dee-luded

maybe try doing a clean of your computer with 'C' Cleaner... the registry, & the general clean? http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner - (free) cleaner http://www.piriform.com/defraggler - (free) defrag

thats happened to me a couple of times but rectifies itself. I'm not that tech savvy with software. nasher will know.

I think your responding to me, lol. I sense Clarke is getting better since Boof arrived, it must be tough for Clarke to relax imo, after he's had a difficult upbringing. Lets hope under Boof, he can learn to relax & mature, within the guidance. but IMO, Clarke will never feel able to let his hair down fully, & just be one of the boys. we'll do what we can.

I don't think he likes batting against raw pace. imo, Clark is too heavily invested in his status; even moreso than the team. just sayin.

That's why I would put Watto in at 3, for this match. Rome wasn't built in a day, they say Macca. after this series is done is the time to be more creative. not during. of no one gets to pick whether there is the side or not, or where they bat or bowl. not even clark.

batting order: I think they'll return it to to old order after this recent collapse at 3/4/5/7. even if for the short term. so Watto at 3. my longer term aim would be to try to arrange Marsh to open, with Warner at 3. another at 4 maybe Smith or Doolan from this lot. I'd be looking towards the eventual retirement of Clark & Watto with my batting order thinking. Rogers will eventually be replaced as well but it all needs to well stagger'd, with time in between shuffles.

rotation policy, no. but just that with back to back test series, with a key bowler to just be the icing on the cake in Sydney when he clearly needed an operation on his knee. They tried to stretch their luck, & its hurt us this 2nd test. We could also have used some more Venom on this dead track, so Pattinson should have been considered to replace Harris, who has been really struggling. Watto has to come in to help resettle the early order, & to add some variation. but we lose another fine fieldsman in Doolan IMO. Pattinson is a must. It'd be nice to come away with a win, and hopefully it wouldn't give us a false sense of "the jobs done", we've made it syndrome.

the 2nd test would have been the prefect time for a rest for Harris. with Pattinson coming in to fire hard. Harris could have finished off in the 3rd test, or gone for an Op'. ah hindsight. Harris should have had the Op' after the MCG test.

No doubt, but Siddle shouldn't be dropped, & I think Bird won't win us the test. < these 2 are almost competing for the same spot. but 2 strike bowlers will need more rest time, bowling in short bursts. leaving a lot of work to be done by Siddle, & who ever else can make up the numbers. If we are to Win this series, we'll need an attack to remove their bats quick smart. 2 strike bowlers backed up by great assists. & solid gutsy batting.

well actually he (bird) makes a good foil for 2 strike bowlers, Pattinson & Johnson, but Sidds has been concentrating on line & length. I think it could work. whats the pitch like coming up? is it a pace wicket, & will it break up & turn? can we afford 4 quicks? Australia: Test 2 1 David Warner 2 Chris Rogers 3 Watson Alex Doolan 4 Shaun Marsh 5 Michael Clarke © 6 Steven Smith 7 Brad Haddin (W) 8 Mitchell Johnson 9 Peter Siddle 10 Ryan Harris Pattinson 11th man > Nathan Lyon/Bird if Lyon misses out, Clark, Warner & Smith will all have to roll the arm over ?

I was thinking yesterday but I didn't want to say anything that may moz our chances, so I didn't mention or post the weather radar satellite maps, or mention changes, but I think experience has to come back in, & a bowler. I was thinking the last few days that Harris looks 'off' & tired. the obvious is Pattinson; but also Watson back in to settle the early order. The other alternative, but I can't remember if he's over there is Faulkner. What I would do after this SA Series is look at being creative with the early order, and look at shifting Warner to 3. I don't know If Doolan can open? or maybe Watson or Marsh can go there with Rogers, & Warner 1st drop. Now we are morphing the side since the ashes, keep Clark @ 5, because he doesn't like pace & plays spin well. as long as our early order can see off the pace attacks. Eventually we have to get Faulkner into the side as a regular in the late middle order... once he's settled in, Watto will be close to the end. as will Clark by that time. Australia: David Warner Chris Rogers Alex Doolan Watson Shaun Marsh Michael Clarke © Steven Smith Brad Haddin (W) Mitchell Johnson Peter Siddle Ryan Harris Pattinson,,, Faulkner? Nathan Lyon Having Johnson & Pattinson strike bowlers in tandem, gives us the firepower to win again, with siddle lyon & watson to share the work.

wow; I went to bed, we were 1 out for 100+ too any newbies doesn't work for team composure. rogers hits form, the others fold. disappointing. We're failing at 3, 4, & 5. & haddin not good enough to fold like that.

