All posts by csb10.top

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has decided to establish an international cricket stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The identified sites were located in Kazhakoottamand Kudapanakkunnu, near to the proposed Collectorate. The stadium will be built with the help of the State Government and Capital Development Forum.SK Nair, the president of the Kerala Cricket Association, said two possible locations to establish the stadium, with all modern facilities, have been identified and a proposal to get the required land on a long-term lease would be submitted to the government soon.KCA’s bid to construct its own international stadium was also one of the main goals of its `Vision 2010′ project. Also, considering the costs involved in the development of infrastructure and the establishment of the District Coaching Centres and two Rural Coaching Centres in each of the 14 districts in the State, the KCA decided to increase the budget for the project from Rs 5 crore (US$1.75 million approx) to Rs. 7.5 crore (US$1.62 million approx).

A Jamaican specialist has testified at the inquest into former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer’s death that the genetic samples taken from Woolmer’s hotel room matched his DNA and not any of the others questioned in the case, reported the .Investigators took 22 swabs of evidence from the hotel room but none of them matched any of the other samples taken during the murder probe, said Sharon Brydson, an analyst at the forensics science laboratory in Kingston.Several Pakistan players were fingerprinted and swabbed by the police, although they were never termed suspects, after Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room on March 18 following Pakistan’s defeat against Ireland in the World Cup.The police had initially backed the government pathologist Ere Sheshiah’s finding that Woolmer was murdered and released a statement to that effect. However, a review by three other pathologists – Nathaniel Cary, Michael Pollanen and Lorna Martin – said Woolmer died of natural causes, possibly due to a heart attack.As the investigation continued, toxicology tests could not conclude whether Woolmer was injected with a poison or not. Marcia Dunbar, a Jamaican forensic analyst, testified at the inquest that evidence of the pesticide cypermethrin was found in blood and urine samples. Of three samples of blood taken from Woolmer, Dunbar said one tested positive for cypermethrin while the others did not and no suitable explanation was given for this. She also said that one of the containers she received from the police containing the samples had been contaminated.John Slaughter, a British forensic expert, later told the inquest that said he found no pesticide in the sample which was tested in his lab on May 4. He said the presence of cypermethrin could have been due to contamination at the government forensic laboratory in Kingston.On November 5, the coroner Patrick Murphy had asked for further tests to be carried out on samples taken from Woolmer’s body. The directive came on a request from Mark Shields, the Jamaica deputy commissioner of police, following discrepancies in the toxicology reports by forensic scientists from the Caribbean and the UK. Shields said more samples would be retrieved from the UK and the local forensic laboratory.

Match facts

January 15, 2016
Start time 1320 local (0320 GMT)4:06

Agarkar: India must play wicket-taking bowlers

Big Picture

Australia carry a 1-0 series lead to the second match in Brisbane, although there were several stages during the first ODI in Perth when India looked to be in control of the game. Batting first, they put on 1 for 149 in the first 30 overs and with so many wickets in hand, should have been looking at a total up around 350. That they reached only 309 was perhaps a disappointment, but it didn’t seem that it would matter when Australia stumbled early in their chase and were 2 for 21. Again, India were well on top.But then came the partnership that changed the match, a 242-run stand between Steven Smith and George Bailey that was Australia’s fourth-highest of all time in one-day internationals, and their highest for the third wicket. That the chase came down to the last over perhaps suggested a tighter finish than it really was; for most of the last 10 overs, Australia needed less than a run a ball with plenty of wickets in hand.Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 171 had gone in vain; he said India had suffered from being unsure how to pace their batting innings, and what would be a good total. Batting second once again might be an advantage at the Gabba, where although the pitch is good, expected afternoon and evening rain might bring adjusted targets into play. Duckworth-Lewis can favour the chasing team after mid-match rain, for they know precisely what tempo is required, unlike the side that has already batted.Whatever the case and whatever the chase, India can hardly afford another loss. If they find themselves 0-2 down in a five-match series, they will have no margin for error.

