Story Australia Tour of SA (Cricket 2005) - My first series

[harishankar]

This is my first true series with Ckt 2005

Australia Tour of SA - First Test - Cape Town

Pitch Report by Mike Haysman:
Welcome to the first test between Australia and SA at Cape Town. This is a lovely day for cricket and the pitch looks hard and bouncy and should suit the fast bowlers. However, once you get in on this pitch, it offers a lot to the batsmen in terms of strokeplay, since it's a very true wicket. All in all, expect to see a great contest between bat and ball. I expect the captain who wins the toss to bat first.

Toss:
Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

Robin Jackman: Congratulations, Ricky. You won the toss. What are you going to do?
Ricky Ponting: We are going to have a bat.
RJ: Well, this track looks like a beauty to bat on, doesn't it?
RP: Yeah, it does. Looks good. Good pace and bounce. Ball should come on to the bat. Hopefully we'll put some runs on the board and pressurize the South Africans...
RJ: Best of luck!
RP: Thanks, Robin.

RJ: Well, Graeme, hard luck. You lost the toss.
Graeme Smith: Yeah, we would have had a bat as well on this wicket, but I guess we just have to bowl well on this track. Looks like it'll suit our pacers.
RJ: Best of luck!
GS: Thanks a lot, Robin!

Day one summary

Australia came out all guns blazing but lost a couple of early wickets as Hayden and Langer fell early in Session 1. However, Ponting and Clarke stood at the crease and put on a mammoth 200+ run partnership to steady the innings with some positive cricket. Most of the south african bowlers looked ordinary on this pitch, but Ntini looked fiery with some good pace and bounce giving even the well set batsmen some awkward moments. With several catches dropped, however, South Africa looked down the barrel at the prospect of a long day on the field and a mammoth Australian total.

The post-lunch session saw consolidation from Ponting and Clarke as the two ground the SA attack to the dust with some delightful strokes and solid defence. However, the partnership was broken by a very fiery Ntini who got Michael Clarke caught behind the wicket with a good delivery on off stump as Clarke attempted a cover drive. Martyn came in and quickly departed trying to defend a rising delivery and was caught at gully. Ntini looked really charged up as the Aussies suddenly found themselves on the back foot.

Simon Katich came in and for a while, it looked like the Aussies were settling down again but he was hit a few times by the bouncers of Ntini who really unsettled him. Finally Nicky Boje picked him up just when he started looking settled down.

Gilchrist, Warne and Lee quickly departed as the South Africans mounted a late comeback on Day 1 with some aggression by Pollock and Ntini, in particular Pollock. Ricky Ponting held one end up and the Aussies ended the day on 330 for 8 with Bracken surviving the final few overs of the day...

 

[harishankar]

End of the day interview with Ricky Ponting:

Mike Haysman: Well, Ricky, great century. Michael and you looked good to make many more.
Ricky Ponting: Yeah, it was a good, pacey track. Good for batsmen and bowlers so I guess I'm happy with the way I played.
MH: You looked in a much stronger position before tea and then Makhaya Ntini just tore through your batting order.
RP: Yes, it was a great bowling spell and he was getting the ball to rise sharply as well. I think if we manage to squeeze a few more runs tomorrow, then who knows? Warney and Lee will look forward to bowling on this track since it offers good pace and bounce.
MH: How do you see the game going from here?
RP: Well, it's too early to call. It looks like a great game in the offing. Hopefully our bowlers will restrict the South Africans and then we might just sneak through!
MH: Well, good luck!
RP: Thanks, mate!

 

[Cricket_60]

Nice presentation and a good start to the tour

 

[harishankar]

Thanks Cricket_60, will be posting some screenshots and more detailed coverage of day 2. Is there any tool other than Fraps which can take screenshots in game? Fraps looks like demoware, so I'd prefer a free one if possible.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Any Screen Capture? Although it has limited use...

