Day 1 - 3rd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Cape Town

Some thoughts of a few showers, maybe, on day 1/2 of the test, but fine weather thereafter, so, hard to see a draw.

S.Africa 2.34

Aus 3.2

Draw 3.80

 

Aus win the toss, and decidet to bat. Warner plays as expansively as ever, and take Aus to 118-1 at Lunch .. SA bowled moderately.

S.Africa 4.3

Aus 2.34

Draw 3.0

Have a shit book .. Going for S.Africa / laying draw ...

 

SA got Doolan fairly early, but, despite a superb spell of bowling from Morkel, they couldn't get another. Clarke survived a fearsome spell .. And deserves to get a 50 ..

At Tea .. Aus 195-2 ..

S.Africa 6.4

Aus 2.2

Draw 2.58

 

Prices look about right, especially as Steyn off with a hamstring strain.

My book, looks max loss territory.

 

Aus 331-3 .. And am looking at largest loss for 10 yrs.

 

Hard to say anything else ..

 

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3rd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Cape Town

So, the 3 match series is 1-1 .. And all eyes look ahead to Cape Town, which looks like being a v well attended game.

3 days before,in glorious weather, they bet :

S.Africa 2.30

Australia 3.25

Draw 3.8

I don't understand the draw price .. The weather right now, is stunning, and average rainfall for this time if yr, is v low.

Forecasts have maybe, some drizzle, on the odd day, followed by days of hot clear weather.

For test 1, the draw was 5.0, and 3.8, looks a v cheap lay, to me.

Watson has recovered enough, to play, and hopefully, Kyle Abbott wil play for S.Africa.

Day 4 - 2nd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Port Elizabeth

Gorgeous start to day, forecast for Monday improving, and think doom mongers for tomorrow are all wrong.

I am heavily against draw.

 

Draw dived to 2.40 .. Who are these idiots ?

SA declare .. Setting Aus 445 ..just before lunch .. I expecting 55 overs tomorrow, so, Aus got a sniff.

S.Africa 1.73

Aus 11

Draw 2.94

 

Lunch. And Aus batting well .. 31-0 .. Mkt rethinks Aus chance of winning this.

S.Africa 2.12

Aus 7.0

Draw 2.56

 

Drinks .. Aus 99-0 .. SA's 3 bowlers, getting nothing from pitch.

Max with Aus

 

S.Africa 3.75

Aus 3.75

Draw 2.24 .. Draw stupid short

 

Aus into 3.25, but lose Warner .. Spinners getting some turn.

Aus 127-1 .. Need 321 more

S.Africa 2.5

Aus 5.5

Draw 2.38

 

Run rate might slow now .. Good game

 

Tea .. Aus 141-1 .. Rogers hit one, but, no review by SA.

S.Africa 2.82

Aus 5.2

Draw 2.16

 

U could argue, all prices are wrong.

 

After Tea, Steyn gets some real fire, and Aus 6 down.

Aus 166-6 ..

S.Africa 1.19

Aus 140

Draw 6.2

 

All over .. And it never rained on Day 5 ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Day 3 - 2nd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Port Elizabeth

Gorgeous day, and forecast is great for day 4, thou day 5, looks bad.

A little wind, so might get some swing .. Huge 1st session !

At lunch, Aus wobbling at 205-8 .. Needing 20 more, to avoid follow-on, if it's enforced.

Monday weather is key .. Any one got any ideas ?

S.Africa 1.77

Aus 17

Draw 2.62

 

Day kicked on, but spent most of it looking at weather charts for Monday.

At COP day 3, SA are 363-4 .. Net.

Apocalyptic weather forecasts for Monday .. Which may or may not be accurate.

Currently .. Blissful ..

S.Africa 1.57

Aus 18

Draw 3.2

 

 

 

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Day 2 - 2nd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Port Elizabeth

V curious weather systems in this area .. Mild drizzle, 100km away, up the coast, but PE clear, and looks likely to stay that way, for at least most of the day.

S.Africa losing the 2 cheap wkts at the end, certainly affects the game, and with a new ball this morning, under some cloud think the Aussie attack, might get some sticks.

S.Africa 3.3

Australia 3.45

Draw 2.40. ?

 

I have draw much bigger, and have laid.

Radar has a little rain around, but think wind will blow it away, and next 2 days, look v clear, to make up any lost time, (if there is any).

 

Ball doing nothing ..S.Africa 240-5 .. Brighter, but looks like only mistakes will take wkts .. Not impossible, and maybe pitch will wear ..

