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The South African openers showing how to play on a pitch doing a bit, not pretty but effective. Warners shot was appalling, Burns looked technically deficient, Khwaja is a flat track bully, Voges was unlucky but is now on his last chance in the 2nd innings, Fergusons run out defied belief. They have lost this game in the first session but they need to show some ticker to make it a bit harder for the Proteas who must wonder what the big fuss is playing Australia. We need another series against the Windies to build up our confidence again. Another issue is that test cricket has been reduced to a sideshow by the big bash circus and with the exception of Smith there are no batsmen who look capable of playing defensively during tough periods

I guess the selectors should be congratulated at least for picking a balanced side.....in that they can't bat or bowl!

Given that SA wickets are falling since tea you just have to wonder if someone could have stayed with Smith and got the score up to 150 they might have had half a chance to get back into the game.

So Ark.. The more recent Aust Players with decent techniques for the longer form of the game.
1.Boone,,,2 S Waugh...3 M Taylor....4 M Waugh...5 Langer ...6 Hayden...7.M Clarke...8 S Katich...9 M Slater,, any more post Allan Border.Allmost forgot a bloke called Gilcrest.

Well done Aman one of the best how could i miss him out.

gtr: the only two I would quibble with is Hayden and Gilchrist; Hayden was a front foot luncher whom could not play against good seam bowlling. I think back to his early career against Ambrose and Walsh, it was not pretty stuff. He never made runs in England. He made runs against Hoggard and Caddick on flat pitches. Technically, Gilchrist was not a great player so it was possible for good fast bowllers to sort him out --- he was the best hitter as a batsman the cricket world has seen.

I think Smith can bat. He goes back and across which is the correct way. He is a victim of the superman mentality which has pervaded in Australian cricket for twenty years, whereby an Australian batsman can pull off any shot against any bowller in any conditions, no matter what the score in the test match, just by playing their 'natural games'. He got the red ink today which was good to see.

I agree with the point you are making about the sub-standard batting 100 per cent


yes Hussey was a good player

Not much to say TBH besides...where was Mitch? ........hard to believe 5 matches ago, Aust were looking to roll SL and sneak back into the number 1 test spot.......hopefully Aust dont play the poms in Hobart.....game will be over by day 2 lunch time.......well done to Smith for gutsing it out.....no doubt the boys will be paid in full again for another hard days graft.....

So that's why Hayden had a shocker in Ashes 2005 when England bowled really well Ark.He scored 170 in the 5th test but only averaged mid 20's for that series.That was the reverse swing series.Remember Clarke left a ball outside the off stump and Simon Jones took his stumps out with late swing.

Pretty sure Gilchrist was Flintoffs bunny in that great series in the UK too GTR......Steve Waugh was the only one from memory who spanked opposition in all conditions.....reason why?......he valued his wicket......loved the baggy green and played to his strengths.....very much like Border......todays lot are spoilt with better bats.....easy run laden pitches......bowling restrictions etc and they get paid a shed load more for doing fark all then players of yesteryear.......

Freeze and Grassy.They use to play a couple of Shield games before the International Summer Started.Schedual to tight these days.
Grassy,,, not Smiths batting his body language in the slips as Captain.Hagdawn,I Chapple and John Embury have all mentioned it.Hunched back,no talking,no sledging very flat.