 

[harishankar]

Lunchtime day 2

Match Summary so far:

Australia: 339 all out in 90 overs
South Africa: 80 for 3 in 19 overs


Mike Haysman: What a fascinating session of Test Cricket it has been. South Africa bounced back late on Day 1 and this morning, Australia were bundled out for 339. Great bowling effort by SA and with me to discuss the session highlights are Barry Richards and Ian Chappell. Well, first off, Barry, great session, wasn't it?

Barry Richards: Wonderful bowling effort by the South Africans really, especially Ntini. But I thought Australia really did well to fight back with those three wickets in that session before lunch. Brett Lee, I though was especially fiery, getting Graeme Smith gloving a short ball to the keeper. Overall, an excellent session, but I think SA still have the edge.

Mike Haysman: Ponting looked good to make many more, but just ran out of partners and had to try and hit out against Boje. Australia will be a touch disappointed with that total, won't they?

Ian Chappell: I thought that run out was needless and it was a promising partnership between Ponting and Bracken. But unfortunately for Australia, they only managed 9 runs to their overnight score. They will be disappointed with that total, to be sure. However McGrath getting a wicket early was the good thing for the Aussies and I think they have the edge going into the next session. Shane Warne was getting the ball to turn and bounce there and I expect him to play a major role as the match wears on... a couple of wickets early in the post-lunch session and SA could be struggling.

Mike Haysman: Thanks gentlemen! Will be a great session to watch. Hope you can join us at tea! Goodbye!

 

[harishankar]

Any Screen Capture? Although it has limited use...

I Just installed an older version of Fraps to work in Windows 98. Hopefully I can get a few screenshots in there.

Regards.

 

[James219]

Nice presentation so far, although it would have been good to see some build up and pre-match comments. But very good so far with the reporting

 

[harishankar]

Teatime - day 2

Match situation:

South Africa 168 for 6 in 48 overs.

Mike Haysman: Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. Well, it has been a tough session for SA with the Australians all over them like a rash. Lee with his pace and Warne with his spin clearly had the better of the South African batsmen. However, Boucher is still there and it's crucial that he bats on for South Africa's sake. We have Ian Chappell and Barry Richards in the studio for their thoughts. Well, gentlemen?

Ian Chappell: Yeah, it's been a great session, particularly for Lee. I thought it was a terrific spell of fast bowling. He had the batsmen hopping with his bouncers. I thought that wicket of Kallis was crucial early on in the session. It was a terrific quick yorker and Kallis hadn't time to get his bat down in time to save it. As usual McGrath was consistent and Warne spun the ball sharply to have the batsmen in some trouble. I think that wicket of Dipenaar shortly before the tea break really tilted the match in favour of Australia.

Barry Richards: Yeah, great bowling by Australia. From South Africa's point of view, however, they need this partnership between Boucher and Pollock to continue. Pollock has looked positive in the short time he was at the crease before tea. For South Africa's sake, they need to put on a substantial partnership.

Mike Haysman: Thanks gentlemen. Well, clearly Australia on top right now. But who knows. SA desperately need a partnership and we'll find out soon whether these two can provide it.

 

[harishankar]

Nice presentation so far, although it would have been good to see some build up and pre-match comments. But very good so far with the reporting

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[harishankar]

End of day 2

Match situation:

Australia 1st Innings: 339 all out in 90 overs
SA 1st Innings: 221 all out in 58.3 overs
Australia 2nd Innings: 73 for 0 in 15 overs (191 runs ahead)

Michael Haysman: Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. Well. Australia are clearly in the ascendency having bowled out South Africa for 221 well inside the last session of the day. They had to bat out the session, but boy, did they bat. Hayden and Langer are looking absolutely dominant and it looks like a long day ahead for the South Africans on day 3 unless they pull out some magic. Here with me are Ian Healy and Barry Richards. Barry, first of all, what happened there to the South African batting?

Barry Richards: To be honest, I think they played some pretty poor cricket, it must be said. Boucher did get a beauty of a yorker to be dismissed, and the tail just crumbled without much resistance. Pollock played a nice little hand there, but he just ran out of partners, unfortunately. However, the blame for this paltry total must go to the top order batsmen, most of whom got in and then just threw their wickets away. Australia will look to dominate tomorrow and put a huge score on the board and just bat SA out of the game.

