Test team reviewed

It is pretty tough to find fault when your side has just chased down the mighty Australians score and recorded the second highest run chase in Test cricket history.... but I thought I'd use this opportunity to touch on a couple of observations from the sidelines.

Batting lineup
Two failures from Mckenzie asks the obvious question about whether he is the right guy to be at the top of the order - the same questions are being asked of his counterpart Matthew Hayden who has hinted at retirement. Sure batters are there to get runs, but the value these guys bring in terms of steel, brains and intelligence is valuable and shouldn't be discounted too quickly.

Of concern for us is the brittleness and length of our 'tail'. Traditionally South Africa has always enjoyed an 8, 9, 10 who would guts it out for a 10, 20 or 30 but when your number 8 looks shaky then you have to worry. Morne Morkel doesn't look like offering any solidity here so we're going to have to be aware of where our batting starts and ends.

Lots of talk about the quality of AB Devilliers century - which was top notch - but lets not forget the role that JP Duminy played. Unlucky in the 1st innings, he came back well and proved that like Ashwell Prince he's a man for a crisis situation. I reckon this innings proved Duminy has the makings of a top test batsman - Herschelle Gibbs with a brain!?

Bowling
We bowled the Aussies out twice - not much more needs to be said, although I think Paul Harris needs to crack special mention for his contribution - he was awesome.

A balanced and capable bowling attack.

From the Aussie perspective, I don't think that the same can be said. Krezja looked ordinary and Peter Siddle looks like he has no idea how to bowl quality batters out.

The South Africans looked a little sucseptible to the left arm seam of Johnston but I reckon Ponting has to be a little careful about bowling him into the ground. 60 overs in a test match is a surefire way to wear out your premium strike bowler.

All in all - a great performance from SA typifying the new mental strength that the side has acquired and next up we've got the Boxing Day test...