That isn’t a typo, or a hallucination from too much licking cricket pads, Ashwell ‘Mittens’ Prince is back, and captain.
Neil McKenzie dropped.
Morne Morkel dropped.
Graeme Smith Johnsoned.
Albie Morkel and Wayne Parnell via for Morne’s slot.
And Imran Khan, no not him, is in.
So Mittens has been rushed back in, the only vice captain in world cricket who isn’t selected in his sides best XI.
That is forgotten now.
He is captain, and perhaps opening batsman or number 3.
McKenzie has found runs hard to find since England, during that tour he was talked up alot, and obviously he thinks this is bad luck.
The way Smith is talking this is the end for McKenzie.
Morne’s head fuck overs, which have been reported on here for quite some time, have finally got the better of him.
He has too much natural ability not be given a reprieve shortly.
South Africa have looked flat in this part of the series, and Morkel and McKenzie are both contributing reasons.
McKenzie spends alot of time at the crease, but he doesn’t score much, and he hardly rotates the strike, Australian bowlers love this. They simply worked him over, and they know that eventually he will give a chance.
With him at the wicket the Aussies always thought they had a chance of getting him, and this lifts them, you can see the difference when Kallis and AB put on even a 20 run partnership.
Morkel was a pressure release valve, sure he bowls some balls that make the mothers of cricketers wince, but he bowled so many overs that gave Australia the momentum.
At the same time though, they are two risky decisions, McKenzie may have always looked like going out, but he took the shine off the new ball practically everytime he batted.
Morkel may have let the pressure off, but will Parnell or Albie (?) really instil the fear into Australia like Morne could.
Plus Graeme is out.
That is a huge whole (cheap laughs).
Two new opening batsmen, a captain who isn’t good enough to play in the side, and a bloke named Albie.
It could work, but you’d doubt it.
