I was interviewed recently by a journalist of an Australian national newspaper. He spoke to me about this series versus South Africa being a massive test for this Australian side.
Was the series against England a ‘flash in the pan?’ How is the Australian batting order going to survive Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander?
Can Mitchell Johnson continue his great form? Who will bat three if Shane Watson is not fit?
There were lots of good questions yet I started our conversation with the words “I believe Australia will win and it will be a lot easier than people think.”
The journalist’s response was one of real surprise.
Why did I believe that? Well, there are a few reasons. A big one for me is the Jaques Kallis effect.
He has been a constant in the South African Test team since 1997. He brings a safe pair of hands, world class batting in the top order and aggressive fast medium bowling.
I believe his retirement has had a much bigger effect on the Test team that South Africa would like to admit.
Would he have coped any better with the Australian attack than anyone else? We will never know.
However, it is not as if South Africa have a ready made replacement.
How do you replace someone who has scored over 10,000 runs in the top order and nearly 300 wickets bowling 85 mph?
Put simply, you don’t.
It will take time for South Africa to adjust to this reality and develop a new balance to their 11, much like England are going to find out post Graeme Swann.
Looking at South Africa’s bowling, Steyn is world class.
A brilliant bowler who Australia will continue to pay the utmost respect.
Morkel is hot and cold. When he is on, he is brutal. He can get hit around a bit if he does not have his rhythm. He is very structured in how he likes to bowl, even the way he turns at the top of his mark.
Smart batsmen look to upset a bowler’s rhythm and I believe Australia did this well in the first Test.
Philander is a solid bowler yet needs conditions to suit to be effective.
Without swing or seam movement he can look pedestrian and I believe Australia will look to take him on as they will Robin Petersen and JP Duminy, the South African spin options.
The Australian attack, as I have mentioned in previous articles, is balanced. Well drilled and they bowl well together.
The key is Michael Clarke. His use of them, particularly Mitchell Johnson, has been simply outstanding.
I am really looking forward to the next Test, seeing Australia win the series, like we did in Port Elizabeth in 1997.
Mitch is also closing in on a small milestone, passing my 259 Test wickets.
I will love nothing more than to see him get a big haul of wickets and go past 259 wickets in a series winning Test match. C’mon Australia!
Outlier
Guest
"Aussies are gonna win this more easily than people think" BOOM, How do you like them apples!!
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Starc, pattinson and cummins are certainly the future of the Aust bowling attack. Throw in hazelwood and you have a group of fast bowlers capable of great things. These lads have all had their share of injuries however I believe by the time they are in their mid to late 20's they will be dominating world cricket.
Outlier
Guest
So the 1st test was bad. Forgot how much I disliked losing to the anyone and the Aussies in particular. Things should be better in this test match though. I still think the Aussie bowling attack are more than a little over-rated. Harris and Johnson are players who are potentially great but one is old and the other has bad knees, whilst Lyon and Siddle are average bowlers who are disciplined. You just require a little patience and runs can be scored against this attack. What I would like to see an article about from Jason Gillespie about how a tail ender scores 200 in a test match in foreign conditions have never even got to 60 before that
JB
Guest
Dizzy great article as always, If you compare yourself McGrath McDermott etc where were they development wise at a similar age compared to Starc Pattinson Cummins. I'd love to get your view on how good the 2017 / 18 pace attack could be be?
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
I'm guessing you never saw DK play?
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Couldn't agree more with you. Harris/Johnson/Siddle and Lyon have been BRILLIANT in their collective efforts with each of them at different times getting the statistical spoils. It shows what a settled line up can do. They compliment each other well. A pleasure to watch! Dizzy
Bearfax
Guest
good sides Jammel, especially having Quinton De Kock in there. He's only 21 but looks a future champion
jammel
Guest
Gosh, Dizzy, the way Harris and Johnson are bowling, they'd be in the best Australia Test XI I've ever seen - maybe instead of you! I've always gone with an attack of McGrath/McDermott/Gillespie/Warne (with the likes of Reid/Lee/Alderman at the next level). But Johnson and Harris are both demanding to be included!
jammel
Guest
For South Africa to get back in this series they need the big guns of Smith/Amla/Steyn to all fire in the first innings of the Second Test. Even if they do, though, the thing about this RSA era team is that they are slightly unbalanced. Having AB de Villiers keeping should help them but it just seems to open up this void of playing a batsman at seven like Elgar or Duminy, or an inconsistent spinner or some allrounders. Personally, from what I've seen of the relevant players, if I were South Africa, I'd be playing the following XI: Smith(c) APeterson Amla deVilliers duPlessis Duminy deQock(wk) Philander Abbott Steyn MMorkel If they feel they need the spinner then I'd go with the following: Smith(c) deQock(wk) Amla deVilliers duPlessis Duminy Parnell Philander RPeterson Steyn MMorkel
Bearfax
Guest
No doubt its a tough ask AKC. But they are a very good side, they had limited match practice recently and pride at home will be strong. But I agree it is a tough ask especially with Johnson around.
AlanKC
Guest
Bear, I agree that SA can bounce back but the short break (okay, it's an extra day thanks to the dimension of the defeat) is not in their favour. If they can come back and win at PE then they are a truly great team and I'll salute them as such but I doubt they can.
Bearfax
Guest
I think Hutch it was more than that, though it may have been a factor. Check Kallis' averages over the last year of his career and you'll see a significant down turn. He knew his days were over, whether Johnson was coming for him or not.
Hutch
Guest
I think the form of Mitchell Johnson in the Ashes was part of the reason Kallis decided to call it a day ... he didn't want to go out on a low
Vic
Guest
Bear, I believe it was Brian Mac who threatened to let Warnie "disappear" - to be honest, atm I fear that might be the only solution with Mitch, unless the Saffas employ his mom as a coach :)
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Ha ha!
Bearfax
Guest
Vic and Rhino, its been only one test. It was a savage defeat and they must find a way to counter Johnson. If they can, and I believe they can, South Africa can win. If not it'll be a 3-0 drubbing.
Vic
Guest
Rhino mate, even if the Aussies lose they believe they've won- see constant comments about the 2012 series which they "should have won". Glad I'm not the only one who still has hope for the Proteas!
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
Well done Australia on completely out-playing the Proteas in the first Test. Brilliant all round performance. But there are still two more Tests to go in this series.... Write South Africa off at your own peril....... The will bounce back hard!! They've done it every time since 2006 with only failing once.... they lost 1 Series on their march in 8 years! In 2009 to Australia in SA. Yet they have beaten Aus twice and drawn a series too in that period. So yes Aussie can do it again but I wouldn't be writing off SA....!!
Jonathan
Guest
AB is special no matter how you look at it and he coped with the Mitchell Johnson factor the best way possible by playing his normal game.But our batters excluding AB performed poorly and ALBIE morkel would have been a better SUIT for the middle order than JP IS.Our spinners DEPARTMENT IS MEDIOCRE AT BEST,since PAUL ADAMS we have lacked that element of mistery and surpise
Schuey
Guest
I remember the morning the homework gate scandal broke. There was a queue of Poms at my desk in my London office ready to dish it out. Thank god those ridiculous days have been banished.