Observations from the Centurion Test

Australia celebrates the win at Centurion

image: www.abc.net.au

Have to admit to a bout of laziness after the Boxing Day Test that stopped me writing an article for the Sydney Ashes Test. However after winning that test and victory in the One Day series the Australians have headed to South Africa for a three test series against the number one test nation.

The Centurion test was over in four days with the Australians victorious by 281 runs. That’s right you are reading this correctly…281 runs. After Graeme Smith won the toss and bowled first he was probably thinking that he was ahead in the game with Australia at 4-98 and Clarke dismissed. It is amazing how fortunes can turn in the wonderful game of test cricket.

Here are some observations from the First Test:

·        Australia’s fielding continues to impress – Australia fielded really well throughout the Australian Summer and continued this at Centurion. The fielding quality is so good that it backs up the Captain's and bowlers plans almost to perfection. The catches by Marsh and Johnson in the first innings were a treat to watch and Doolan’s catch in the second innings was sublime.

·        Mitchell Johnson’s breathtaking bowling – The juggernaut continues as Mitchell Johnson’s match figures of 12-127 ended up being the difference between the two teams. The bowling was fast, intimidating and on target. Hashim Amla was thankful he was wearing a helmet as the first ball he faced in the second innings was a real brute. Ryan McLaren will now miss the Second Test in Port Elizabeth with concussion after being hit on the head from a Johnson bouncer.

·        Graeme Smith's captaincy was debateable – History will show that Smith made the wrong decision to bowl first at Centurion. Although he probably thought it was the right choice at the time, especially as Australia were 4/98 in the first innings. However he might choose differently if he was given the choice again. In context Smith’s decision was not quite as catastrophic as Nasser Hussain’s decision in Brisbane, but it is close.

·        Debutant Doolan looks a real find – Alex Doolan debuted at number 3 for Australia in this test. His scores of 27 and 89 may not invoke adulation from everyone, however Doolan looked self-assured in the position. His timing and his choice of shot were impressive (including his dismissal stroke in the first innings). If Doolan takes the opportunity to consolidate number 3 this series then the spot may be his for many years to come. His fielding was equally outstanding, especially the catch to dismiss Graeme Smith in the second innings.

·        AB de Villiers deserves his No.1 ranking – de Villiers top scored with scores of 91 and 48 in both innings for South Africa. The most notable aspect of these innings was the amount of time that de Villiers appeared to have whenever he played a stroke. AB de Villiers should pass 7,000 test runs in the Port Elizabeth test which is a remarkable achievement for a player with his talent.

In the lead up to the series, most people would have thought that South Africa would win the series based on the strength of their bowling attack and their reasonable batting depth. For this to happen, South Africa has plenty of work to do. The Australian’s are playing very good cricket at the moment and have the added bonus of confidence. The next two Tests in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town should be interesting to watch.