Australian skipper Steve Smith made a telling comment two days out from the third Test against South Africa in Adelaide.
“There’s a new energy with the arrival of the three debutants,” Smith observed.
“Mark Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, and Nic Maddison have lifted the squad for a must-win Test.”
At the same time, rival skipper Faf du Plessis was making ridiculous claims he was innocent of ball tampering, despite television footage proving he was as guilty as sin.
Come the Adelaide toss, and for the sixth time in six, Smith lost – South Africa batted.
With the 18th delivery of the innings, Mitchell Starc trapped his opening batsman bunny Stephen Cook plumb in front, with the score at four.
Alas a no-ball, which is the direct result of bowling no-balls at the nets when run-ups should be fine tuned.
Having lost the toss and the first wicket early, the Australians could have dropped the shoulders, but they soldiered on and when Starc eventually sent Scott packing for 40 with the score at 4-95, the Australians were back in business.
Except for Faf du Plessis.
He was roundly booed when he marched to the crease, but being the arrogant bugger he is, used the derision to his benefit.
His unbeaten 118 was testimony to that arrogance in a total of 9 (dec) for 259, leaving South Africa 12 overs late at night for a new baggy green opening batting combination to survive.
Du Plessis had noticed David Warner was off the field receiving treatment for his on-going shoulder injury, and was timed out for opening the batting.
Usman Khawaja was promoted to join debutant Renshaw, and they saw out the time without loss for 14 – Warner will bat three today.
Du Plessis is shrewd as well – his mindset is purely on taking every advantage possible for a history-making whitewash.
Now it’s time for a mindset in return from the Australians who haven’t offered much resistance in five big Test losses on the trot.
But if Smith’s energy comment two days before this Test started holds good, du Plessis is in for a confrontation at last.
And that’s what baggy green fans expect, at all times.
Adelaide is a beautiful batting wicket, the outfield is fast, and short on both sides, so there’s no reason why the Australian batsmen shouldn’t get among the runs.
Warner and Smith are overdue, Khawaja has proved his worth – and that leaves the three debutants.
Renshaw looked at ease last night, leaving Handscomb and Maddinson to crack the ice.
It promises to be a fascinating day’s cricket.
Matthew H
Guest
Adelaide Oval has changed a little in redevelopment, not quite as skinny as it used to be. Was watching Renshaw once the 9th wicket fell, he was definitely (and quite rightly) nervous. I wonder if he will be as nervous this morning?
dan ced
Guest
Renshaw did have a couple of nervous moments, as expected, but I hope he does well today, I can't get there until a bit after 5PM sadly so I will probably miss out on seeing him.
Paul D
Roar Guru
It's a waste mate, Lordy rarely lowers himself to mingle with the commoners after throwing out his thought bubbles. Probably already down at the pub with his cheque. Surprised his articles don't end with "and that's 500 words invoice enclosed"
thabokruger
Roar Rookie
Aah yes. Faf makes more than a hundred runs in a hostile environment after a week of media ridicule for something Steve Smith has said everyone does. What arrogance! I know youre biased towards the Aussies in every aspect David but that doesn't preclude you from being gracious.
Swampy
Guest
Umm Graeme Smith was a better captain and far more successful.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Speaking of mindsets - how good did Khawaja and Renshaw look last night! Turns out the Saffers' trickiness in declaring when they did may have actually backfired. I have a feeling that if Warner had batted Australia would be at least one wicket down at the close of play. Very, very impressive stuff from the new openers.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Your Xen master of the veld showed them who's the baas with his whacky declaration.
Charl
Guest
How dare the South African captain put up any resistance - arrogant, shrewd bugger that he is. He should have crumbled immediately at the booing of the Adelaide crowd, who rightly decided that Faf, doing what every other cricket team's ball shiners do, is guilty as hell and should immediately be banned from ever playing cricket again. The cheek of the man! The impudence! The arrogance! Don't these boers know that they are the scourge of the civilised world? Put them in their place, David. You go girl
BrainsTrust
Guest
Steve Smith looks worse than Ponting to me, Ponting might have been attacking with the bat, but as captain he was very defensive. , Steve Smith he might has well been waving a white flag when De Kock came out to the crease at 5 for a 100. There is no point having a fielder right on the boundary unless someone is trying to hit sixes , Lyon would have got a wicket with that skyed sweep shot, if the fielder had been 10 meters off the boundary. I have never gotten the mid off just deep enough to give away a single position.
I wonder whether David knows that the Australian Captain admitted that they also tamper with the ball? Come on David, what do you say, is it OK to cheat as long as you don't get caught?
Amrit
Roar Guru
Fascinating only sounds, it won't be fascinating going into day three for the Baggy greens; I just wonder how we all get to write a piece on such subtle developments and differences. All this talk about energy and exuberance of the three debutants, it might as well vaporize as early as it started. The only point that's valid here is that Du Plessis is shrewd and he withstands the rubbish with a poker face. That's what makes him a leader, leagues ahead of De Villiers or Amla (only comparable to late Hansie). By the way his name is Cook, Stephen Cook and not Scott.