ive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them T

On Saturday, a mate took his girlfriend out for birthday brunch at the same time David Warner and Joe Burns walked to the middle in Hobart. By the time they returned home, Australia had been bowled out for 85.On Tuesday, two former Australian Test players checked the scores to see the team were still two wickets down on the fourth morning before heading into work meetings. By the time the pair broke for lunch, the Test match was over.These are but two examples of how far the batting cancer in Australias Test team has spread. A collapse of 10 for 83 in the third Test of the series in Sri Lanka was noticed by some, being the third defeat in a row. But those of 10 for 86, 10 for 85 and 8 for 32 so far against South Africa are disturbing the rhythm of Australian life at a time when vast swathes of the community expect to be sitting down to watch the cricket. It is, quite literally, beyond a joke.A problem of this magnitude stretches beyond the players immediately concerned to affect the rest of the team, the support staff, coaches, selectors, management, the Cricket Australia board and the sporting public at large. Right now, Australias batting is driving down the value of the game in this country - a rude shock to those administrators who have at times made the teams performance subservient to the bigger picture of growing the game.There was nothing particularly unusual about the way Australias batsmen folded at Bellerive Oval. A poor choice of shot by Usman Khawaja ended a partnership with Steven Smith, the new man Adam Voges was placed under immediate pressure, and once he was out the rest fell apart like a slow-cooked lamb leg off the bone.The only salient differences from other days were the fact that the short ball did as much damage as deliveries probing a length around off stump, as South Africas pacemen recognised the best way to utilise the indentations left in the Hobart pitch by their spells on day one when the surface was still fresh. Voges and Callum Ferguson both fell when trying to leave shortish deliveries, while Peter Nevill was out fending at a Kagiso Rabada throat ball, in a dismissal that could have been from any number of West Indian victories in the 1980s.It is beyond doubt that the South Africa seam and swing attack has been of the highest quality, as demonstrated by the present career averages of Vernon Philander (21.67), Kyle Abbott (21.83) and Rabada (22.75). But it is equally true that when other highly skilled pace ensembles have charged in at Australian batsmen in the past, whether it be the West Indians, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, or Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, they have found the baggy greens harder to shift.Thats what Smith referred to in an impassioned address after the match. I need players who are willing to get into the contest and get into the battle and pride in playing for Australia and pride in the baggy green - thats what I need, he said. At the moment its not good enough. Im quite tired of saying it, to be honest with you. Its happened five Tests in a row now, for an Australian cricket team thats humiliating.Something that has clouded Australias batsmen over the past five matches is a state of conflict between the philosophy that informs their approach and the match scenario in which they find themselves. Notions of driving the game forward, being proactive and entertaining are second nature to the team and the coach Darren Lehmann, but as one former player has put it, you have to earn the right to play that way.Intriguingly, there was little identification among some members of the team for the way JP Duminy and Dean Elgar dug in on day three of the Perth Test. They did not score at a rate deemed attractive to the public, but did as much as anyone, in their understated way, to decide the outcome of the series.Yet the overwhelming body of evidence now before everyone connected to Australian cricket is that this team is not good enough to attack at all costs, as much as they would like to do so. Basics, and stubborn application, must be rediscovered. Were only driving a game if were in a position, to be perfectly honest and we havent been for a while now, Lehmann said. Weve got to stay in long enough to create those chances and put pressure on the opposition and we havent been able to do that.South Africa have been driving the game barring day one of the Perth game and we had an opportunity there and we didnt take it. Thats probably happened in the past few Test matches - even in Sri Lanka we had a couple of opportunities to grab the game and didnt. Its about these young guys getting better about grabbing the game and taking it from there.Unquestionably, Australian cricket must refocus on the defensive basics of batting, and also on ensuring players are as focused, prepared and energised as possible when the time comes to pull on the national team kit. South Africas cricketers did something similar earlier this year, following an 18-month lull that followed the 2015 World Cup won by Australia at home. What they have now achieved is a strength in depth