Aus v South Africa 1st Test thread.

[Go_The_Doggies]

Ah Kimmeh.. don't worry I am sure Symonds is headed out of the side if he doesn't perform in the 2nd innings.. Clarke will be recalled for sure for Melbourne IMO..

I have to ask about Hayden.. what is going on.. did he have a brain explosion or something.. he got out playing the exact same stroke in 2 innings.. surely after the first he would have learnt..

And i think Gilly had a brain explosion in the 3 one dayers over here, didnt he only get like 11 all up or something....poor bloke

[Titanium_BD1103]

No he is tired.. LOL... The CA are learning what happens when you don't allow Gilly to take a break during the one day series.. he's looked tired for a while now and he has scored like 40 in the past 9 innings.. he got 6 on 3 occassions... they need to give him a break.. but who do they replace him with..

[DeeGan]

Brad Haddin if he ain't injured for starters. If not Haddin, young QLD keeper Chris Hartley looks really, really promising and has the glowing endorsement of the best gloveman of them all, Ian Healy

DeeGan

[Ipswich Fan]

Every time i've seen Hartley play he has impressed me greatly with both bat & gloves, it may be a bit soon for him yet but i'm confident he will play international cricket within a few years.

[Steelers]

Hayden got out twice playing the same shot, but in the 2nd innings, he hit quite a few pull shots for 4 before he got out, because that was all they were bowling to him.

[Titanium_BD1103]

Go Australia and congrats to Brad Hodge on overcoming his WACA Hoodoo, 91 not out and keep going son.. you are doing so well..

At the end of Day 3

Australia 4/310 a lead of 272 runs..

GO AUSSIE GO...

[Go_The_Doggies]

It will be a draw

[DeeGan]

Well, well, well...Australia once again take command of a test match against a spirited competitior in South Africa who have been let down by some poor catching and I feel poor captaincy from Smith. There is no imagination to his fields and the bowling changes well again, lack any imagination. Selecting no spinner (Njoe was injured admittedly) has not helped though in saying that the WACA in previous years has rewarded a 4 pronged pace attack. As we have seen, this WACA pitch is a different beast all together giving Warne prodigious turn on day 2 which is unheard of.

Congrats to Brad Hodge, a century here will sure up his position at number 4 which is wel ldeserved - a class act on and off the field giving us some reliability there as Martyn did when in the side. A big tonne here on offer for Hodge, 150+ should be made setting his sights on 200+ in all honestly.

What can I say about Hussey, Dakink and I pushed his barrow here before the summer and he has come up trumps with a brilliant start to his test career. Another solid 50 yesterday and I believe he will go on to make his third test century in big partnership with Hodge.

Justin Langer is injured and may miss the boxing day test, if he does, it is time to bring in Phil Jacques! This guys is scoring a bucket load of runs and 26 y.o. he is our future long time test opener which could be sooner rather than later given the age of Langer and Hayden.

Congrats to both teams thus far, some really good, tough test match cricket with South Africa playing a lot better than their world ranking of 5 suggests. This is without Kallis as well who is their best batter and key first change bowler.

Shane Warne should bag a big haul in the second innnings extracting alot of turn from the wearing WACA pitch - it will only be a matter of time before we win this test.

Just quickly, HOW GOOD IS BRETT LEE GOING?!?!? Great to see Binga' bowling so well at test level and continuing his improved batting. Why are we searching for a bowling/batting all-rounder again?

DeeGan

[Steelers]

Just quickly, HOW GOOD IS BRETT LEE GOING?!?!? Great to see Binga' bowling so well at test level and continuing his improved batting. Why are we searching for a bowling/batting all-rounder again?

Good point, why bother looking for an all-rounder when we have one right in front of us

[Dakink]

^shoulda listened to this fella guys

7/225

Shoulda listened to this fella LOL ^^^^^^

[Dakink]

Lunch at the WACA and Aus nudges their noses a little further ahead.

Australia 258 & 401/6 (125.0 ov)
South Africa 296 Australia lead by 363 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Lunch - Day 4 Australia RR: 3.21

Minimum overs
remaining today: 64.0

Batsmen: R B 4s 6s S/R
BJ Hodge (RHB) 139 268 14 0 51.87 Striker
AC Gilchrist (LHB) 11 19 1 0 57.89 Non-striker

Bowlers: O M R W Econ
M Ntini (RF) 31.0 8 101 1 3.26 (0nb, 0w) Prindiville Stand End
CK Langeveldt (RFM) 28 3 93 3 3.32 (7nb, 0w) Members End

[Ipswich Fan]

Australia's heading to a position of relative security, the big question is when will Ponting declare?

[Titanium_BD1103]

Well not yet.. Hodge makes 150.. congrats mate.. awesome effort..

Well done to Gilly.. he is back with 44.. that was much better an innings..

Langer is out of the Boxing Day Test... Jacques has to be called up.. GO NSW AND GO PHIL.. he is a good player..

Current score.. Aust 8/461.. a lead of 423 runs.. yeah GO Aussie GO..

[Ipswich Fan]

The lead now goes past 450.

[Queenslander]

The lead now goes past 450.

Australia will probably declare this afternoon an hour or two before the end of the day; and will try to get a couple of wickets before stumps.