The Reverse Sweep

Ravi Bopara's big opportunity

At first glance, Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara wouldn’t appear to have much in common as cricketers.

The first extracted the absolute maximum out of his abilities to have a long and successful international career, whilst the latter has yet to justify his obvious talent consistently on the biggest stage. Collingwood is one of the mentally toughest cricketers to have played for England whereas Bopara has a reputation for being a bit flaky and prone to serious lapses in form, confidence and concentration.

But Bopara was the man Andy Flower initially earmarked as Collingwood’s replacement in the Test side before Eoin Morgan stole the prize from the Essex man at the death prior to the home series with Sri Lanka last summer.

Since then Bopara had suffered misfortune after misfortune as first Samit Patel and then Jonathan Bairstow were handed opportunities to cement a role in England’s troublesome number six position.

But finally Bopara has got his turn again, and after an inauspicious duck in the 1^st innings at The Oval now has the chance to prove he is a worthy successor to Collingwood. The Ginger Ninja cemented his reputation as the iron-willed Brigadier Block with starring roles in the nine-wicket down rearguards at Cardiff, Centurion and Cape Town.

As Geoffrey Boycott forcibly stated on TMS yesterday evening, the mindset required to save a Test is markedly different to coming in and playing a few strokes. Does Bopara have the aptitude, concentration and sheer bloody-mindedness to tough it out on a day five pitch against a formidable attack spearheaded by the irrepressible Dale Steyn?

We are about to find out. If Bopara leads England to an unlikely escape, it could be the making of him.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Paul Collingwood

Is Ravi Bopara the unluckiest cricketer in the world?

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England vs South Africa - too close to call again?

We were fortunate enough to attend the inaugural lunch of the Wisden 150 Club at the Kennington Oval earlier this week where Michael Atherton and Allan Donald relived their memorable contretemps at Trent Bridge in 1998 as well as other notable encounters between the two.

Whilst the Chatham House Rule prevents us from divulging what Messrs Atherton and Donald actually said whilst we enjoyed a glass or two of a rather fine Bordeaux, we were reminded that clashes between South Africa and England tend to be extremely close.

Think back to 1994 where Devon Malcolm’s nine for 57 squared the series at The Oval, or 1995 where after four drawn Tests including Atherton’s famous 185 not out at the Wanderers South Africa prevailed in the final Test at Cape Town. Three years later in England, the home side came back from one-nil down to take the last two Tests and the series. Then in 2003, having ended Nasser Hussain’s reign as skipper and scoring double hundreds in each of the first two Tests, Graeme Smith saw his side pegged back at The Oval to see the series end two Tests apiece.

England then won another close series in South Africa in 2004/05 as they toned up for a titanic Ashes series six months later. The two-one score-line was reversed in the summer of 2008 when Smith finally led his side to a series win in England and saw the back of another home skipper in the shape of Michael Vaughan. Finally, in 2009/10, England somehow escaped with a drawn series having secured thrilling nine-wicket down draws at Centurion and Newlands.

By now you probably get the picture – England and South Africa Test series are always close and if anything this upcoming series could be the closest yet as there does not appear to be a hair’s breadth between the sides. Whilst the series is scandalously being played over just three Tests – especially as it pits the best two teams in the world against each other (forget the updated ICC rankings published at the weekend, which surely erroneously placed Australia at number two), a thrilling contest awaits.

As the home side, England probably just have the edge, but an opposition containing batsmen such as Smith, the classy Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and the underrated AB De Villiers plus a bowling attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Imran Tahir will provide Andrew Strauss’ team with an almighty Test.

After a seemingly never-ending diet of Twenty 20 and fifty over cricket, the series cannot come soon enough even if the biblically bad weather will no doubt rear its ugly head. We’re so excited, we’ve even started updating this blog again!

Where next?

Who gets in an England-South Africa composite XI?

The pursuit of greatness & the England cricket team

The Plan by Steve James | Book review

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Who gets in an England-South Africa composite XI?

Yes, we know the West Indies series is only one Test old and that there is still the small matter of the limited overs matches before the Australians arrive for a completely unnecessary five match one day series - stay awake at the back there. But the return of Test cricket and the hot weather has got us thinking about the South African series later this summer.

