South Africa v Australia - Too Short A Test

Results at Newlands, Cape Town - South Africa v Australia

For all of the talk of series between the southern hemisphere heavy weights always being tough contests, the South Africans are light on results, winning only three series against Australia from the twenty two played since 1902/03. One of those was the 2-1 defeat of Australia at home when an injured South Africa lost the dead rubber Test in Sydney and the other two were consecutive home victories in the second half of the sixties, which included the 4-0 drubbing Ali Bacher's boys gave Bill Lawry's team.

Generally speaking, Australia plays well in South Africa. Here in Capetown at the Newlands Ground, Australia has dominated winning nine of the eleven Tests. The most recent, however, was the innings defeat South Africa handed Australia a few years ago when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke got first innings ducks whilst some bloke called Katich topped scored before Prince, Kallis and deVilliers notched centuries in six hundred large. Had Johnson not made a five 6 heavy maiden hundred batting at eight, it would have looked far worse.

Ponting - should I stay or should I go?

That's history and it won't win the match here. Australia come in with by far the better preparation but a weaker team by the same margin. Shane Watson finally made runs in the tour match but his opening partner, Phil Hughes was caught in the snick zone twice for not many, yet again. His contributions are always going to be all or nothing and Clarke will need to hope lightning can strike again for his little left handed opener. The solution is available but maybe it takes a stronger man to make the call. Shaun Marsh has settled in at three and looks solid but Ricky Ponting is the other doubt in the batting order. He has a hundred at Newlands but that was nearly ten years ago and reflexes an eye are duller now. It just looks like the Michaels - Clarke and Hussey - will have  a lot of run making to do and they will need more than the casual contributions that Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson have been offering since this time last season.

The South Africans will chose a capable bowling line up. Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn are the best new ball bowlers in cricket, although this wicket will only offer demon assistance on the first day. If they and Tsotsobe get the best of the conditions, they will be quick and deceptive through the air, regardless of the wicket softening. Australia's batsmen don't like quick lefties, which will likely swing the selection in Tsotsobe direction and leave Vernon Philander on the boundary. Its the selection of leg spinner Imran Tahir that creates the most interest. At 32 and with nearly 600 first class wickets and good performances in ODI's, he has earned his place and may well place the shoes on the other feet of the Australians, who so often taunted the Springboks with Shane Warne's skills.

Leg spinner Imran Tahir

The South African batting line up will be the most rusty element of a side which hasn't played a Test since January. Good bowlers quickly slip into a rhythm but batsmen, even the best of them, take time to gear up for the big contests. Jacques Rudolph returns after an absence and the rest read like a bowlers nightmare: Smith, Amla, Kallis, deVilliers, Prince and the consistent Boucher at seven. Most of these blokes stroke the ball freely and tend to dominate bowlers rather than wear them down like a Dravid or a Younis Khan. How quickly can they come up to stride?

The Australians have a reasonable attack but one with large question marks before it. Ryan Harris will surely lead it and based on lead up form, Mitchell Johnson will be given the new ball again in a calculated gamble. Peter Siddle should prevail over the medium tedium of Trent Copeland whose predictably is short of a jagging off cutter which made Glen McGrath so dangerous and would be murdered by the South Africans. No one in first class cricket in the land of Oz loves that Baggy Green as much as Siddle and he'll die before relenting and that's the attitude Clarke needs on the field with him. Nathan Lyon will be the spin option. He's an attacking off spinner, with loop and good variations of pace. He turns the ball sharply too but there must be worry at what Jaques Kallis and AB deVilliers will do to him. 

Johnson in action

The trump will need to be Johnson in a contest where all prisoners will be shot and trampled on. When things turn ugly, the Painted Man just smiles, spits and gushes forth his mid pitch poetry. If Graeme Smith's boys are smart, they won't talk back. Banter with Johnson is liking shooting Mongo from Blazing Saddles ... it just makes him mad ... and in that state, he may just open a door of opportunity for Australia.

It may be a dangerous place this Newlands pitch. If all the other variables weren't enough, the storms which roll off the imposing Table Mountain my turn aside the exploits of mere mortals over the next five days and bring their own wishes to bear, at the very least by changing the conditions.

The one last area of edge for the Australians will be their skipper. Michael Clarke has done some clever, inspired things in just four Test matches in charge. His opposite number is a shrewd operator, well versed in the dark arts and prepared to place everything on the line. Their battle for supremacy may decide more things than their batsmen or bowling attacks.

A fine challenge for the Australians but South Africa to win.