Game 3.
Australia should have won Game 1, but were Alby Mangled in the power play.
SA should have won Game 2, but used their 2003 World Cup run-rate calculator. In a less charitable era, on a less charitable blog, you might find accusations of malfeasance vis-a-vis the punt, but not here.
The Duminator is claiming all the pressure is on Straya, the Pontinator is claiming all the pressure is on SA, the Mickey-A-inator is claiming all the pressure is on Dave Warner.
"Pressure does funny things to people." You may have heard that once, or twice.
Victorians White and Hussey Minor will both star because they did not play against Queensland in the Big Slather & Whack preliminary final. Meanwhile, new New South Waler Brendan McCullum looks set for his first Baggy Green.
One-One going in to Game 3 and Straya will be bolstered by having Stud Johnson, who made his name in white ball cricket, replace The Hilf, who hasn't.
One thing is certain: It's the SCG, so whoever bats first will win.
Why don't the Vettori's just accede to the Kingdom of CricketOz and solve everyones problems?
1. We get a gun spinner in Vettori, and will gladly accept Shane Bond back to open the bowling.
2. McCullum solves our opening one day spot, and test keeping dilemma should Braddin continue on his merry dropping way.
3. The Vettori's can actually win a series every now and then apart from random games where they play out of their skins.
4. They would be a fairly competitive state team.
As for today's game, I'll back the tie.
Posted by: Adsy | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 02:27 PM
I heard Finey going off about that McCullum thing yesterday. The man had a point, if expressed in gutter dialect. NSW is pulling a fast one.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 02:41 PM
Since it was brought up in your intro Tone, I thought I might see if anyone else heard the same as me last Sunday: I'm sure Heals called Morkel "Alby Mangle" in his first over or two.
???
Posted by: Hangover Black | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Warner certainly looks like hes out on safari going after the Varks like this.
Posted by: Adsy | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 03:21 PM
It is sad that the Age had to carry the arrogant lecture from Spanky today about how wonderful it is that McRingin is playing for the Blues. Apparently it's a new world order where teenage slumdogs from Mumbai are all that matters in cricket, and we shouldn't criticise because it's good for the economy in these depressive times, and NSW might win an Oscar, or a Silver Logie, or a Pura Milk contract. Besides, Kiwi in 1983! Also, Germaine Greer and the CWA, am I right?
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 03:35 PM
HB
Can't remember where I heard it, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Heals last Sunday because I only saw about ten minutes.
Monty
You're a better man than me. I couldn't work out what Mad Spanky was on about.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 05:32 PM
Studs just out.
7/253.
Pretty good bowling by the Varks to limit the score to what it is now.
Pretty bad commentary by the egg heads. "This will easily be 300 plus." As soon as they say that you know that, once again, they have failed dismally to appreciate that there are two teams out there, one of which is bowling and setting fields to limit the score. Although, Marsh and Hussey M. getting out to soft dismissals didn't help.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Kerry O'Keefe hit on something which has been bugging me since the First Test: The Duminator. I wrote before the series that losing Clark might be a blessing in disguise. Little did I realise how much we would miss him (guess I took him for granted), and how much SA would benefit by losing Prince. Who knew, especially when you consider the crabby way JP got out in the first innings in Perth, how much of an impact an unknown player would have on the summer.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 05:42 PM
Tait run out.
All out 269.
Tait asleep.
Umpire, too? I'll swear Steyn broke the stumps with his foot before he hit them with the ball.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Those middle overs wickets killed us. Very sloppy effort. Certainly should have made 300 (being 1/140). Shouldn't have been that hard to milk the runs - we've been doing it for so long, it's now called the "boring middle overs". This team ain't a patch on 2007 WC side.
Posted by: Hangover Black | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 05:58 PM
HB
I just saw the dismissals.
Warner - needless
Marsh - careless
Hussey M. - sloppy
Ponting - lazy
Haddin - lazy
Hussey D. - poor shot selection
But they were all on the back of SA being well prepared, playing to a plan, and executing it.
For years we have been able to bat at our own pace. Not now.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 06:09 PM
Two drops in the first over - now that is sloppy.