Form guide

Australia: WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

India: LLWLW

In the spotlight

It is often said that Shaun Marsh has been lucky to be given so many chances at Test cricket. By the same token, he has been unlucky not to play more than 46 ODIs. It is testament to the strength and stability of Australia’s one-day top order – and in recent years their penchant for choosing allrounders – that Marsh has played only 10 ODIs in the past four years. His game suits 50-over cricket, picking gaps and ticking the scoreboard along in the middle overs, and his ODI average of 39.81 is superior to past openers like Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, as well as the incumbents David Warner and Aaron Finch. Warner’s absence for paternity leave should give Marsh a chance to bump his numbers up even further.In all of one-day international history, 7999 individual innings have been played against Australia. Rohit Sharma has played 19 of those and has been so successful that four of the top 20 ODI scores of all time against Australia belong to him. With a 500-run minimum, no batsman has a higher ODI average against Australia than Rohit’s 68.46. The latest of these monster innings was his 171 not out in Perth, the highest ODI score ever made against Australia in Australia. It turned out that India’s total was not sufficient, but if Rohit goes big again there is every chance of India levelling the series.

Team news

David Warner will miss the match after the birth of his second daughter, with Shaun Marsh set to take his place at the top of the order. Allrounder Mitchell Marsh will also take a rest before rejoining the squad for the third game in Melbourne. If the selectors want a fifth pace option they will need to include either Kane Richardson or John Hastings in the younger Marsh’s place.Australia (possible) 1 Shaun Marsh, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 James Faulkner, 8 Kane Richardson/John Hastings, 9 Scott Boland, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Joel Paris.There seems no real need to alter India’s batting line-up after they scored 300-plus in Perth, and while the pace bowlers did their job, the spinners were a touch expensive. It is possible that an extra fast man could come in given the likelihood of similar conditions at the Gabba; Ishant Sharma has been passed fit and is available for selection, or the uncapped Rishi Dhawan could debut, providing more of an all-round option.India (possible) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin/Rishi Dhawan/Ishant Sharma, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Barinder Sran.

Pitch and conditions

The Gabba pitch often has plenty of runs in it, though it is the venue where Australia were humiliated three years ago when they were swung out for 74 by Sri Lanka. Perhaps of more relevance is the weather forecast, which is for a sunny morning but a high chance of showers and rain developing in the evening, perhaps even a thunderstorm. Better get those Duckworth-Lewis calculations out.

Stats and trivia

• Virat Kohli needs 78 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs; if he gets there within his next six innings, he will beat AB de Villiers’ record of 166 innings and will be the fastest of all time to the milestone
• Barinder Sran was the 14th Indian to take three wickets on ODI debut; no bowler has ever taken more than three on debut for India
• Scott Boland was the third Australian to concede 70-plus runs on his ODI debut. His captain Steven Smith took 2 for 78 on debut in 2010, and 1970s fast man David Colley was the other

Quotes

Division One

A seven-wicket haul from Mushtaq Ahmed not only continued a welcome return to form but also put Sussex in a strong position against Hampshire at Arundel. Hampshire were 92 for 2 in reply to Sussex’s 341 before losing eight wickets for 110 to hand the home side a first-innings lead of 139. Sussex found the going much easier second time round, despite losing two wickets soon after tea to Dimitri Mascarenhas. At the close they had extended their lead to 280 with Richard Montgomerie unbeaten on 62.Durham responded positively to Lancashire’s 367 with Gordon Muchall striking an unbeaten 65 as they fought back from 58 for 3 at Chester-le-Street. Glen Chapple’s 57, along with useful efforts from the bottom three, lifted Lancashire’s total as Mark Davies finished with four wickets. Tom Smith struck twice in his first two overs to remove Durham’s openers, but Lancashire couldn’t press home the advantage as Muchall began the recovery. He was partnered firstly by Dale Benkenstein then Scott Styris. Muttiah Muralitharan failed to make an impression, conceding four-an-over, and Durham will be confident of at least reaching parity on first innings.Joe Sayers missed his first double century by 13 runs as Yorkshire left Kent in serious difficultly at Tunbridge Wells. He was caught off James Tredwell after more than eight-and-a-half hours at the crease. Adil Rashid and Tim Bresnan built on Sayers’ effort with half-centuries as Yorkshire piled up 551 before Darren Gough called them in. Gough then removed the first two Kent wickets in an over – Martin van Jaarsveld going third ball – and Deon Kruis also bagged a brace as the innings fell to 65 for 4. Robert Key and Neil Dexter survived until the close but two tough days lie ahead if Kent are to stave off defeat.Vikram Solanki struck a career-best 232 for Worcestershire on the second day at New Road, but Surrey responded to the home side’s massive total by racing to 144 for 1 at stumps. Worcestershire declared on 701 for 6, equalling the highest total at New Road (701 for 4 declared by Leicestershire 101 years ago) but, for once, Graeme Hick couldn’t capitalise on the flat track – falling to Ian Salisbury for 15. He is now 12 short of 30,000 first-class runs for Worcestershire and 49 adrift of a career total of 40,000. In reply, Surrey sped to 144 for 1 with Jon Batty unbeaten on 66.