Of course, everyone was awaiting the tussle with India last summer with baited breath and that turned out to be a bit of a damp squib with only Rahul Dravid actually bothering to turn up. The series with the Proteas is also being criminally played over just three matches, rather than the four or heaven forbid five encounters it should be.

Notwithstanding all this however, we believe a classic is in the offing and the hair's breadth between the sides is revealed in our piece this week for All Out Cricket where we put our selector's hat on and pick a composite XI from the sides led by Andrew Strauss and Graeme Smith.

Have a read of Who Gets In An England-South Africa XI? to see if you agree with us.

Where next?

Kevin Pietersen is innocent (and right about Nick Knight)

1st Test: England vs West Indies - England marks out of 10

Hedley Verity - a proper hero with 'no breaking point'

England are playing THIRTEEN ODI this summer. Oh joy...

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Vernon Philander joins the great Victorians

The early days of Test cricket was a pretty hideous time to be a batsman. Uncovered pitches were bad enough, but it was a murderous cast of bowlers that portended doom.

Cast in the Devil's image himself, this motley crew wreaked havoc on Victorian batsmen and administrators alike as Test matches came and went at the pace of a modern Twenty 20 game.

The names still trip off the tongue and strike fear onto any unsuspecting batsman casting an eye on cricket's history: Charlie 'Terror' Turner, George Lohmann, Tom Richardson and the Demon himself - Frederick Spofforth.

To these Four Horsemen of batting apocalypses can now be added the name of 'Vicious' Vernon Philander who has become the fastest man to 50 Test wickets in over 116 years. Only the Terror (6 Tests) and Richardson (7) in history have beaten or equalled Philander's merciless haul.

In just six and a half Tests, Philander has 51 wickets at a ridiculous average of 13.58 including six five wicket hauls and two ten wicket matches. His strike rate is a wicket every 24.5 balls - the best by a country mile of any bowler with 50 Test wickets. Indeed, his overall stats are 209 overs with 40 maidens and 51 wickets for 693 runs.

Any which way you cut it, Vicious Vernon's stats are staggeringly good, which kind of begs the question as to why the South African selectors waited until he was 26 before handing him his Test debut?

The batting paradises of the sub-continent will doubtless provide Philander's career stats with a more modern hue, but anyone that can put Dale Steyn in the shade must be a pretty remarkable bowler.

Where next?

Vernon Philander, Vinod Kambli and hitting the ground running

Annus Orior Oriri Ortus: The breakthrough Test XI of 2011

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All out for 88, 80, 72, 74, 98, 82, 96, 47, 51, 72, 99: Cricket or skittles?

Being bowled out for under 100 used to be commonplace back in the time of Queen Victoria, but until recently instances were few and far between in the modern game and normally (although not always) featured Bangladesh. 

However, since Pakistan visited England in 2010, it is as if the likes of George Lohmann and the Demon have been reincarnated such has been the regularity in which batsmen have been skittled.

In just 18 short months there have been 11 instances of a side being bowled out for less than 100. Pakistan leads the way with four, closely followed by Australia with three and England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe all with one each.

And with India’s batsmen hardly covering themselves in glory and none of Bangladesh, New Zealand and West Indies having a line-up that would have bowlers quaking in their boots, we seem to be entering a new era (with DRS undoubtedly playing a vital part). And they say cricket is a game for batsmen?

There have of course been several instances in the same period of batsmen gorging themselves on impotent bowling attacks. For example, India conceded ten individual scores of 150+ to batsmen in their recent tours of England and Australia and most will recall Alastair Cook’s passable impersonation of the great Jack Hobbs in Australia last winter.

In contrast to the 11 sub-100 scores there have been two team totals of over 700 (one each for England and India) and another seven above 600.

Test cricket seems to have become a game of extremes and is all the better for it. The leading teams all have their problems: England struggle against spin in Asia, India against seam and swing outside the subcontinent, Australia’s batting is still suspiciously brittle, Sri Lanka are sliding, Pakistan’s strength is its bowling attack and South Africa seem unable to grasp the mettle despite perhaps having the best balanced side. It all makes for appetising viewing for fans.

It all goes to show that despite some opinions to the contrary, Test cricket is and always will be the most exciting and unpredictable form of the game.

Where next?

