Right, I’ll be doing a Quip by Quip commentary for the first session. Refresh this page for updates at the bottom. Any quoted comments are from Cricinfo’s Ball by Ball, which is how I’m following the game at work.
Lets start off with MASSIVE MAN LOVE for Douggie Bollinger, who just dismissed his second Saffa Opener and first Saffa acting captain. A vital scalp, from a man who knows more about scalps than the average.
Bollinger to McKenzie, OUT, Bollinger strikes! Slips in a full and wide delivery that bounces a little more than McKenzie, reaching out to square-drive, expected and he spoons a catch to Hussey at gully
Saffas 2/68
10:52 | Amla takes 9 off Siddle’s next over, he’s a quality batsman and showing some serious intent.
10:56 | and 9 off Bollinger’s next over, helping himself to a well played 50 along the way. Haddin must be feeling the shame of dropping him yesterday..
Its been a treat to watch this man bat. Very Asian, very wristy.
Well JRod will be most excited to see wristy explained in such clarity.
10:59 | perhaps a little song:
Ranga, Ranga, Ranga
And in that over, Amla’s quiet
Ranga, Ranga, Ranga
With a dot ball here,
A dot ball there,
Here a dot, there a dot
Everywhere a dot, dot
11:07 | perhaps some more song
Kallis bat bad spoon
McDonald dives across the pitch
Did that carry, YES!
Billy’s not sure so he orders a snackbox. Ponting gives the finger, forgetting that he’s not an umpire. Some angles say yes, some angles no.
McDonald to Kallis, OUT, oh well held, McDonald .. or not? Pitches it up down the stumps, Kallis goes back and starts to turn it to the on side, but the ball takes a leading edge and balloons back up in the air towards the bowler, who flings himself to his right in his follow through and looks like he’s taken a stunner … his team-mates converge but Kallis asks for confirmation, and McDonald admits he’s not sure. To the naked eye it looked like he took it, Ponting sticks up a finger even before the umpires are consulted, and after numerous analysis Kallis is adjudged out. Thats a very, very tough call. One angle indicates he took it, the straight view says something else. I’m not convinced he took it.
Whatever, Kallis is goneski which will even up the numerous LBW’s not given so far. Saffas 4/91, happy days!
McDonald hitting the massive crack and causing problems. Could be time for Johnno from the other end.
11:20 | Johnno’s bowling with McDonald now, both keeping it quiet at around 2 rpo. Amla’s gone into his shell now, perhaps batting for a draw, or perhaps just re-grouping.
11:24 | now Johnson wants to get in on the action
38.3 Johnson to de Villiers, no run, dragged in a tad short, de Villiers gets up on one leg and goes to pull, the ball gets a top edge and balloons up over his shoulder and then lands really close to off stump
11:27 | And that’s drinks. First hour is all Australia, 3 wickets for 31 runs.
It’s strange to find so much excitement in a dead rubber, perhaps this is because for the first time in living memory we’re on the wrong end of a whitewash!
Despite what they say the Saffas need to win this 3-0 to make up for the 5-0 drubbing we gave them in their backyard last trip.
11:30 | oh dear, we’ve bought on Ashley fúcking Giles. Well, I guess on day 5 at the SCG you have to use your “spinner” eventually, and he’ll probably cause some problems by hitting the crack as they try and up the scoring rate.
11:37 | Hauritz joins the party, a bit of extra bounce signalling the end of Amla as Katto takes a screamer at short leg. Odds of the Saffas making it to lunch?
Hauritz to Amla, OUT, Hauritz gets into the action! Amla goes back to play one turning back in but it bounces more than anticipated and he pops it straight off the hips to Katich at short leg
Now thats a big wicket and Australia are all over South Africa. Sharp catch from Katich as it was played off the middle of the bat. A deserved wicket for Hauritz, who has been tidy all Test. Its looking really bleak for South Africa. In comes JP Duminy, with survival the only option. That was a good innings from Amla.
12:01 | Duminy and DeVilliers providing some resistance now, Johnno’s spell finished for the return of Siddle in tandem with Hauritz who has fielders all around the bat. Siddle had a good shout for LBW, forgetting the only way to get them in this test is to not appeal at all.
12:11 Well a great session for Australia so far, I’m off to lunch so enjoy the final 20 minutes.
Good scalp reference. Is he ex ginga as well?
Definitely off to bed now. So cold…..can’t…..type….
[Reply to this]
Hard to say, he’s been bald since 19! You’d have to ask Tegan Bollinger if the collars match the cuffs.
[Reply to this]