Division Two

3rd dayHamish Marshall struck a unbeaten 120 as Gloucestershire fought hard after being asked to follow-on by Derbyshire at Derby. Trailing by 242 they were put in again and fell to 34 for 3, but Marshall and Alex Gidman turned the innings around by adding 186 for the fourth wicket. Marshall’s hundred was his first in the Championship this season and Gidman continued his prolific recent form. In the first innings he narrowly missed a third century in consecutive innings when he was ninth out for 91, but has a chance of making in three in four knocks after closing on 69. Tom Lungley has led the Derbyshire attack, taking two second-innings scalps to follow his five first time around, and holds a key role on the final day with Gloucestershire probably needing to bat for two sessions to save the game.Leaders Nottinghamshire continued to find the going hard on the third day of their match against bottom side Glamorgan at Swansea. Resuming on 199 for 5, David Hussey (98) and Mark Ealham (74*) put on 112 for the sixth wicket for Notts before Dean Cosker and Robert Croft checked the recovery to hand Glamorgan a first-innings lead of 65. Nicky Peng (65) built on that, steering them to 100 for 1 only for late wickets to leave the game well poised. At stumps, Glamorgan were 158 for 4, 222 ahead.2nd dayEssex built upon their healthy overnight position of 309 for 2 to compile an enormous 649 for 5 before snatching four quick Northamptonshire wickets at Chelmsford. Ravi Bopara, resuming on 155, notched the next four runs to match his career best before piling onwards to his first double century. At the other end, Grant Flower was also dominating Northamptonshire’s attack and together the pair put on 320 for the third wicket. Flower eventually fell for 203, but Ryan ten Doeschate then took the bull by the horns, smashing a violent 62 from 37 balls. Northamptonshire’s day didn’t get any better, losing four wickets before stumps – including Usman Afzaal for 73 and their mainstay, David Sales, for 23.Somerset were two wickets away from wrapping up a crushing two-day win over Leicestershire at Taunton, after their top four each registered hundreds. Marcus Trescothick, who resumed on 153, fell for 182 but James Hildreth (163) and Cameron White (114) put on 202 for the third wicket as Somerset raced past 600. A quickfire 36 from their young wicketkeeper, Craig Kieswetter, led to their declaration on 675 for 5, gaining a mammoth lead of 507. Leicestershire simply crumbled, Charl Willoughby and Andy Caddick each picked up three wickets to leave them on 188 for 8, some 319 runs behind.

Thirty-six teams, 32 matches and three days of non-stop cricket action would be the best way to describe the 17th edition of the Glucofit Cricket Sixes organised by the Old Wesleyites Sports club.The final day started off with Lumbini Mv, Mahanama College Colombo, Jaffna Combined Schools and Ananda College Colombo already comfortably in the quarter-finals from their merits on day one and two. However none of them could capitalise on moving forward as they fell prey to seasoned campaigners.Lumbini Mv lost to Nalanda College by 32 runs, the favorites from yesterday Jaffna Combined schools lost by two runs to underdogs Richmond College Galle, while Mahanama and Ananda Colleges were undone by St. Joseph’s College and St. Sebastian’s College respectively. The two semi-final matches were electric with four of Sri Lanka’s best schools taking part.The first game between Nalanda and St. Joseph’s was expected to be a one-horse race for the Nalandians. However the Joes had other plans, batting first and racing to 86 for 2 courtesy of a brilliant half-century by Chatura Kumara. Nalanda were never in the hunt and every time they did try to get away with the game, the Josephian bowlers held their nerves and clawed right back, ultimately winning against all odds by a good 35 runs.The second semi-final was a blockbuster with St. Sebastian taking on the in-form Richmond College, who, up that point, did everything right. However inexperience showed as they chased down a mere 55. The boys from the south self-destructed with three run-outs in quick succession to ultimately lose by 13 runs.The final was yet again expected to be an easy victory for St. Sebastian’s given their consistency in the tournament; however the Joes went about their business as usual initially restricting the Sebastian’s to 61 for 2 with some very good bowling and fielding. The highlight in that inning was that both wickets to fall were run-outs.St. Joseph’s started off shakily losing Roscoe Thatil and Chathura Kumara in the first over, but thanks to sensible batting by Jayathilake (28*) and Jayasinghe (21*) the boys from Darley Road managed to win the Glucofit Sixes 2009 in style.Thatil walked away with the best bowler and player of the tournament awards. St. Sebastian’s wicketkeeper PD Dias was adjudged best fielder and even though Chathura Kumara failed in the final he was still the best batsman with most runs and most sixes in the competition. MAS Jayathilake bagged the Man-of-the-Match award for his all-round performance in the final.