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

88 all out & other batting collapses

Geoff Boycott's dose of Yorkshire humour on England's 72 all out

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Cricket memories of 2011: Australia are bowled out for 47

It was one of the most memorable and error strewn days of Test cricket ever, but there had been no sign of the carnage to follow prior to lunch when Australia’s 1st innings had ended on 284 and South Africa in reply had moved sedately to 49/1.

Then the cricketing equivalent of the Somme ensued as 19 wickets fell in an avalanche of skilful bowling and woeful batting between lunch and the first hour after tea

First, South Africa capsized to 96 all out with Shane Watson taking five wickets and Ryan Harris four to hand Australia what looked like a decisive lead of 188. But this proved to be the mere hors d’oeuvre.

Australia quickly lost three wickets to be 13 for three by tea and then lost a frantic 6 for 8 on resumption to be a scarcely believable 21 for nine, still five runs short of the lowest Test score ever and 15 short of their own nadir.

Complete embarrassment was averted by the last wicket pair of Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon as they took the score to 47, but the shock it gave Australia and the fillip it provided to South Africa meant that the hosts had no trouble in negotiating a target of 236.

2011 was a case of two steps forward, one step back for Australia. The year started badly with an innings defeat at Sydney handing England a 3-1 Ashes win and continued with a quarter-final exit at the World Cup.

This saw the handing of the baton to a new captain in Michael Clarke, whose adventurous style bodes well. They became the first side to win a Test series in Sri Lanka for four years and but for the aforementioned collapse in Cape Town and a similar if less dramatic one in Hobart could conceivably have beaten South Africa and New Zealand 2-0.

A new core of potential stars has been identified in David Warner, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon and perhaps best of all the 18 year old fast bowler Pat Cummins whilst the likes of Phil Hughes have been discarded.

The 47 all out may be seen in years to come as a turning point or it could just be one dip in the game of snakes and ladders that Australia currently seem embroiled in.

Where next?

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

Australia - The Great Entertainers

The David Warner Experiment

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

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South Africa's trouble at home

Pakistan seem to be doing quite nicely thank you despite security concerns preventing them from playing home internationals in their own country. As England may well find out in a few weeks, the pitches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have proved a home from home for Misbah-ul-Haq's side.

South Africa must be giving serious consideration to inventing security concerns in their own country given that they have not won a series at home since defeating the mighty Bangladesh in both Tests of a two match series way back in November 2008.

Since then they have lost one and drawn another series with Australia, also drawn with India and somehow let England escape with a 1-1 scoreline back in 2009/10.

What is the reason for this malaise? It is certainly not because they are a weak side. Dale Steyn at his best is reminiscent of Malcom Marshall in his pomp and a top six containing the likes of Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis is as good as any in world cricket.

An unadventurous approach, a surprising tendency for batting collapses and the lack of a penetrating spinner whilst Imran Tahir gets his bearings are all possible reasons, but there must be a confidence issue too.

What else can explain the performance against a Sri Lankan side that hadn't won in its 15 previous Tests and had never won a Test in South Africa?

Smith's side may well right the wrong in the series decider in Cape Town this week, but the vulnerability that was on show at Kingsmead last week and The Wanderers against Australia just a few weeks ago means that what should be a very powerful side is someway short of challenging England as the best Test side around.

At the moment the sum of England's whole exceeds its parts, the same can not be said for the Proteas.

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2011

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

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Vernon Philander, Vinod Kambli and hitting the ground running

Vernon Philander would be forgiven for thinking Test cricket isn't that difficult after all having snared 24 wickets at a George Lohmann-esque average of 12 in his first three Tests.

Included in his swag bag are four five wicket hauls, which is already one more than Andrew Flintoff managed in his entire Test career. The equivalent for a batsman would be four centuries in his first six Test innings, which is certainly mightily impressive.

However, a number of cricketers have made lightning starts to their Test careers only to fade into oblivion soon after.

For instance Philander would do well to heed the story of Vinod Kambli, who burst onto the Test scene with two double hundred, two further hundreds and an average of 113 from his first seven Tests. But Kambli's fast start proved to be the falsest of false dawn and his career ebbed away as quickly as it started. 

