2nd ODI - S.Africa v Pakistan - Centurion

This game, highlighted just how important it is, to know the ground.

Weather has been around, but, not for long spells, and despite rain/thunder only being forecast to arrive at about 8pm local, it came far earlier, and disrupted the game for 2.30 hrs.

The Completed Match Market (CMM), saw a lot of activity, and, novices, easily got misled, by .. The amount of rain that fell, and the overhead conditions.

Here are pics, in time order .

Pre-game.

As the rain had hit.

Clearing in the distance .. Yet, you could back game, (Yes), at about 1.6.

Dark clouds to the west .. But, they were .. Probably .. Moving away.

Clean-up started .. Yes, still available at 1.4 or so.

44 over a side game .. No more rain, and, for experienced weather watchers, almost free money.

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There are a lot of similarities, to the Test in New Zealand. Weather patterns, do tend to repeat.

I am heavily on Mr Draw .. and think, its a racing certainty (currently 1.35, from (madness .. 1.8) or so, at close of play.

Good luck with your positions  ..  and take a brolly.

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2nd T20 - S.Africa v Pakistan - Centurion

 

Short boundaries ..

Pakistan win the toss and bat.

S.Africa 1.66. Looks v short to me.

 

S.African bowlers .. Tsotsobe, Peterson, Kleinveldt, Abbott,Morris.

Morris got big IPL contract, lets see how he handles the pressure.

 

S.African batters, ABD, David's,Faff, Ontong, Behardien.

 

Hardly strikes fear into anyone's heart.

 

Wow .. Pakistan score almost 200, and rout S.Africa.

I was v busy trading this game, and called it almost perfect.

S.africa are a v average T20 side, and only a little better, as an ODI side.

The prices were wrong, at least IMHO, and took advantage.

 

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Wet T20 Durban

Doesn't look promising ..

90 mins before start ..

1 poor super sopper, and fine to heavy non-stop rain, meant this game was doomed from v early on.

Umpires came out, but, u get he feeling, it's for PR only.

Game thankfully called off, 2 hrs before final cut-off, as field would have been impossible to get right.

2nd game of the series, is in Pretoria on Sunday .. Lets hope the rain, doesn't get there.

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T20 - S.Africa v Pakistan - Durban

Scheduled for this Friday .. (in 3 days time), and weather already looking dodgy.

CMM has game at 1.30, in a thin mkt ..

Durban have lost losta games, over the last yr, and this would be another disappointment.

Pre-game, S.Africa are rightly favs, as Pakistan are a bit unknown.



S.Africa 1.60

Pakistan 2.60


Watching racing from Durban .. no rain last 24 hrs, and baking hot .. 37c or so .. which is probably the problem, as the heat will cause the thunderstorms, later in the week.


Now Friday morning :

CMM

Yes (there will be a game) 1.83 offerred ..

No ( no activity)

Readers who got the jump, can book profits, or, hold on .. its raining in Durban.

Will post pics on Blog.

Will no longer post them on twitter, just links.

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2nd Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Newlands - Day 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great game .. With lotsa possibilities.
Pakistan 112 in front, 3 down.

SA need some early wickets

 

SA 1.97

Pak 3.2

Draw 5.6

 

Wow..wot a morning .. Unbelievable volatility .. But, Pakistan lose 5 wkts, 3 in quick succession, and end the morning, almost in tatters, at 157-8, 169 ahead.

You would have to think, they need at least another 50 runs, to have any sort of chance.

SA 1.20

Pak 6.0

Draw 100

 

Draw backers died again ..thou, had some major mileage.

 

Pakistan lose their last 2 wkts, quickly, and set S.Africa 170 .. Which is 50 runs short.

S.A. Have a few hiccups, but get their, in the end, 7 down, and the game is over in 4 days. A bit disappointing .. Had an ok game, but, some of my comedy green, on Pakistan, was wasted.

 

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2nd Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Cape Town - Day 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so, Day 3.

In theory, a better day to bat .. but SA 199 behind, 5 wkts left.

Pak fielding a little below par, and SA score 109 runs in the session, for 2 wkts ... 248-7. .. 90 behind.

SA 1.90

Pak 3.3

Draw 5.5

Adjmal not as threatening .. but still a great bowling performance.

After lunch, SA all out 326 .. good innings by Pietersen ..15 behind

SA 1.74

Pak 4.3

Draw 5.1

 

Tea ..

Pak 25-2, 37 overs left in day, lead by 38

SA 1.50 .. looks a gamble lay

Pak 4.2 .. right

Draw 9.2 .. back if anything, to trade

 

 

At the close, Pakistan attacking, and Morkel off injured, unlikely to bowl again.

Pakistan lead by 100, 3 down.

Rain now looks unlikely, for Monday, so, game on.

 

S.Africa 1.98 .. Looks a lay

Pak 3.05 .. Couldn't back at the price

Draw 5.7 .. Plenty of room. To go shorter.

 

Good game .. Got world class book.

 

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2nd Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Cape Town - Day 2

Blogsy is giving me a lot of shit .. not posting properly .. will re-type.

Gorgeous day, after a windy nite.

Run line, is 335, as Pakistan continue from 235-5 overnight.

S.Africa need these 5 wkts, quickly, to justify their odds.


