The third game of the series between Alex and me, then (its rules explained here), and it's my turn with choice of country and first player. Time for the South African contest. Here are our two teams in the order the players have been chosen:
Norm's Team: Graeme Pollock (a), Hugh Tayfield (b), Shaun Pollock (c), Jacques Kallis (d), Neil Adcock (e), Colin Bland (f), Bruce Mitchell (g), Eddie Barlow (h), Fanie de Villiers (i), Lee Irvine (j), John Waite (k)
Alex's Team: Barry Richards (a), Mike Procter (b), Dudley Nourse (c), Allan Donald (d), Peter Pollock (e), Alan Melville (f), Trevor Goddard (g), Denis Lindsay (h), Daryll Cullinan (i), Tufty Mann (j), Eric Rowan (k)
You can follow the game on Alex's blog as well. Grumble: As usual Alex is nicking some of my players. What's more, he must have been doing research. He's too young to know about Dudley Nourse and Denis Lindsay, both of whom I felt sure I would get to before he did.
The two batting orders:
Norm's: 1. Mitchell 2. Barlow 3. Kallis 4. Pollock G. 5. Bland 6. Irvine 7. Waite (wkt) 8. Pollock S. 9. Tayfield 10. de Villiers 11. Adcock
Alex's: 1. Richards 2. Melville 3. Rowan 4. Nourse 5. Cullinan 6. Lindsay (wkt) 7. Goddard 8. Procter 9. Pollock P. 10. Donald 11. Mann
After the victory of my West Indian team over Alex's, and his Australian side's victory over mine, it is perhaps appropriate that our South African contest is too close to call. My South African team has a five-run advantage in the composite batting averages of the two sides, while for the composite bowling averages of the five frontline bowlers Alex's men have... a five-run advantage. I declare the game drawn - or tied, if you prefer.