Philander looks a good bet to sustain his excellent start and appears to be the final cog in a potent looking South African bowling attack. With Somerset giving him a leg-up to prepare for the series with England later next summer, the name Vernon Philander could soon be on the lips of every England batsman.

Where next?

Vinod Kambli - An unfulfilled career

An XI of Test one cap wonders

No bowlers, no chance for Sri Lanka

Australia - The Great Entertainers

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No bowlers, no chance for Sri Lanka

Watching some of the two Tests over the weekend confirmed to  us that there are a number of fairly mediocre sides operating in Test cricket at the moment.

Nevertheless, the likes of West Indies, Australia and even New Zealand (as they so ably demonstrated in Hobart last week) have the bowling firepower that means on any given day they can win their respective sides a Test match.

Sri Lanka do not have that luxury and actually seem to be plunging alarmingly quickly towards Bangladesh territory.

Their top six is as good as most other sides, which has helped them save Test matches at the Rose Bowl, Pallekelle and Abu Dhabi over the last few months. Indeed, if you had to choose between England’s top six and the Sri Lankan top six that was on show at Centurion, it wouldn’t be an easy decision and one might be tempted to go for the latter on a sub-continental track.

But whilst a good batting line-up can help set-up or save a Test match it is invariably the bowlers that win it for you. England have the perfect balance; Sri Lanka sadly don’t.

It is clearly not a coincidence that Sri Lanka have now failed to win a single Test match in the 15 they have played since Muttiah Muralitharan’s glorious curtain call at Galle 17 months ago. With Chaminda Vaas also retired and Lasith Malinga not available for Tests, their bowling attack is about as threatening as an army equipped with catapults and stones on the modern battlefield.

The top six didn’t bat well at Centurion, but the comparison between the home bowling attack and Sri Lanka’s was as wide as the Pacific Ocean. The lack of any sign of venom on the bowling front puts the batsmen under an obscene amount of pressure and they cannot be expected to always be able to bale out the side.

As Kumar Sangakkara so wonderfully articulated in his Cowdrey Lecture, Sri Lankan cricket is in crisis through a combination of mismanagement, greed and corruption. This has seen the players not being paid and has also seen the legacy provided by the likes of Murali and Vaas squandered away.

Dark days would seem to lie ahead.

Where next?

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

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Thilan Samaraweera's raw deal

Who do you think has the best Test average of those that have played at least three matches since New Years Day 2008?

Perhaps surprisingly, it is not Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla or even Jonathan Trott. No, the man who heads the table is that most underrated of cricketers - Thilan Samaraweera.

Samaraweera has scored 2,561 runs in 28 Tests during this period with seven hundreds and an average of 69.21 - only Younis Khan and AB De Villiers average over 60 during the same time.

But this excellent record didn't prevent Samaraweera from being dropped by Sri Lanka after the home series defeat by Australia in August.

Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, has stated that Samaraweera, who is 35, would not figure in the long-term plans of the selectors who intended to give more opportunities to youngsters.

That is all very laudable, but Sri Lanka can ill-afford to leave someone of Samaraweera's quality, experience and recent record out of the side at the moment. Indeed, there is a sense that they are a side in freefall with no bowler to speak of (Lasith Malinga apart, and he doesn't play Test cricket).

Samaraweera has been belatedly called up to the squad for the daunting looking trip to South Africa, where to be frank one fears for Sri Lanka's ability to make the Test series competitive.

It was ridiculously harsh to drop him and we have no doubt that Sri Lanka will need him over the next few weeks as they rely on Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Samaraweera to keep the effervescent Dale Steyn from running through their batting.

Where next?

Sri Lanka know what they had and they know that it has gone

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cricket heroes: Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan

The ten most poignant cricket memories of 2009

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

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2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - South Africa marks out of 10

Graeme Smith - 5: Undone by Johnson first time around and the extra bounce of Lyons in the 2nd innings. Gamble to bring on Tahir in the final throes of the chase failed.

Jacques Rudolph - 5: Looked well set in both innings before two tame dismissals. Will need to start kicking on to resist the claims of Alviro Petersen for his spot in the side.

Hashim Amla - 9: Was content to be circumspect as Kallis blasted away at the other end on day one, before playing what appeared to be the crucial knock of the Test with his 2nd innings hundred. Averages over 70 since the start of 2010 and on this form has a claim to be the best batsman in the world today.

