Cricket in South Africa February-March 2014

[turtlemichael]

Given the excitement of the Ashes just completed, will Australia continue their roll in South Africa starting in a month or will the big African boys put us in our place? I'll be at the three Tests in Centurion in Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. One of the attractions is that ticket prices range from about 20 -80 rand, say $2.20 to $9.00, for the best seats. You couldn't get a bag of chips at the MCG for that. It may cost a few more dollars to get there! It Is anyone planning to go?

 

[Isochronous]

You've just convinced me to watch a South African tour sometime!

 

[DrA]

Do you have the dates? I found out today that I have to go to South Africa for work at the beginning of February, and due to flight availability and schedules, it looks like I will have 2-3 days up my sleeve. Might get along for half a day or something if the timing works out.

 

[turtlemichael]

Centurion Feb 12-16, Port Elizabeth Feb 20-24, Cape Town Mar 1-5

 

[JohnK]

Hope you have a great time at the cricket turtlemichael!

It shapes up to be a great series. Australia going in with huge confidence and South Africa without Kallis.

 

[DrA]

Centurion Feb 12-16, Port Elizabeth Feb 20-24, Cape Town Mar 1-5

Bugger. Leave on the 9th.

Oh well.

 

[bobcat]

Bugger. Leave on the 9th.

Oh well.

Funnily enough one of my mates is doing part of the tour as part of holiday. We were having a FF discussion last night!
Flying their national carrier + its Airlink ... I think QF makes most sense although don't know how many will actually earn

 

[JohnK]

Not the start Australia wanted.

They are not playing an understrength England now....

 

[Cossie]

Warner is not a TEST cricketer, 'nough said.........................

 

[Cossie]

Sorry JohnK, in what way were England an "an understrength" team.

I'm sure things may be different next time, along with the saffers, zimbaweans, the irish and kiwis next time we play them they will have an Aussie to open their batting in Sam Robson. Almost a full compliment of the old 'empire', gee, those were the days..................... said very much tongue in cheek.

 

[JohnK]

Australia's top order fails again but the middle order comes to the rescue. I like Smith. He is getting better and better. And Marsh seems to have picked up where he left before getting injured a couple of years ago. And Haddin won't know what to do in this situation.

South Africa is under pressure already.

Sorry JohnK, in what way were England an "an understrength" team.

In many ways. They were horrible. Perhaps England weren't allowed to play to their full strength.

 

[JohnK]

Johnson on fire. Man of the series again.

 

[drron]

More and more obvious that Lehmann replacing Arthur as coach was a very good decision.

 

[markis10]

Johnson on fire. Man of the series again.

7 wickets! All out for 206.

Johnson on a hat trick for the second innings.

 

[Shelf]

I love watching a legitimately fast bowler work over the opposition. Bonus points if the bowler is Australian.

 

[markis10]

Will they last the day?

Australia 397 & 290/4d
South Africa 206 & 65/3 (20.0 ov)
South Africa require another 417 runs with 7 wickets remaining
South Africa RR 3.25
Last 10 ovs 25/1 RR 2.50
Min overs remaining 64

 

[Pushka]

It's always funny listening to Mike Haysman. I've known him since he was a whippersnapper. He didn't sound like that then. Just showed a photo as I remember him with long blonde locks and his pants up high waisted.

 

[turtlemichael]

I saw the last couple of days at Centurion, a great cricket ground. The Aussies did amazingly well, better than I expected or hoped for. It was strange to feel the silence when the Australians took a wicket or hit a boundary. Not like the MCG! Tonight we had dinner at the Butchers Shop in Sandton. When you are paying AUD12.00 for a very good bottle of pinotage and $15.00 for one of the best filet steaks I've ever had, you know you are on a winner. Highlight was that the Australian coaching staff and a few of the cricketers were also there. Got a few words with David Warner (who looks about 18) and Darren Lehmann. Hope they took the advice I offered them (joke). We are just at the start of our visit here and loving it immensely. We went to Soweto today which was strangely uplifting. All good. The team heads to Port Elizabeth tomorrow and we head down on Wednesday.

 

[turtlemichael]

We are now in PE looking forward to the match starting tomorrow. Forecast is for some rain Thursday but the taxi driver said 'not likely" whatever that is worth. It is also very humid, unlike Centurion. The papers are full of how to counteract Mitchell Johnson and how dangerous he is, and alternatively, how many of the South Africans should be dropped. I think they are worried!

 

[Shelf]

Biff is a great player. A great player who is struggling at present