Bet Cricket – Ricky Ponting thinks that Australia’s ability to deliver the goods in ‘big moments’ in the 1st Test versus South Africa was the key to their 162-run victory at the Wanderers.

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The tourists acquired a 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Johannesburg today after bowling their hosts out for 291 not long after teatime on day five, with Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle taking 7 wickets between them to bring about the triumph.
Hashim Amla (57) and Jacques Kallis (45) were the only 2 batsmen to offer up any genuine opposition in the Proteas’ 2nd innings and the Aussie skipper thinks that the all-rounder’s dismissal not long prior to lunch was essential to closing out the outcome.
Nonetheless, Ponting declined to write off South Africa in advance of the next Test in Durban, which gets under way on Friday.
Asked whether it was his most effective game for Australia, Johnson, who was nominated man-of-the-match because of his 8 wickets during the match and 96 not out, replied: ‘it is in all likelihood up there. It was a really gratifying Test for me.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith was predictably disappointed, simply vowed to battle back once the 2nd Test starts later on this week.

Enquired what was the difference between the two sides, Smith contributed: ‘I suppose they in all probability accomplished better areas with the ball than our bowlers, place our batsmen under a lot of pressure than we caused to theirs.
‘I reckon that was probably the difference at the close of the day. It is the first time in a while that we have not accomplished the effects with the ball that we have got of late.
‘Our bowling attack possesses the power, there’s no question about that, therefore we have merely got to improve to those levels in the following game.’Bet Cricket

Posted on March 10th, 2009 by Trix
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