1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

Shane Watson - 6: A real mixed bag: failed twice with the bat, bowled full and straight to wreak havoc after lunch on day two and then dropped Amla early on the final morning. If Australia see him as an all-rounder then he must drop down the order.

Phil Hughes - 4: A pair of nine's, which in the context of this Test wasn't too bad but how he can picked ahead of Simon Katich beggars belief.

Shaun Marsh - 6: Showed real doggedness first time around in his key partnership with Clarke and then got just what you wouldn't want with a bad back in the second innings - one that kept low. None of the blame for this fiasco should be laid at the feet of Marsh.

Ricky Ponting - 2: Forget the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, Ponting's fall from grace seems to be even more dramatic. He missed two straight ones to be leg before in both innings and John Inverarity has his first really big decision to make.

Michael Clarke - 8: The skipper didn't deserve to be presiding over this disaster after hitting the best hundred of his career on day one. Fronted up with bravery and honesty in the post-match conferences.

Mike Hussey - 1: Just one run and his loose shot to be dismissed in the second innings was not becoming of such an experienced player. Dropping Amla off the final ball of the second day capped off a poor match for Mr Cricket.

Brad Haddin - 0: If prison sentences were handed out for reckless and wanton batting then Haddin would surely be incarcerated for his diabolical dismissal in the second innings. Matthew Wade or Tim Paine can expect to be handed the gloves very soon.

Mitchell Johnson - 2: So the nine wickets in the warm-up match proved a false dawn as in a match dominated by bowlers, Johnson only had the consolation wicket of Amla in 16 overs that cost 87 runs. How long can Australia afford to persevere with him?

Ryan Harris - 6: Bowled wonderfully well in the first innings in conditions and a pitch that suited him, but was disappointing second time around when he offered plenty of opportunities to Amla and Smith to reach the boundary.

Peter Siddle - 5: There's no doubting Siddle's competitiveness as ably demonstrated by his batting in both innings, but question marks over his quality as a Test match bowler still exist and were not answered here. 

Nathan Lyon - 4: Only got three overs with the ball, but his contribution in saving Australia from total ignominy and the lowest ever Test score will never be forgotten. Will hope that this is the first and last time he top scores in a Test innings.

Where next?

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

Michael Clarke, Lara Bingle and Australia's 47 all out

Dale Steyn's place in the cricketing pantheon alongside Sachin Tendulkar

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

Cricket Zeroes: Mitchell Johnson

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Comments

[Lolly]

I wouldn't give Hughes a 4. Maybe a 3 purely as he wasn't QUITE as gash as Punter and he's still 22.

[Dave]

You wonder what the mood in South Africa was after the first innings had been played out. And what scores they would have been on? That Clarke knock was incredible. He said he'd forget it very quickly in the after match chat but in reality he'll remember it for the rest of his life.

Who would your bowling lineup be for Australia for the 2nd Test?

[The Reverse Sweep]

I think Johnson has to go. He is utterly unreliable and at his age there should at least be some semblance of consistency. I haven't seen Cummins or Copeland, but it has got to be worth giving one of them a go at the Wanderers where Steyn and Morkel are likely to prove to be a real handful