Tell ya what else is sloppy: Channel Nine advertising ACA then showing the croquet.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 06:50 PM
Amla run out.
1/29.
Reminded me of Rick Darling and Graeme Wood.
Hope a run out has the same effect on SA as it did on Straya.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Gibbs going after Studs, and so far getting away with it.
Hope I wasn't out of line with that crack about Studs for Hilf.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Four byes straight through Haddin - there's a shock.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Well, this match is going down the gurgler in a hurry.
1/62.
Might be time to get back to Battlestar season four, episode 1, which I was watching instead of the News and ACA.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 07:12 PM
What idiot said "Whoever bats first will win"?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 07:41 PM
Gibbs caught by Hussey... eventually. Belatedly.
2/125.
SA still set to win at a doddle.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 07:54 PM
AB caught by Hussey off Charles Brackett.
3/140.
"Really good catch," according to That Tone. "Perfect position."
Absolute sitter, according to This Tone.
SA set to win at a bracing stroll.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:07 PM
JP bowled Ritz.
4/163.
"A goes-under," according the Drew... at the tennis.
SA set to win at strenuous ramble.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:32 PM
Fat Jack caught behind off Larry Tait.
5/163.
"Great captaincy from Ricky Ponting" according Slogger Slatts. "Everything Ponting touches turns to gold."
Well, yeah, except for the dropped catch off W.G. The Tourist.
SA set to win orienteering.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:34 PM
Is tennis the worst sport for radio? Get back on the cricket you ABC slapnuts!
Posted by: RT | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:35 PM
Get Doug Heywood.
Killer Fact! Watching Channel Nine and streaming the ABC doesn't work when the tennis is on ABC.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:39 PM
Get Doug Heywood back to commentate on Demons games. Pure biased brilliance.
Posted by: RT | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:44 PM
Heals: "Boucher's toes are still ringing."
Must have a shoe phone.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:01 PM
Tubby with the rhyming slang: "McKenzie's having a free hit."
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:02 PM
Macca run out.
6/209.
"The little man scampered," according Slatts.
As if the little man would do anything else. Warner is the very essence of a scamperer.
Excellent fielding, but. Unexcellent running
SA set to put-in-the-big-ones home.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:31 PM
Tait dropped Alby Mangler.
Getting his own back.
Admittedly a tough slicer at deep backward point, but there goes the ball game.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:37 PM
Tell ya what fellas, Dokic at The Open has been brilliant to watch. So much emotion, melodrama, love, apologies, humility not to mention fantastic tennis.
Posted by: pat | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:44 PM
Can't watch the tennis. I'm overwhelmed by all that blue.
Meanwhile, the pending result has been downgraded from "demanding hike" to "comfortable saunter".
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:48 PM
Give yers the tip: Alby Mangler is an arsey slogger.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:58 PM
Record breaking summer for the Saffas says it all about the state of our cricket.
It's unAustralian to be this lame.
Posted by: pat | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Cliché alert.
Dropped catches lose matches.
Gibbs, down.
Morkel, down.
Australia, down.
Opposite to Bellerive.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Alby caught on the boundary by Hopes off Ritz. Belated.
7/265.
Hopes on a rope.
Ho.
Ho.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:03 PM
By the way.
Monty.
What is Finey's native tongue?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Was about to write something like "How come Alby Mangele gets the MoM? Gibbs, Warner, Botha and probably Bracken were better" when I read this:
Cods. Wallop.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:19 PM
It makes as much sense as Joe Jackson's reconstituted head on ABC2. That's one, er, several wicked extreme makeovers he's obviously endured.
Posted by: pat | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Agree with Tony T.
The facts:
Botha: strangulated Australia's momentum towards 300 by taking 3 for 32 leaving us 30 runs short of what we needed. Also took two catches.
Warner: Started the aforementioned momentum by hitting 69 off 60. Also effected two important run-outs.
Morkel: No wickets for 47 off 7 overs. Hits 40 off 22, at a time when if he had have been out for a duck South Africa's run chase was still entirely gettable.
Morkel being MOM makes no sense to me either.
Posted by: Jonah | Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 07:00 PM