that Smith, Lehmann and the selectors can only dream about, without anything like the same budgets.After play, the Australians met with the chief executive James Sutherland, the team performance chief Pat Howard, and a quintet of former playing luminaries in Mark Taylor, Shane Warne, Ian Healy, Michael Slater and Tom Moody. That too, provided a reminder of how far this batting cancer has spread, for continued problems will affect the jobs of the administrators and also the salaries of the commentators - a new round of broadcast deals is to be decided over the next year. Chronic batting troubles could reduce the money available to the game.A third example of how Hobarts events are spiralling ever outwards could be found on the boundarys edge at Bellerive an hour or so after the final wicket fell. A man had picked up his primary school-aged grandson from school to take him to see the cricket, but there was none to see. Instead they were left to wander around an empty stadium, as South Africas winning players caroused in the middle of the ground. Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Mark Recchi Jersey . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/paul-coffey-jersey/ . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Tom Barrasso Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Larry Murphy Jersey . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. PITTSBURGH -- Sean Rodriguez stepped to the plate looking to be aggressive.That approach paid off as he homered to open the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.When I try to be too passive, thats when I swing and miss a lot, Rodriguez said. When I take my swing, its because Im getting in my ready position and able to get my swing off. I was able to get a pitch I was able to get my swing off and hit it as good as I needed to.Rodriguez connected off Ross Ohlendorf (5-7), a 413-foot drive to the left-field bleachers that gave the Pirates just their second win in seven games in the midst of 12 straight games against teams who are at least 10 games under .500.It was Rodriguezs second career game-ending homer and his 11th home run of the season.Its another cool thing for him this year, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of the utility player. Hes done a lot of good things for us. Hes tough on himself. He expects a lot of good things to happen.The Reds tied the score 2-2 in the top of the ninth on pinch-hitter Ramon Cabreras sacrifice fly off Tony Watson (2-3), who blew his first save in two opportunities since All-Star closer Mark Melancon was traded to Washington last Saturday.Rodriguezs home run was the 23rd given up this season to the first batter a Reds reliever has faced.You can imagine how I feel about that at this point and Im going to walk away from it, Cincinnati manager Bryan Price. Im obviously very frustrated by it.Pirates rookie Jameson Taillon gave up only one run in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk in his fifth consecutive quality start. He has not factored in the decision in any of his five career home starts.Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani allowed two runs and two hits in six innings with six strikeouts and three walks, and has yet to lose in 11 starts this season. He began thhe season on the disabled list with a strained oblique before being activated June 10.ddddddddddddThe Pirates scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead as David Freese walked and John Jaso doubled before Francisco Cervelli hit a tying sacrifice fly. Jordy Mercer followed with a squeeze bunt to bring in the go-ahead run.DeSclafani allowed fewer than three runs for the eighth time in nine starts as the Reds, last in the NL Central, began a nine-game road trip.The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Brandon Phillips RBI single. He had two of Cincinnatis six hits and is 7 for 11 in his last three games.Slumping Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup after being given a three-day mental break and went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. The 2013 NL MVP is 1 for 14 in his last four games, dropping his batting average to .240.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Alfredo Simon (strained right trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (strained right shoulder) are scheduled to begin rehabilitation assignments Sunday with Triple-A Louisville. ... SS Zack Cozart returned after missing the previous three games with a bruised right ring finger.Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder discomfort) was not in the lineup for a second straight game. ... C Cervelli returned after being hit the head Tuesday by a pitch and sitting out two games.UP NEXTReds: RHP Homer Bailey (1-0, 3.18 ERA), who underwent Tommy John elbow ligament reconstruction surgery last year, will make his second start of the season. He won at San Diego on Sunday, allowing two runs and 5 2/3 innings.Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.90) will debut for his new team after being acquired Monday from the New York Yankees in a trade. He had spent his entire seven-year career with the Yankees. ' ' '