Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

[Cricket_60]

Maybe not such a bad decision by Punter

 

[Wildwil]

Great stuff by Ntini

 

[Short Leg]

Play Set To Get Under Way​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

We are back at the Newlands after the rain delay and play is due to start at 4:00pm local time. The groundsman have been hard at work and the umpires are happy with what they have seen out here and the good news is we will be under way shortly.

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Who would want to be a groundsman​

Before the players get under way again in this first Castle Lager test match let?s take a look at the challenge South Africa will face with this Australia attack. First the opening bowlers.

Brett Lee and Michael Kaprowicz​

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The figures tell the story for Lee he has been the strike bowler for Australia with 22 from 4 games so far in this championship. No figures to speak of in the championship for Kasprowicz as this is his first gig with the ball on test recall.

Stuart Clark and Shane Warne​

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Stuart Clark didn?t have the greatest debut on a rock hard track in India but shows a lot of promise as the third seamer. Shane Warne is arguably the number one bowler in this Australian team and has defiantly put in the hard yards so far.

Andrew Symonds​

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Andrew Symonds will elect to bowl his medium pace today as the pitch has a bit in it. Not a strike bowler but a handy man to have in the attack.

 

[Wildwil]

Come on SA please win

 

[MWaugh]

great build up with the images of the bowlers. even with mcgrath out i think warne and lee will do the job and australia will get up. i think ive said this about 4 or 5 times in the last few days but great thread mate

 

[Short Leg]

Cheers boys I appreciate the reply?s

 

[Short Leg]

Batting On A Mine Field​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

It is all falling into place for Australia on the second day at the Wanderers in Cape Town much to the disgust of the locals. The pitch is playing tricks on the South Africans thanks to the recent rain that has just pasted through and is leaving the home team in trouble. It all turned sour for Graeme Smith when his dismissal left his team at 1/4 . Brett Lee has his man and the send off was something to behold.

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Smith walks off wondering what the hell he has just done​

Jacques Kallis is the new man in and holds a lot of promise for the South Africans. A couple more wickets in the bag before stumps for Australia would be a big bonus as this track is expected to flatten out tomorrow. Brett Lee with a dream start and has 1 for 0.

South Africa 1/4
4:26pm ? Day 1
7 overs

Smith 0(21)
De Villiers 4(18)*

Lee 1/0
Kasprowicz 0/4

South Africa trail by 317 runs

 

[James_W]

How did you change Symonds to Medium?

 

[Short Leg]

Using Player Editor. It's under the personal tab and just select the bowling style from the drop down menu.

 

[Punk_Sk8r]

even in real life Nel's a nutter!!!

 

[Short Leg]

Kasprowicz Has His Man​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

With a loaded slips cordon Kasprowicz went for the double bluff and dished up the short ball. With a bit of assistance from the moisture in this fresh pitch at the Newlands the ball hurried onto De Villiers and he skied it straight up in the air and Brett Lee did the rest.

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South Africa now in real trouble and have found getting leather on willow a chore rather then a right. Brett Lee bowling 150km on this pitch as well as line and length from Kasprowicz end is a recipe for disaster. Somehow the home team needs to get through this session or pray for rain.

South Africa 2/20
4:48pm ? Day 2
12 overs

De Villiers 16(35)
Kallis 0(15)*

Lee 1/0
Kasprowicz 1/16
Clark 0/0

South Africa trail by 301 runs

 

[Short Leg]

Big Trouble For The Proteas​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

The bad news for South Africans is that Herschelle Gibbs is gone. Australia are running riot on this pitch and it has left the home side with absolutely know where to turn. Andrew Symonds got one to keep low on Gibbs and it crashed into off stump.

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Gibbs clean bowled by one that kept low​

A lot on the Proteas success rides on Kallis now as it is all about survival. Still a long way behind here and with the worst of the conditions as sunny skies are forecast for the rest of the match. The job is far from over this afternoon as we can expect another short sharp burst from Lee who didn?t concede a run in his first spell just before stumps

South Africa 3/42
5:23pm - Day 2
20 overs

Kallis 18(42)*
Gibbs 4(22)

Lee 1/0
Kasprowicz 1/16
Clark 0/13
Symonds 1/9

South Africa trail by 279 runs

 

[Short Leg]

South Africa Lose Vital Wicket​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

The worst possible result for South Africa with just 6 minutes left in the day. Kallis had been fighting hard with Prince to get through the final overs of day 2 when he played a stupid shot to be caught and bowled by Lee. Kallis rotated the hips through the shot to early and with a bit of tennis ball bounce from the pitch it went straight up.

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Kallis has a brain explosion and pays the price​

Brett Lee with figures of 2/2 and South Africa up against it. Rudolph now has to last out the day with Prince and try and regroup tomorrow. It looks like the South Africans made a bad choice going for the green wicket or is it that they made the right decision but they just got the worst of the conditions?

South Africa 4/72
5:54pm ? Day 2
27 overs

Kallis 43(66)*
Prince 5(15)*

Lee 2/2
Kasprowicz 1/16
Clark 0/18
Symonds 1/32

South Africa trail by 249 runs

 

[Cricket_60]

Great work by the Aussie's

 

[Short Leg]

South Africa Walking Wounded At Stumps​

1st Castle Lager Test Match
The Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa Vs Australia

The crowd that showed up today only sore 3 hours of action but what a 3 hours it was and that could possibly change the test match. It?s Rudolph and Prince that got South Africa to stumps but it was Lee and the Australian attack that did the damage.

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Brett Lee was on fire with the ball​

The home team will be hoping that tomorrow holds better days for them as they have no chance of winning at the rate they are going. A lot of test cricket remains in this match with 3 days ahead so it is not over by any means. Andre Nel will be appearing in front of the Match Review Committee soon.

South Africa 4/72
Stumps ? Day 2
29 overs

Prince 5(21)*
Rudolph 0(9)*

Lee 2/2
Kasprowicz 1/16
Clark 0/18
Symonds 1/32

South Africa trail by 249 runs