December 18, 1989
Sachin Tendulkar makes his ODI debut in a 16-over game against Pakistan at Gujranwala. He makes a duck as India fail to chase 88 against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, and Aaqib Javed.March 6, 1990
Tendulkar scores his first one-day run in his third match, against New Zealand at Wellington. His 36 from No. 6 plays a crucial part in India reaching 221. India eventually beat New Zealand by one run.December 5, 1990
Tendulkar wins his first Man-of-the-Match award. As first-change bowler, he dismisses the Sri Lankan openers and then scores 53 off 41 to take India to the victory target of 228.November 24, 1993
South Africa need six runs to win off the last over in the Hero Cup semi-final against India at the Eden Gardens. Tendulkar bowls a sensational over, conceding just three. March 27, 1994
Tendulkar opens in an ODI for the first time – against New Zealand at Auckland and goes on to make 82 off 49 balls. September 9, 1994
Tendulkar scores his first century in his 79th match, against Australia in Colombo. His 110 off 130 balls sets up a 31-run victory. .October, 1995
He signs a five-year contract worth Rs 31.5 crore with WorldTel, which makes him the richest cricketer in the world.February-March, 1996
With 523 runs at 87.16, Tendulkar is the highest scorer in the World Cup. It is also the first time a batsman has scored more than 500 runs in a World Cup.August 8, 1996
Tendulkar is named captain of the Indian team, at age 23.January 2, 1998
He is sacked from the captaincy after 15-month tenure.

April 1, 1998
After his fine Test series against Australia, Tendulkar continues to dominate them – this time with his leg-breaks. At 203 for 3 in 32nd over, Australia look set to chase 310 in Kochi, when he comes and takes 5 for 32. April 22-24, 1998
Scores two blazing, back-to-back hundreds against Australia at Sharjah. The first one helps India qualify for the final on net run-rate and the second wins India the trophy. September 26, 1998
Tendulkar scores an unbeaten 127 against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo, surpassing Desmond Haynes’ record of 17 centuries in ODIs. October 28, 1998
The domination of Australia continues. Tendulkar scores 141 and takes 4 for 38 to knock Australia out of the inaugural Champions Trophy in Bangladesh.November 13, 1998
Tendulkar scores 124 not out off 92 balls against Zimbabwe and wins his 32nd Man-of-the-Match award, taking him past the record of 31 held by Viv Richards.May 23, 1999
After having attended his father’s funeral, he comes back and scores an unbeaten, emotional 140 against Kenya at Bristol in the 1999 World Cup. Dedicates the century to his father.July 28, 1999
Is reappointed captain – without his consent – after India, under Mohammad Azharuddin, fail to reach the semifinals of the World Cup in England.November 8, 1999
Scores the highest individual score by an Indian in ODIs – an unbeaten 186 off 150 balls against New Zealand at Hyderabad.March 31, 2001
Becomes the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket during the course of his 139 against Australia at Indore.

