Bangladesh slide to the fifth biggest defeat in terms in terms of runs. Ouch!

HE_Pennypacker, it's quite an inetresting point you manufactured about Amla being as cool as Viv. I haven't really seen much of Viv but the little I did see really portrayed him as a very cool customer who did a lot of talking with the bat instead. Amla in some ways strikes me to be of similar nature. My impression of him is that he is collective and I haven't seen him bash out at anyone yet. He definitely opts to let his bat do the talking instead..and in a quite, stylish manner, nothing too fancy. He should have captained the team in this last test after Smith's injury. He was tipped as a possible future Protea's captain wasn't he? MacKenzie is in the twilight years of his career..that's just my opinion though.

Positive move by Ponting to try and win this game. Had Australia batted longer it would have given SA more of a chance to save this test. It's going to be tough for SA but these guys have done the business all summer and will be confident of at least getting a draw, even without Smith. An asking rate of 3.5 is a bit steep but if they don't lose wickets early and keep the scoreboard ticking then who knows. It's advantage Australia and as an SA fan I'll gladly take a draw and with it a 2-0 series win, after predicting a drawn series.

Well, 314 behind, 5 fit batsmen + Boucher and maybe Harris. They'll go for the draw first and foremost, and I think it would be a good idea. Mac can stay there for long periods, he just hasn't done it this series and people are forgetting. Amla can do it as well. What has given me the most heart is the Aussie performance, though we make batting look so much more difficult. Win or lose, I hope Smith doesn't come out and do further damage, it's just not worth it. If we can get a draw, though, then I'll happily take that any day of the week. If Smith was fit, Ponting would have declared 5 overs from the close and we would have a much better chance. Oh, and lol @ Morkel opening.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Smith come out if there was a chance SA could win or draw and he was the last wicket left, though I have no idea how he could bat with a cast on. I suppose he'd have to break it off.

Ponting just can't win with you can he Prophet? If he'd delayed the declaration you'd bag him for being too conservative - but no, he comes up with a positively timed closure that gives the Saffas a sniff - which should give the Aussies more chance of bowling them out - and yet you suggest he didn't get it right! Give the guy a break...

"On another note, is Amla the coolest cricketer since Viv Richards?" No.

I'm gonna predict a SA win tomorrow!! Just have a sneaky suspicion we have the belief to pull it off.

Anyone rate that if SA get close with few wickets in hand that Graeme might bat with a broken hand? Its been done before.

Silly question ppl, but can someone clarify who is the SA stand-in captain?

South Africa will win the Test 3 on 0Jan 7

Err Crimson...I did not say that Ntini was getting long in the tooth. I raise no questions in relation to his worth to the team whatsoever, in fact my last post was backing him? MasterG...I am wondering why you think the draw is such a 'bold prediction'. SA will bat the day out tomorrow with few problems. It takes one big partnership (or long one) in either of first two sessions and the job will done. In fact as unlikely as it may seem I would not rule them out from getting a win given their current mental strength.

Prophet - yeah, I thought the declaration was a little early - I don't think we'd have seen it if Smith were fit. But it was a good statement of intent by Ponting and kept interest in the game. On another note, is Amla the coolest cricketer since Viv Richards? His outfield catch at toe level was sublimely effortless.

Karma - Yeh he hasn't been the worst bowler but with his experience and pedigree I expected a little better from him. To be fair I expected a little better from Morkel too, but in his defense Morkel has only played a handful of Tests and not that many first class games behind him either. Its obvious he has potential but its equally obvious he has a lot of work to do before he has a chance to deliver on it. Despite many South Africans on this board getting over excited when Harris took a few wickets and saying things like "eat your words Harris doubters" he's still not that good a spin bowler. He's accurate but not a genuine wicket taker, and most of his wickets come from the batsman trying to get after him and making a mistake. He does a decent job of keeping things quiet and will take the odd wicket.

I didn't say he should be dropped I said his performances indicate that hes coming to the end of his usefulness. There's a difference between saying he is at the end, and coming to an end. People just tend to get over defensive at times. Also its just my opinion that he's coming to an end, backed up somewhat by his mixed performances. He has chipped in with useful wickets but hasn't been as successful as in the past. I am guilty of perhaps expecting too much of the players but I apply the same attitude to all of them not just Ntini. Anyway, SA in a decent position at the end of play, with an outside chance of winning the game even, though the loss of Smith seriously hurts SA's chances of even the draw. Haddin dropped Amla so at least the butter fingers aren't exclusively limited to SA this match.

Is anyone brave enough in this forum to predict a Saffa win? Imagine if they really do pull this off ! What do the other forum members think about Ponting's declaration? Any thoughts? I personally think it was a premature declaration. With wickets in hand, another 60-70 runs in quick time would have been preferable.

Guys, any of you rate if SA get within 20 runs or so of Aus score and lose their last wicket that Graeme Smith might make a bold move and bat with a broken hand? Pom , while I agree with you that ntini is getting long in the tooth I would like to remind you that SA has 3 fairly in experienced test bowlers in Steyn , Morkel and Harris. (Not too much Steyn). I think it is important to have players like Ntini with the experience around for now. I believe that 10 more test matches will be enough to have Steyn and Morkel more settled. The same can go for Kallis and Prince and Mckenzie and Boucher who also only have about 2 years left in them.Gradually players like Duminy and other new comers will need to be added to the list.