Jacques Kallis - 6: 1st innings 54 off just 41 balls was very un-Kallis like, before the big man was out-foxed by Cummins second time around. Disappointing with the ball again: he now averages 53 with the ball since the start of 2010 in stark contrast to the 80 he offers with the bat. Can he now be classed as an all-rounder?

AB De Villiers - 7: A pair of fluent fifties only tells half the story as his shocking 2nd innings dismissal poking at one from Cummins started South Africa's slide.

Ashwell Prince - 6: Nice 50 on day one before needlessly holing out to mid-on and then run out by Amla second time around.

Mark Boucher - 5: Safe enough with the gloves, but his batting powers look in decline as evidenced especially by his ridiculous dimissal in the 1st innings when his side needed him to dig in. 

Vernon Philander - 8: Two Tests, two five-fors and 14 wickets at 14. Where has he been? Bowled intelligently throughout and led the attack admirably as Steyn and Morkel failed to deliver in the 2nd innings.

Dale Steyn - 7: Brilliant in the 1st innings to inspire the South African fightback and Australian collapse, but not at his best second time around and will rue his late drop of Cummins. Useful 41 with the bat looked to have made Australia's target too stiff.

Morne Morkel - 5: Disappointing on a ground that usually suits him - think England in 2010. Can be a top bowler but is inconsistent too often.

Imran Tahir - 5: Mopped up the tail nicely in the 1st innings as a good leg-spinner should, but perhaps a bit disappointing second time around. But it was only his 2nd Test and Tahir is clearly a better option than Paul Harris.

Where next?

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

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

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

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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The final day of the South Africa-Australia Test 'series'

It is over before it has even began. It has been cut off in its prime.

It is almost if the South African and Australian players have jointly resolved to make their respective boards look as cretinous as possible for the terribly flawed decision to agree that this 'series' should comprise just two Test matches.

There have been more thrills and sprills, more twists and turns than the first series of 24, and the penultimate dayof the series yesterday was no different.

Hashim Amla paid fitting tribute to Basil D'Oliveira by completing his hundred - all non-white South African sportsmen particularly cricketers owe Dolly a debt of gratitude. Since the beginning of last year, Amla has scored 1549 Test runs at a tick over 70 and has claim to be the best batsman in the world today.

Australia has produced some tremendous fast bowlers over the years and 18 year old debutant Patrick Cummins looks the latest in a long line after his performance in this game. Taking a six wicket haul on your first appearance is something special especially the way he led the Australian attack, to do so at this tender age marks out Cummins as one to keep your eye on.

Then there is the drama within the drama that is Ricky Ponting's attempt to save his illustrious Test career. His partnership with Usman Khawaja has brought Australia back into the game and the prospect of Ponting saving his career with a match-saving hundred is an enticing one to say the least.

Whilst as much opprobrium as possible needs to be flung at the South African and Australian cricket boards for their senseless decision to agree such a short series, much credit must go to their players for what has been an enthralling seven days cricket to date.

A drawn series seems the fairest result and the one that makes the boards look even more ridiculous, so we will be willing Ponting on this morning in what we hope will be a one wicket win for Australia.

Where next?

Basil D'Oliveira R.I.P

Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

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

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

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

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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Basil D'Oliveira R.I.P

It's not been a good few weeks for cricket. First Graham Dilley, then Peter Roebuck and now Basil D'Oliveira - like Dilley another favourite son of Worcestershire.

We are too young to have seen D'Oliveira play, but his record speaks for itself. He averaged over 40 with the bat in his 44 Tests - a record all the more impressive given that he didn't make his debut until he was 35. He also scored nearly 20,000 runs and took over 500 wickets in first-class cricket.

But stats only tell half the story with Dolly, who was the catalyst for the sporting ban that was belatedly the fate of South Africa due to its vile Apartheid regime.

The South Africans refused to countenance D'Oliveira - a Cape Coloured by birth - as part of the MCC squad to tour their country in 1968 and this self-inflicted wound led to their eventual banishment from world sport.

Many argue that sport and politics shouldn't mix, but as Scyld Berry thoughtfully argued in the Daily Telegraph yesterday:

"History may well decide that the lives of millions of non-white South Africans would have been made wretched for even longer but for Basil D'Oliveira."