Michael Haysman: Do you see any hope for SA, Ian?

Ian Healy: They need early wickets tomorrow morning. Absolutely crucial. But the way Hayden and Langer are batting, it looks hard. First off all, they need to cap the free run scoring and then create some pressure. Australia have *plenty* of time in this game and can bat all day tomorrow. SA need wickets desperately. No question. Lots of hard work ahead for them...

Mike Haysman: Thanks for your thoughts gentlemen. Anyway, we have Robin Jackman standing by with comments from Shane Warne and Makhaya Ntini. Over to you, Robin.

Robin Jackman: Thank you, Mike. Well. First of all, great bowling effort in the first innings Makhaya with a fiver. Looks like you'll have to pull out something similar in the second.

Ntini: Thanks a lot, Robin. Yes. We'll have to bowl well tomorrow and hopefully get a few wickets and restrict Australia to a manageable total. That will be our first target. Then who knows? Our batting is quite strong and we can challenge them in the fourth innings.

Robin Jackman: Shane. You bowled great today. Lots of flight and variation. How does the pitch look like going into day 3?

Warne: Thanks mate. Yeah, looks good for batting. Look, our batsmen have to make the runs and hopefully we can put up a huge total and then we can put some real pressure on them in the fourth innings... Long way to go yet.

Robin Jackman: Makhaya, how do you see this pitch on day 3 and day 4 of this match? Does it look like deteriorating at all?

Ntini: No, it still looks like a good Test wicket. Obviously it has dried out and quickened up a bit over two days and so I should enjoy bowling there tomorrow with some extra pace and bounce and hopefully find something there. I don't think it'll change much on day 4 or 5 maybe except the cracks will open up slightly.

Robin Jackman: There you have it, Haysey. The bowlers have spoken. Still looks like a pretty good test wicket. Back to you in the studio...

Mike Haysman: Thanks, Robin. Well, thats all we have here from the studios, but do join us tomorrow for day 3 of this Test match at Cape Town. Till then, it's goodbye from all of us.

 

[Bala]

Good luck for the series Hari! I will certainly be following it.

 

[harishankar]

Lunch - day 3

Match situation:

Aus 2nd Innings: 143 for 4 after 43 overs (lead by 261 with 6 wickets in hand)

Mike Haysman: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the studio after a fascinating morning session on day 3. It was clearly a session which belonged to South Africa. What a beautiful bowling spell from Boje and Ntini. I have with me Barry Richards and Ian Chappell to discuss the session highlights. Barry, your thoughts on this inspired stuff from SA?

Barry Richards: It was a special effort from Ntini and Boje, particularly Boje. He's not a hugely talented spinner, but he's intelligent and that ball to get rid of Ponting was a beauty. It was a crucial wicket because Ponting is the man in form with a century in the first innings. That wicket gave a boost to the South Africans and obviously Ntini and Pollock were charged up as well. Some excellent bowling and although Australia have a healthy lead at this stage, the match is by no means over. I expect this to go down to the wire.

Ian Chappell: Yeah, it was a great session for South Africa with those four top order wickets. Now Australia will have to bat really well to put on a lead of over 400. The pitch is starting to take more spin at this stage and it should be an interesting contest when Shane Warne bowls in the second innings. However, before that, these two batsmen, Clarke and Katich have to really bat well to take Australia to a safe position. This partnership is crucial and they batted well to survive the first session after all those wickets tumbled in the first hour of play. All in all, I expect another great day of Test cricket today. Australia looked like dominating today, but this evens things out again. This is what Test cricket is all about.

Mike Haysman: Well thanks, gentlemen. So it looks like a close Test match at this stage again. South Africa will come out all charged up after lunch and it will be another great session of play. Hope you can join us at Tea. Till then it's goodbye from all of us here at the studio.

 

[harishankar]

Good luck for the series Hari! I will certainly be following it.

Thanks Bala!

 

[MWaugh]

very good use of images here so far mate. the only thing i would suggest if possible is maybe download the batpack and some pitch mats and stumps. it just gives the game a realistic feel. other than that your doing very well