February-March, 2003
Scores 673 runs at 61.18 in the World Cup in South Africa, and steers India into the finals. His 98 against Pakistan in a hugely anticipated match is one of his best knocks ever. Even though Australia are the champions, he is named the Man of the Series.August, 2004
Tennis elbow surfaces, during the Videocon Cup in Holland. Misses the Champions Trophy in England and then the first two home Tests against Australia.May, 2005
Goes for the surgery for the tennis elbow, misses a triangular in Sri Lanka, a tour to Zimbabwe, and the Super Series in Australia.October 25, 2005
Makes a roaring return to international cricket, with a 93 off 96 balls against Sri Lanka, in India’s 350 for 6 at Nagpur.March, 2006
Goes to England for a surgery on his right shoulder. Misses the one-dayers against England and the tour to West Indies.September 14, 2006
Makes a stunning comeback, with 141 off 148 balls against West Indies in the DLF Cup in Kuala Lumpur. India lose the match by the D/L method.July 2007
Tendulkar scores two nineties in the three-ODI series against South Africa in Ireland. He passes the 15,000-run mark during the second ODI.October 11, 2007
Tendulkar becomes the second player after Sanath Jayasuriya to play 400 ODIs.

Cricket South Africa may discard the final of the SuperSport series because of complaints over the format of the competition. The board will consider a proposal on Wednesday where each team plays five home matches and five away matches and the one with the highest points will win the championship.”Tame draws are not what we’re looking for. We’re looking for a result and it hasn’t happened in the last two finals. Things have now got to the stage where we wonder whether there’s any point in having a final,” Brian Basson, the general manager of cricket affairs, told SuperCricket. “All the sides will play five home matches and five away matches, they each will have played each other home and away. So no particular side has been favoured and the team with the most points at the end of it all should be the champions.”There needs to be some objective for teams to be playing towards even if they are out of contention for the title by the halfway stage,” said Basson. “So we are also proposing that there be financial rewards – the team finishing fifth will earn more than the side finishing sixth, and so on. Rather than questioning their keenness once they have no chance whatsoever of winning, the ranking order in the competition will see teams rewarded according to a sliding scale.”

Nadeem Malik has returned to his former county Nottinghamshire on a one-month loan from Worcestershire to help them out in their injury crisis.Malik, the 24-year-old seamer, will play in Wednesday’s Championship match against Somerset to replace Kyle Hogg – another loan player – who has an ankle problem.Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket Mick Newell said: “With five seamers already out injured, we simply didn’t have any other fast bowling options from within the club to turn to.”As soon as Kyle failed a fitness test this morning we were on the phone to a few contacts and when we knew that Nadeem was available, it was an easy decision to make. He is familiar with the set-up here and should be able to settle in immediately.”Malik signed for Worcestershire in 2004 after coming up through the youth system at Nottinghamshire and playing for England Under-19s. He has played 45 first-class matches, taking 126 wickets at an average of 33.84.Nottinghamshire’s injury list is currently creaking with Mark Ealham, Charlie Shreck, Paul Franks, Mark Footitt and Simon Francis, while Ryan Sidebottom is on England duty.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Any hopes of India turning the corner after the Twenty20 victory was quickly dispelled as South Africa drubbed them by nine wickets to seal a hopelessly one-sided series 4-0. India batted through their 50 overs for the first time in the series, but their total of 200 for 9 was completely inadequate on a belter. However, South Africa showed just good the pitch was for batting as they cruised home in 31.2 overs, with Graeme Smith returning to form with an emphatic 79 and AB de Villiers stroking a delightful unbeaten 92, his highest score in ODIs.In another mismatch, India had very small crumbs for comfort – Sachin Tendulkar overcame an uncertain start and finally found some touch, getting to 55, his 74th ODI half-century but only his second fifty-plus score in 20 matches against South Africa in South Africa. Mahendra Singh Dhoni got among the runs too, but the manner in which Smith and de Villiers smashed the bowlers all around the park highlighted the huge gulf in class between the bowlers from the two sides: led by the magnificent Shaun Pollock, the South Africans were their usual miserly self in the field, allowing the already beleaguered Indians no freebies.The Indian bowlers, on the other hand, were clueless about how to stop the marauding openers. Zaheer Khan has utterly dominated Smith on this tour, but South Africa cleverly decided to have de Villiers face the first ball this time. Smith, meanwhile, helped himself to plenty of boundaries from a radarless Sreesanth – a cover-drive and a flick in Sreesanth’s first over got him going, and there was no looking back. By the time Smith finally faced Zaheer for the first time in the match – in the ninth over – he had already made 21 from 17 balls.De Villiers, meanwhile, creamed the boundaries in an utterly pleasing knock. Quite comfortable against Zaheer, he started off with an exquisite cover-drive off the third ball of the innings, and continued in similar vein, driving crisply off the front foot and timing the ball quite spectacularly. India’s one chance to break through came early, but Mohammad Kaif made a mess of a regulation chance when de Villiers was on 9.South Africa had 88 on the board after the first 15, and with Sehwag deciding to pack the infield almost throughout the innings, the batsmen had it their way all through. Smith strode down the pitch to Irfan Pathan and took some revenge on Zaheer, hoicking them both for straight sixes. When he fell attempting another six, South Africa were so utterly in control that Pollock strode out at No.3 and immediately looked at home.The Indian innings, on the other hand, was a struggle almost throughout. Smith won his fifth toss in a row but this time decided to put India in, and though Sehwag was all smiles and said he would have batted first anyway, it was soon the same story as all the batsmen found Pollock and Ntini too tough to handle.

