

All this at 20!

After that 4th ball, I did not think he would make it. He has and how!

If he manages to avoid the axe, something Ponting and Clarke could not early in their careers, then Hughes has a good decade and half of a career opening the innings for Australia.

His start against the best pace attack in the world indicates that bowlers around the world are in for some tough times ahead.

With the way Hughes bats, it seems the bowlers always have a chance against him.

But somehow he survives. I don't know how he's done it but he has.

Australia have unearthed one hell of a batsman!

His attacking strokeplay suggests that he could be great for ODIs as well.

Imagine a top order consisting of Hughes, Marsh, and Warner.

Those 3 can serve Australia for a good ten plus years.

Doesn't look like Australia's time is up. They're going to retain their number 1 ranking in tests, and in the ODIs too, and it looks like they'll remain there for some time to come.

I guess I was too early in calling "how times change". It took a couple of days for an Aussie debutant to get a ton; and for the Aussie debutant opener to become the top scorer among the 3 openers that made their debuts during the week.

I have not been this delighted at an Australian victory since they beat the West Indies in 1992 to ensure Pakistan a semi-final spot at the world cup.

On the 1st day of this test, I tried explaining my support for Australia, whom I have not supported during their 15 year reign of invincibility, by arguing the case of the underdog and talking of my dislike for South Africa.

After their victory, I have more reasons.

There is no arrogant 6 foot plus bully at the top of the order trying to intimidate and decimate a bowling attack. Instead there is a 5 and half feet determined, innocent looking kid trying to make a mark in international cricket.

There is no pigeon legged pacer irritating the crap out of me by sticking to one line and length and dismissing batsman after batsman. Instead there is a sturdy looking swing bowler who moves it both ways and bowls with a smile that was rarely visible on the pigeon.

There is no drunkard brawler who was more of a slogger than a test batsman and annoyed me by scoring runs so easily. Instead there is a correct batsman who works hard for his runs.

There is no wannabe rockstar who bowled beamers and smiled for the cameras and started the lawn mower after every wicket. Instead there is a young pacer who hops like a one legged kangaroo and looks better while batting than the former.

There is no spinner who turns it a mile, or one that had a larger than life image, or one that bowled with his tongue out that made me feel like pulling it out and chopping it off. Instead there is a medium pacer, who does not even have a permanent test spot.

There is no pigeon wannabe who bowls the same nagging length and looks more like an office clerk than a test cricketer. Instead there is real hard working test bowler who shows a lot of passion in his effort on the field.

There is no wicketkeeper who used to change the course of tests in the matter of a session and pretty much changed the role of the keeper in todays times. Instead there is someone trying to make his own presence felt, both in front and behind (no pun intended) the stumps.

Matthew Hayden, Glenn Mcgrath, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Stuart McGill, Stuart Clark, and Adam Gilchrist won many tests for Australia during their decade and a half of dominance.

They intimidated the opposition, completely dominated the matches, and made winning so easy that it made it impossible for me to support them.

Great cricketers they were no doubt, but for them it didn't seem like hard work.

For them it was more like winning was their job.

They rarely failed, which is why I wanted them to.

Phil Hughes, Ben Hilfenhaus, Marcus North, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew McDonald, Peter Siddle, and Brad Haddin are no where near the stature of the players they have replaced.

Not yet anyway.

Nor do they seem to be as naturally gifted as their predecessors.

Which is why supporting them is all the more easier.

While the former group seemed to win it all without breaking a sweat, the latter one worked hard for their win at the Wanderers.

Hughes, Hilfenhaus, and North were playing their 1st test. McDonald his 2nd. Siddle his 5th. Johnson and Haddin their 20th or thereabouts.

For the first time in probably 2 decades have I seen an Australian side this inexperienced, for whom winning was not as easy as it has been for Australia over the years.

More than that, these players are still trying to make a permanent place for themselves in the line up.

It felt good to see the Australians work so hard for their runs and wickets.

It felt good to see the Australians pushed and intimidated.

And it felt good to see them come out of that on top.

It always feels good to see new cricketers, trying to establish themselves at the international level, ending on the winning side against a top team.

Despite the ugly face of Ponting still lingering around the team, I like the look of the new Australia.

Somehow, I hope they remain the new Australia and not turn into the old invincible Australia.

Elsewhere, NC has said something similar.

I was surprised to find myself upset at the fall of Phil Hughes' wicket in the first over.

Over the last 15 years, I have never been upset at the fall of an Australian wicket. However, today, I am shocked at how upset I was while watching Hughes, Katich, and Hussey walk back to the pavilion.

Despite the fact that I have admired how the Australians have played cricket over the last decade and a half, I have never left it a secret that I've hardly ever supported them - only to see someone spring up an upset.

There is something about the underdog, isn't there?

I was firmly behind South Africa, despite my hatred for them, when they toured Australia. I was delighted to see South Africa win the first 2 tests and wanted to see them dislodge the Aussies from the number 1 spot in tests.

Coming into this series, Australia are definitely the underdogs. South Africa the firm favorites.

And strangely, I find myself supporting Australia.

I don't want to see them lose.

I smiled and sighed with relief when Ponting pulled Ntini for four in the 2nd over.

Hughes didn't have a memorable debut, but I'm hoping North will.

Not since Australia had to beat the West Indies in 1992 to ensure Pakistan get a spot in the World Cup Semi Finals, have I supported Australia.

Till yesterday I was looking forward to witnessing Australia's continuous fall from the top.

This morning, however, all that changed.

I don't know what it was - a hapless 20 year old failing on debut, a vulnerable captain walking out in the 1st over to save a sinking ship, McKenzie pulling of an Australiaesque catch at gully, or the mortalization of Mike Hussey - but something triggered this change of heart.

Here's hoping the Aussies beat the South Africans.

Related post by me - Debutant Openers & Jo'burg is like Karachi.

Not long ago I wrote about how Australia's ODI team excited me.

How could they not?

How could any side with a batting order that reads Marsh, Warner, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Hussey, Haddin, White, Hopes not excite you?

Well when they get thrashed 4-1 it makes you wonder.

It makes you wonder of the JP Duminys, the AB De Villiers, the Hashim Amlas and the likes.

It scares me to think that if a South African team sans Smith, Boucher, Kallis, Steyn, and Ntini can so easily beat Australia, what can they do to other opposition?

More importantly, what can they do when Smith, Boucher, Kallis, Steyn, and Ntini are back in the side?

Add that to Gibbs, AB, Duminy, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, and anyone out of Amla, Prince, McKenzie, Tsotsobe, Parnell, Harris, Botha, Jaarsveld, or whoever and you have a World Champion.

A century partnership in only their 2nd outing together, Marsh & Warner showed glimpses of what to expect going forward.

No one would have expected that Australia would be starting their innings off with such a young pair.

I believe its the youngest pair they've had in a long long time.

Quite a pair its going to turn out to be.

Warner the aggressor, Marsh the accumulator.

Thats what they showed earlier today.

I reckon this is one partnership that will go down in the books and be mentioned in the same breath as Haynes & Greenidge, Sachin & Saurav, Sehwag & Gambhir, and for some Hayden & Gilchrist.

I know its too early for they are only in their 2nd game together.

What they showed today, definitely has the makings of one of the greatest pairs.

Atleast on the ODI level.