The SA bowlers, namely Steyn and Ntini bowled badly regardless of Smith not being there. They are supposedly professional sportsman, I don't think they need Smith holding their hands every step of the way, especially not someone with the experience of Ntini. They didn't use the conditions very well, I assume they were aiming for the big crack running just outside off-stump most of the time but they didn't hit it nearly as often as the Aussie bowlers did from what I saw.

Re: Ntini...Shifter makes a salient point regarding Ntini's limitations and how exactly he has taken so many wickets. I actually raised this question with a now ex England player the night after the test at Wanderers in 2005...he said it is the angle that he bowls from that makes it so difficult to play him. I vividly remember him saying that you always feel you should be getting at him, then a couple of balls seem to slant across your chest which make you think again. The player in question rated him as one of the more difficult test bowlers he had faced...perhaps his unorthodox style is the answer to the question of why he takes so many wickets....Saman also makes a good point. Whenever Ntini has a bad game / spell that is it...he should be dropped / he has come to the end of his career etc etc. The fact that he may have performed brilliantly the test before or even he spell before appears to be completely forgotten. Certain England supporters are the same with James Anderson. I suppose it is the curse of bowlers who are in the side primarily as wicket takers and partnership breakers rather than to keep the economy down.

I'm going to make a pretty bold prediction here, which is that Australia will not win this match. They have shown themselves to be chronically incapable of exploiting advantageous circumstances in this series so far. Obviously, SA will be handicapped by the absence of Smith, as well as the deteriorating pitch, and this may well prove to be a bridge too far for them. But this team have proved their resilience time and again over the past 18 months, and I for one am not writing them off yet. What price another final day century at the SCG for Kallis?

POM I actually swore an oath before the start of the 2nd Test that if South Africa took the series Id quit going on about the Q word. Im sure that will bring a smile to your face as much as THRASHING Australia in Australia brought to mine. I feel South Africa are pushing for this voctory again. It might be foolish because Smith will not bat and means we are now 2 wickets down. To try and defend for 110 overs is also not the answer. Regardless South Africa have enough batting to force a winning draw and take some confidence into the home series. Heading home with a 0 - 2 lead in a 6 Test match series is always helpful. SHIFTER Id have to agree with you about Ntini in regards to his one dimensional bowling style. He occasionally gets big movement inwards off the seam and I have seen him seam it away but he is lacking in swing and the slower ball delivery. His consistant one pace of bowling of around the 135kmph mark also gets too easy to read. On him lacking form this series well he proves us both wrong and has gotten 8 wickets at an average of 35.25 with a strike rate of 61.3. His strike rate is dissapointing compared to Steyn who has a strike rate of 39.1. Compare Ntini to Morkel (6 wickets @ an average of 42.83, strike rate of 73) and Harris (6wickets @ an average of 40, strike rate of 86) and you will find he has not been the worst bowler. Even though he is nearing the end of his career I dont think we have seen the last of Ntini for now. ARROGANTOZ where are you mate?

The Aus second innings shows how important Smith is to their confidence and controlled aggression. They looked like a rabble without him.

Lol mad your funny. I do know what kind of balls he can bowl, and I gave him credit for his success over the years. I mentioned his distinguishing features of bowling wide of the crease and decent pace. OK I missed the fact that he doesn't bowl many no balls, you got me there. The Australian batsman played badly to be at 15/3, and Steyn took one of those wickets so I don't have just Ntini to thank for that. Not to mention that of the 3 Steyn's ball was probably the closest to being a genuinely good ball. I would much prefer to see Ntini taking wickets than see him depart but from his performances over the last 6-12 months he hasn't done all that much to impress. Thanks for your post though. On to the game, Morkel opening the batting? That was a move that was bound to fail, and it did. Not only was it stupid because Morkel is not a good batsman but it handed Bollinger and Australia a wicket which will only give them confidence.

Ummm except it wasn't the catch that was the problem there Prophet, it was the staggered slips. Kallis was standing about about half way between first and second slip, which is a stupid idea no matter the situation. You can't expect one person to cover the ground it takes two people to do effectively. They did it when the Aussie tail was batting in the first innings too, Hauritz edged 2 or 3 through the slips thanks to the gaps that staggered slips left. South Africa certainly haven't helped themselves in this game and its going to take a lot to get at least a draw out of this game because of it.

Shifter, why do u want Ntini 2 b the bowler next door? Stop telling us what he doesn't have or what he cannt do. Have u seen what he has? Have u seen what he can do? Fit as they come, at batsman the whole day, encouraging team mates, bowling at great pace, bowling no-NO Balls, bowling at an awkard angle, having taken ova 375 wickets. Pity u bcos he'll go down in history as the 1 with most SA wickets till Steyn beats him 4 years from now. The great Shane Warne said : "Due 2 the unusual angle that he bowls, he makes batsman play more than they need to". If it were not 4 him reducing OZ 2 15/3 in perth, SA would not have won this series, u ungrateful thing.