A poignant reminder for present-day South Africa and perhaps an indication of the debt of gratitude that the likes of Hashim Amla and Makhaya Ntini owe the dignified and brave D'Oliveira. 

Where next?
The contrarian erudite genius of Peter Roebuck

Cricket Heroes: Graham Dilley R.I.P

Sir Alec Bedser R.I.P

Trevor Bailey R.I.P

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

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Dale Steyn's formidable statistics

Nothing quite excites in cricket as much as watching a genuinely fast bowler at the top of his game and that's exactly what Dale Steyn was after lunch against Australia yesterday.

For sure, Australia's batting line-up (and that of South Africa's too) seems to have a collective case of severe osteoporosis given its propensity for sudden collapse, but Steyn once again was magnificent.

We suggested last week that assuming that Steyn maintains his current level of peformance he will be as deserving as Sachin Tendulkar of a place in the pantheon of all-time greats, and here's three reasons why:

Formidable strike rate - As we highlighted last week, of those that have taken over 100 wickets, Steyn has the second highest strike rate in Test history with a wicket every 39.4 balls. 

Surpassing Lillee - If Steyn takes just two wickets in the second innings, he will overtake Dennis Lillee - not a bad fast bowler himself - as the fastest ever to 250 Test wickets. 

He's getting better - The frightening thing for the world's batsmen is that Steyn appears to be geeting better. Since the start of 2010, he has taken 76 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 20 and a strike rate of 38.

Now that's what we call stunning figures.

Where next?

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

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

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

What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

Cricket Heroes: Dennis Lillee

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What Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning

We’re not sure what Jacques Kallis had for breakfast this morning (although we can guess it was served on a large plate), but we hope it becomes a staple part of his diet.

Whilst we are happy to readily acknowledge that Kallis is a great batsman – you don’t score 12,000 Test runs at an average of over 57 without being exactly that – he is not one that we normally particularly enjoy watching at the Reverse Sweep.

Stodgy is the word that most readily comes to mind when trying to encapsulate a Kallis innings into one word, but his knock today in the 2nd Test at The Wanderers was anything but stodgy.

He came to the wicket when South Africa were 43/2 and proceeded to smash 54 off just 41 balls with 10 boundaries including two sixes.

It was all over in a blur but not before Kallis achieved something that we didn’t think was possible – upstaging Hashim Amla, who played Kallis’s usual stodgy role with some aplomb whilst Kallis was plundering the Australian bowling attack.

If this continues, we will have to start suspecting that his hair transplant was done with follicles gleaned from one of Virender Sehwag’s batting helmets.

Where next?

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

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

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

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

Cricket Heroes: Hashim Amla

Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis & Sachin Tendulkar: Three masters at work

Jacques Kallis is cricket's Thomas More - 'a man for all seasons'

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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

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

Graeme Smith - 9: Guided his side to victory with his fourth hundred in a successful fourth innings run chase - the first man to do so in Test history.

Jacques Rudolph - 5: His first Test in five years and he made two appearances in the middle on the same day. Made 18 and 14, but he can't be judged on this crazy game.

Hashim Amla - 8: Amla is to batting what Beethoven and Sinatra are to music, Shakespeare to writing and Olivier to acting. Was given two lives and made the Australians pay with a sublime hundred. Bradman must have been some batsman to have had a career average over twice that of Amla.

Jacques Kallis - 3: Undone on review by Bowden and bowled too short on day one, but at least he was there when the winning runs were scored. 

AB de Villiers - 3: Another to fall victim to the merciless Bowden on review as the South African first innings collapse reached epic proportions.

Ashwell Prince - 2: Missed a full and straight one from Watson to register an unwelcome golden duck.

Mark Boucher - 4: In all the hullabaloo, it was easy to forget that Boucher registered his 500th Test catch when he snared Hughes in the first innings.

Vernon Philander - 9: A stunning debut by anyone's standards even if conditions helped. Put the ball in the right place and was rewarded with eight wickets.

Dale Steyn - 9: Bowled magnificently on day one to show that he is the best bowler in the world today by a country mile: hostility, pace, movement and aggression, Steyn has it all.