Sehwag’s technique outside off was soon exposed by the relentless Pollock, who nailed him for the sixth time in ODIs, while Laxman’s initiation here was even more forgettable, as he hung his bat out limply outside off and edged his first ball to slip. Tendulkar, meanwhile, was in all sorts of discomfort. Struggling to find his footwork, he repeatedly played from the crease and was beaten by the movement. Ntini cut him in half with one that dipped back, while the steep bounce consistently had him jumping up and defending uncomfortably. After 15 overs, India’s score read a miserable 26 for 2.Having spent considerable time at the crease – he scored 4 from his first 39 balls – Tendulkar finally began to find his groove. The first sign of that came in the 18th over, when he struck Kallis for two super fours – a pull to midwicket and a trademark on-drive. The footwork gradually improved, as did the confidence to attempt more aggressive strokes, and the introduction of Peterson only helped matters, as Tendulkar unveiled the inside-out drive over extra-cover and the fine sweep.Andre Nel briefly had him in some bother, hitting his arm with a short one that didn’t bounce as much as Tendulkar expected it to – and forced him to stay off the field in the afternoon – but he soon after he got his half-century, with his last 51 runs taking just 58 balls.Mongia played his part well in an 85-run partnership for the third wicket, while Dhoni lashed some huge blows and finally injected some momentum into a limp innings with a 48-ball 44 during the course of which he drove Nel to distraction. Nel got hit for a few by Dhoni, but he finally came up with an outstanding catch to dismiss Dhoni as India touched 200 for the first time. On a flat batting pitch, though, it seemed well short of par score, and so it proved in the afternoon.It was India’s first defeat against South Africa at Centurion, having beaten them twice before this. With the Test series still 12 days away, India have plenty of soul-searching to do before getting into that contest.

Terry Alderman, the former Australia fast bowler, has questioned the ability of South Africa’s cricketers after they succumbed to an innings defeat against Western Australia on Wednesday.Alderman, who has also played for Eastern Province in South Africa, was scathing in his comments. “The technique of most of the batsmen was shocking. They played far too many hook and pull shots and those that had to be played with a straight [bat] went down the wrong line,” Alderman, now a radio commentator, told News24. “This is not the South African cricket I knew when I played there. The coach’s excuses are that the Proteas flew over many time zones and that the players were advised to take things slow for medical reasons.”Questioning the mental toughness of the South Africans after their shocking loss to WA, Alderman was forthright. “Your guys looked totally lost against the spinner Beau Casson. He is just a baby learning the art of spin bowling. The Aussies can use three spinners here against you.” Casson, a slow left-arm chinaman bowler, picked up eight wickets in the match. Alderman stated that the only batsman who has the fighting spirit to stand up to Australia was Jacques Kallis, adding: “Graeme Smith is shaky and he talks too much. I think the Aussies will unnerve him”.Alderman did, however, make favourable mention of South Africa’s bowling attack. “The bowling attack does not look too bad. Andre Nel has a Colin Croft action, while Charl Langeveldt can fulfil the role of a Matthew Hoggard. He’s also the workhorse of the team,” he said. “Makhaya Ntini has become a world class bowler after we initially laughed at him when he appeared in the international arena for the first time.”Just when it seemed like Alderman was willing to see the silver lining in the gloom he threw another jibe. “”The weakest link in the bowling attack is Shaun Pollock. He bowls without any speed and I don’t believe he will worry the Aussies too much.”The first Test between Australia and South Africa begins at Perth on December 16.