Yep. I suspect a bit of a let down this test from our mental attitude after winning the 1st test so comprehensively. Our batting effort; & to a lesser extent our bowling has lost a bit of edge IMO. Rogers, Clark, Haddin, all need to give more of themselves with some grit when its tough over there. take the bruises like Lyon & Siddle were prepared to do. we have to put up more resistance when we are being seriously tested. this game feels,,, in a mental arm wrestle sort of way, in a even position. we've handed back our short lived mental advantage to them.

its not looking too bright at the moment. lets hope the bumpers have angered our bowlers into a big effort.

I can't see a result in this game, IF we can bat thru Day 3. there is plenty of talent they're to bat thru if they apply. after Lyon & Warner, Smith has to stand up, along with Haddin, who is due. then the bowlers need to chip in on this match with the bat, where this wicket isn't helping them with ball in their hands. we bat thru today, I think anything is possible. 3 sessions. * patience is whats needed today, as we need to deny them time; we have to erase the deficit mid last session.

whichever way it goes, we need to keep the bowlers in the field working hard, & tiring them out. for the coming innings, & next test. they may get an injury time is our friend, if we can hang-about & play our game. Clarke'y needs to get a rattle on with his bat. its not firing over there.

I missed the cricket last night, altogether. I've just read the posts, I was surprised to hear we're batting, & a few down already... just back on deck after an Op' on Thursday.... 112 for 4 we'll have to settle down & bat on. .... this is just the test of Warners new-found focus, to see where he wants to take his game. wouldn't surprise on a slow wicket, if Lyon holds his head & goes on? we have faith in our middle order security. to forge on. this will be a good test for us. Rain forecast I think for the last day.

we'll just have to out-bat them Jack, then bowl them over anyway.

maybe Indian cricket should concentrate on making decent cricket pitches; that suit both quick bowlers & batsmen alike, instead of bowls of dust rolled flat like pita. and grass growing in the outfield for the fielders to field on?

Test Match Series, Second Test Match, Thursday 20 February 2014 at Port Elizabeth South Africa won the toss and decided to bat South Africa: Graeme Smith © Dean Elgar Hashim Amla Faf Du Plessis AB De Villiers (W) Quinton De Kock JP Duminy Wayne Parnell Vernon Philander Dale Steyn Morne Morkel Australia: David Warner Chris Rogers Alex Doolan Shaun Marsh Michael Clarke © Steven Smith Brad Haddin (W) Mitchell Johnson Peter Siddle Ryan Harris Nathan Lyon

happy little Vegemite's; what a difference some Vita-min 'B', & a few good laughs can accomplish. now to see if we can get Clark to handle a little brown bottle, instead of that big french thing

so did I, 60/40 Aus cant believe they scrunched up like a tissue

I see. also maybe its off a reasonable length. thommo was quicker than Mitch, but was dangerous with his direction. also probably hard to pick with his slinging action. no one new where it would go. the wickets as well. back then the MCG wicket was pretty hard I think.

I can't believe how fragile the worlds batsmen seem to be against Johnston. just one bowler. they just go into their shells. de villiers was more like old school showed some resistance & composure. these batsmen today would have been 2nd 11 against Lillee/Thomson back in the days, or against the West Indies barrage. whats happened to them Macca?

thanks for the radio link macca, I'm discovering i'm enjoying it, listening whilst playing on the computer. & I liked the commentary, they were SA's & you could here their disappointment & excitement. makes a nice change from modern TV. # Ps: I find I'm using the plasma telly as a radio, to escape from the noise pollution of the commercial TV adds.