Morne Morkel - 8: Bowled too full on day one, but his radar was well and truly functioning on day two as he and Philander inspired the mother of all collapses.

Imran Tahir - 4: Struggled against the quick feet of Clarke, but this was not a pitch or a match for a leg-spinner to make his Test bow.

Where next?

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia 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 Heroes: Hashim Amla

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

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

If Michael Clarke thought life had been too unpredictable during his time with Lara Bingle, then he may wish to reconsider after an extraordinary second day in the 1st Test at Newlands yesterday.

It was the day that Crowded House could have reformed and conceivably reprised one of their biggest hits with a slight twist – forget four seasons, this was four innings in one day.

It should have been so different. After Clarke’s brilliant 151 (an innings that has now acquired the value of Italy’s national debt after what followed) had steered his side to 284 and Shane Watson had dismantled the hosts for 96, Australia’s advantage should have been impregnable.

But just as against Pakistan at Headingley in 2010 and England in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG five days later, Australia were found wanting in seam and swing friendly conditions.

This was the third time that Australia had been bowled out for less than 100 in 12 Tests. Prior to that they had only failed to make three figures once in 277 Tests stretching back 26 years. This batting is more brittle than the most severe case of osteoporosis.

Let’s make it clear this was nothing to do with the pitch. Sure Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn put the ball in the right place, and yes it nibbled around a bit, but the fault lies squarely with the batsmen.

Watson and Ricky Ponting (whose decline has now reached epic proportions) missed straight deliveries to be leg before, Mike Hussey played a loose shot and as for Brad Haddin, well the wicketkeeper could conceivably be charged with dereliction of duty after a brainless charge down the wicket to Philander when his side were already 18/5.

A clearly stunned Clarke fronted up bravely at the close of play and said that the batting had been “disgraceful” – he couldn’t really have said anything else.

47 all out after being 21/9, a Test thrown away and severe question marks over the future of certain players like Haddin – the pile in John Inverarity’s in-tray has just got a whole heap bigger.

Where next?

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

Australian cricket's Royal Wedding

Shane Warne comes out 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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

We think Dale Steyn is such a great bowler at the Reverse Sweep that he deserves not one but two posts.

So following on from our take on Steyn's riveting duel with Michael Clarkeon day one at Newlands yesterday, our weekly column for All Out Cricketthis week outlines why we feel that Steyn is as worthy as Sachin Tendulkar is of the accolade of an all-time great of the game. 

Read Dale Steyn On Fast Track To Achieving Legend Statushere and yes, we did write it BEFORE South Africa capitulated from 49/1 to 96 all out, although we did note that Steyn was 9 not out!

Where next?

Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis & Sachin Tendulkar: Three masters at work

The best Test XI of 2010

Dale Steyn - Irrefutably the best bowler in the world

The slow death of Test cricket?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Dale Steyn's duel with Michael Clarke

Dale Steyn is by some distance the best fast bowler in the world today.

Of those that have taken over 100 wickets, Steyn has the second highest strike rate in Test history with a wicket every 39.6 balls. 

Perhaps the biggest compliment we can give him is that he would have been good enough to get into the West Indian pace attack of the 1970s and 1980s.

Steyn's full armoury was on show at Newlands today as he swung the ball both ways with express pace and real menace.

He likes his duels in Cape Town too. Two years ago it was Paul Collingwood as Steyn delivered a staggeringly good spell with the new ball that even Collingwood in full match-saving mode could not fathom how he didn't lose his wicket.

Earlier this year it was Sachin Tendulkar as two masters of their art went head-to-head in an absorbing battle.

Today it was Michael Clarke, as Steyn subjected him to a torrid start: peppering him with the short-ball, troubling the Australian captain with every delivery and firing off several volleys of abuse in Clarke's direction.

It was riveting and an example of Test cricket at its absolute best. And so was Clarke's response as he first fended Steyn off and then produced the finest Test innings and hundred he ever has or ever will make.

Steyn's stupendous bowling and Clarke's splendid response makes it an even bigger travesty that this is a 'series' comprising just two Test matches.

Where next?

The best Test XI of 2010

Dale Steyn - Irrefutably the best bowler in the world

Australian cricket's Royal Wedding

Michael Clarke's ticker

The slow death of Test cricket?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep