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HENRY: Australia down but not out after Day One

First cricket Test between South Africa and Australia at the Gabba ground. AFP PHOTO / Greg WOOD
Expert
9th November, 2012
1

By day’s end at the ‘Gabba, South Africa could rest easy. 2-255 is a handy platform to launch a match-winning score. Yet, the Australian bowling at no time lacked effort or purpose.

Given Graeme Smith’s toss winning ability, many thought the pitch would play the villain of the piece and make batting a hazardous occupation.

That was not to be. The surface played slow and provided little sideways assistance.

The ball went soft and was replaced due to a split seam late in the day, which is unusual but indicates a poor batch of balls or just another dirty rub of the green that could have dulled the Australian fast bowling spearheads.

There was almost no swing in the opening overs, another rare sight on Brisbane’s cricket grounds, and the home side failed to pitch the ball far enough up to bring expansive drives and front foot edges into play until post-Tea when Siddle, The Haus, and Pattinson J discovered discipline and a fuller length and forced Kallis and Amla to graft for their runs.

Hashim Amla finely crafted a near century, as only the world’s number one batsman can, but was fortunate to survive an early LBW shout from The Haus, which the New Zealand umpire Bowden rejected.

On review, the ball was crashing the bails and would have stood as out had Bowden given the first call correctly.

Bowden then had another negative turned over when Graeme Smith was sent from a full delivery from James Pattinson. Add to the turnovers in favour of batsmen, the bees dick recall on a no ball when Kallis lobbed a pull shot to mid off, and the Australians are due for a turn around from lady luck.

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Nathan Lyon lulled a well-organised Peterson into a surprising loft to mid-on and bowled 12 drifting dropping overs.

You would have gotten long odds that Michael Hussey and Rob Quiney would be bowling in tandem on day one, or any day of the summer for that matter, which puts into perspective Mitchell Starc prowling the boundary in a bright orange bib running drinks to his team mates.

His variety and swing may have proved more valuable than having three front line right arm seamers and two part time right arm trundlers.

With the new ball due first thing in the morning, Australia can still get into this match if they lob it in the right areas, tuck the rabbits foot in the back pocket next to the four leaf clover, and get Barry Gomersall to refeee.

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