Fazrepeat performance should do it for South Africa
December 25th 2008 23:33
It's not often that Australia go into the second Test of a series with their backs well and truly up against the wall - especially on home soil - but heading to Melbourne this is certainly the case for Ricky Ponting's men.
The aura of invincibility that has long surrounded the Australians has dissipated, with doubts surrounding form, injury and general ability dogging the home side.
In his post-match interview in Perth, Ponting plainly stated that there were far too many 'passengers' in the Australian team, and unfortunately those failing to contribute are the men that in the past have been responsible for so much of the team's success.
Usually rock solid at the top of the order, Matthew Hayden is currently enduring a potentially career-ending rut, whilst Mr Reliable, Mike Hussey, has only managed two tons all year and the skipper himself is not enjoying the best of times with the bat either.
Mitchell Johnson's success at the WACA further underlined that he now holds the mantle of premier strike bowler with Brett Lee relegated to a support act - and a poor one at that.
If Australia are to have any hope of clinching a win in Melbourne, all their bowlers need to come to the party.
With Peter Siddle looking remarkably average, Ben Hilfenhaus' ability to swing the ball may see him get the nod ahead of the hometown boy, while Shane Watson's all-round skills will be ignored again unless Andrew Symonds' troublesome knee injury gets the better of him.
In terms of spin, the selectors have replaced one mediocre spinner - Jason Krejza - with another, Nathan Hauritz. It is unlikely that Hauritz will provide substantially more of a threat than his predecessor and an all-pace attack is certainly an option.
South Africa too find themselves in unfamiliar territory, having only managed one post-isolation victory in Australia prior to their triumph in Perth, the Proteas face the challenge of overcoming the euphoria of their win and focusing on the task at hand.
With Ashwell Prince still an injury doubt, the Proteas are likely to field an unchanged side.
If the 31-year-old does return, it is likely that he will replace the highly impressive JP Duminy, a tough call considering the youngster's exploits in Perth, but any other move - such as replacing Neil McKenzie or Paul Harris as has been suggested in some corners - will force the Proteas to tinker with the make-up of their side a touch more then they would like.
The attacking venom of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel grabbed many of the headlines heading into the first Test, but the ability of all the bowlers to chip in with wickets was a key element in the side's success in Perth, with even the much maligned Harris more than carrying his weight.
A repeat of such a performance will be crucial for South Africa.
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