Drinks - Pak 299-8

SA 1.55

Pak 6.8

Draw 4.8

Lunch .. Pak 338 all out


SA 1.72 .. Looks v short

Pak 6.2 .. right

Draw 3.75  .. Big enuf to trade .. my thinking is, runs will shorten draw, and go to Pak price .. SA not gonna move much.


SA run line 415 .. they fucking metal


Tea  SA 65-2 ..

SA 1.75

Pak 4.6

Draw 4.2


Ball spinning, but mkt doesnt respect Pak .. comedy green


DRinks after Tea


SA 105-4

SA 2.44

Pak 2.58

Draw 4.7


Fragile mkt - ball spinnubg .. I like Pak a lot


At close of play .. SA 139-5 , 199 behind

SA favs ??? .. 2.48 WTF ???

Pak 2.68

Draw 4.3


Some eye watering prices



In the hrs after, cooler heads prevail :


Now, Pak 2.36

SA 2.64

Draw 5.1

looks better

2nd Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Cape Town

Interesting day 1, during which, S.Africa won the toss, decided to bowl, and had Pakistan in a heap of trouble, 4 down for not many.

A superb recovery, has them 253-5 at the close, and there are many opinions as to which way this will go.

Easiest way forward, is to lay the draw at 4.1.

Start of play :

S.Africa 1.47 .... Down to 1.12, high of 2.28

Pakistan 6.0 ... Down to 4.5 or so, high of 25

Draw 5.3. .. Down to 2.96, high of 12

Initial run line, 265, hammered lower.

No rain ,. Clear blue skies .. Thou there was rain, pre-game.

Close of Play
S.Africa 1.65
Pakistan 6.6 .. Looks fair
Draw 4.1 .. Looks low

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1st Test - S.Africa v Palkistan - Wanderers - Day 2

For some reason, my days blog got chewed, and I have to try recreate it.

It's hard to do S.Africa justice, in a few lines.

Pakistan folded, (or were forced to fold), to 49 all out. From 6-0 overnight, that's some bowling performance, even on a pitch, known for low scores.

Steyn was the main man, with 6-8 ... Better than good.

S.Africa took a 204 lead (not enforcing follow-on), and finish the day 207-3, 400+ ahead .. 3 days rain is needed by Pakistan, and that doesnt look likely.

This should be over, by lunch, day 4.

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1st Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Wanderers - Day 1

SA win the toss, and decide to bat, on a pitch, which has some green.

Run line, is quite low .. 368

SA 1.58. ... Drifting

Pak 6.4

Draw 4.7

Blue skies, may get thunderstorms, late in the day.

Ball doing a lot early, and a brave decision by 100 captain Smith, to bat, considering all the hype etc, ... Can't be easy to concentrate.

At drinks .. SA 27-0

2 vital wkts in the second part if the morning, and SA finish on 68-2. Pakistan bowled with a great deal of merit, and on a tricky pitch, could easily have had 2 more.

At lunch :

SA 1.47 ... Plenty short enuf

Pak 7.4 .. Some value

Draw 5.1

Am slightly involved, against Draw and SA (small), with all green on Pakistan.

At Tea : SA 159-4, and expected score down to about 336.

SA 1.47

Pak 6.6

Draw 5.8

Some cloud, but don't think it will rain, before COP.

Still with Pakistan.

Drinks after tea :

SA 204-5 after 72 overs

SA 1.45

Pak 6.8

Draw 6.0

Low scoring pitch .. Avg score, 258 .. So, maybe SA score better than it looks.

And so, 5 overs before the end of play, SA post 253 all out.

Good bowling/fielding, I like this Pakistan side .. They seem energetic and happy.

At the break :

SA 1.60

Pak 3.85

Draw 8.4

How well will Pakistan bat on this ?

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1st Test - S.Africa v Pakistan - Wanderers - Preview/Leadup

Real cricket starts again, with Test cricket at one of my favourite grounds.

Wanderers tends to be a result wicket - I make it, of the last 11 tests there, no draws,  thou, oddly, it's not a fortress for S.Africa, as they have lost 6 of those, winning 5.

Rain often tends to flirt around the wanderers, but, even if it rains, the drainage is so good, not too much time, is lost.

There have been thunder-storms in the late part of the day, for the lead up to the test, but, overall, the weather forecast is better, and, I don't think, more than 30 overs will be lost, if that.

So, given the bouncy nature of the wicket, and S.Africa's number 1 status, you would expect, an easy home win .. even if Pakistan are 100 % prepared/committed. They have only played 1 warm-up game, and news is just hitting the wires, that opener, Taufeeq Umar, has been ruled out of the tour. Imran Farhat has been announced as his replacement - and it's possible, a place may be found for Nasir Jamshed, who played so well, in the overseas one day games / warm-up.

Initial betting is :

S.africa. 1.57
Pakistan 6.8
Draw 4.6. And friendless ...

I could never suggest laying the draw at such a high level, but, suppose those that do, will win the money.

It's one to savour and watch .. I have a sneaky feeling, Pakistan may be underrated .. But, S.Africa have the class.


Wed Nite :

Extensive thunder storms, and generally a lot of the wet stuff.

Thursday :

Overcast, and locals expecting rain, some time during the day. A lot of this, may come outside the hours of
play, so, it may not matter, but, play may occasionally be delayed etc.

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