Drinks .. S.Africa 263-5 .. Pretty good start for them .. Bowlers look flat, maybe it's the pitch .. Will be interesting to see Steyn/Morkel/Philander, especially if they have niggles.

S.Africa 3.2

Aus 7.6

Draw 1.77

 

Lunch .. And a session to S.Africa !!

323-5 .. ABDev 102 n.o., and JP 59 n.o.

S.Africa 2.92

Aus 14

Draw 1.69

Bright enough, so imagine lotsa play today .. Maybe S.A get 475 before the close, and get some overs at Aus.

For now, still looks a road.

 

Mid-way after lunch, and ABDev goes, for a well compiled 100.

374-6 .. Quite bright, thou some dark clouds from the west.

S.Africa 3.45

Aus 13

Draw 1.56

 

At tea - S.Africa 413-8 .. JP still there on 118, but, with only Steyn and Morkel, u would expect, maybe another 50 runs.

Some talk about a declaration, but, I can't see it.

Still fairly light, think they will go to natural close of play, or v close.

Game is really lifeless .. Prices not moving much.

 

After tea, S.Africa quickly 423 all out .. Leaves quite a few overs tonite, in good light.

One key thing, is the final test, is in 4 days after the end of this one .. Maybe, the fast bowlers will be looked after, if no wkts early. S.Africa didn't play a spinner, which looks odd.

At change of innings :

S.Africa 3.7

Aus 8.0

Draw 1.64

 

Amazing session after Tea .. S.Africa bowled with real menace . . Could have had 6, easy.

Aus 112-4 .. 312 behind ..

S.Africa 2.12

Aus 13

Draw 2.22

 

Monday forecast, v ropes .. Might lose 45 overs.

 

 

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2nd Test - S.Africa v Australia - Port Elizabeth

Aus lead 1-0, which really doesn't do justice to how far they won by. Maybe one day, we will see bonus points.

Anyway, on to the next game, and Port Elizabeth has a reputation for being low and slow .. Which might negate Johnson.

With a few bits of rain forecast, I have built up a very big position on the draw, averaging 4.0.

This time, I am in profit, before Day 1.

Current prices :

S.Africa 2.96

Aus 2.66

Draw 3.5

 

Day before, and it's v overcast, with rain about.

Draw moved into 3.00 .. And is flavour of the month.

 

S.Africa 3.1

Aus 2.88

Draw 2.98

 

Match day .. Windy as anything last night, but little, if any rain.

Thin cloud for now .. Will be huge toss to win.

Pre toss

S.Africa 3.0

Aus 3.1 ??

Draw 2.8

 

Aus lost the toss, and Biff decided to bat first, after some drama, deciding what team to pick. Philander was in doubt, but plays, with Elgar and De Cock.

Smith and Amla, go v cheaply, and S.Africa looked in the mire again, albeit, on what seems a v docile pitch.

Faff and Elgar steadied the ship, somewhat slowly, but at Lunch, S.Africa are 64-2.

S.Africa 335

Aus 3.35

Draw 2.50

 

Floodlights have been on, from ball 1, and it's v cloudy, but, no rain yet, and with the wind so strong, and stuff, maybe quite short lived.

Still, I think it will be v hard work to take 20 wkts on here, and am holding on to most of my draw back.

 

Tea - S.Africa 145-3 .. Not the best run rate, but, largely intact.

Hard to see where this game might go. Weather forecasts improving a bit, so, might get most of the overs .. Can it be a natural draw ? Sure .. But, if S.Africa score 375+, pressure on Aus, for once.

S.Africa 3.2

Aus 4.2

Draw 2.18

Not doing much, with my pre-game position.

 

Game finished 7 overs early, due to bad light .. To be caught up in the morning.

S.Africa 214-5 .. If they all out for 300, I think they are in trouble.

 

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Day 4 - S.Africa v Australia - Centurion

More blue sky, which, isn't what S.Africa especially want.

 

Expecting to see Aus bat quite aggressively this morning, setting up a declaration, either just before, or just after Lunch .. 550 or so, ahead.

S.Africa gonna have to bat long .. Whatever happens.

S.Africa 30

Aus 1.29

Draw 5.1

 

Pitch maybe, has a few cracks starting :

 

 

Clarke surprises, with an early declaration .. Leaving S.Africa to score 482 .. Really surprised me.

 

Draw blew from 5.2 or so, to 14 ...

Decision largely based, as Clarke was batting, and couldn't lay a bat on ball.

Proved right, as S.Africa 65-3 at lunch. Looks like the game will be over, quite early.

 

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