England tour of South Africa 09/10

[pcfan123]

This might be Ntini's last series, especially if he reaches the 400 wicket mark. I also would not put anything past Paul Harris, sure he was expensive in England taking 8 @ 40 odd but in South Africa he has a much better record, going at about 28 per wicket

 

[Owzat]

I don't like the idea Broad @ 7.
For the first test:
1.Strauss
2.Cook
3.Trott
4.Pietersen
5.Collingwood
6.Prior
7.Wright
8.Broad
9.Swann
10.Anderson
11.Onions

We have a pretty awful record away since 2000 when playing five bowlers, probably because our bowlers all tend to be ordinary away from England and it weakens the batting. I would not pick Wright, his ODI record is very ordinary :

Wright (ODIs)

Current Series : 24 runs @ 24.00 & 3 wkts @ 41.67 (SR 40.00, ER 6.25)
Career : 428 runs @ 22.53 (HS 52) & 10 wkts @ 46.80 (SR 53.40, ER 5.26)

Nothing to suggest he can do more than take the odd wicket like Collingwood already does, or score any more runs than Broad or Swann down the order. It's simply plonking him in the side because he just about fits the description of all-rounder (not just you, a lot of people)

I'd dump Wright out of that side and add an extra batsman. With Trott and Collingwood in the side we'll have any extra bowling necessary, if our best four bowlers can't bowl the opposition out for par or below then the chances are all the fifth and sixth best would do is give the batsmen easier runs and us a lot more time in the field to need the extra bowlers. Wright's one score this series (24) was made on a pitch the South Africans whacked 354/6 on and they took 66 runs off his eight overs. (over 8rpo) He's never taken more then two wickets in an ODI, his early batting was quite good but has dipped badly

ODIs 01-07 : 184 runs @ 30.67 (2x50)
ODIs 08-14 : 45 runs @ 11.25 (0x50)
ODIs 15-21 : 115 runs @ 23.00 (0x50)
ODIs 22-28 : 84 runs @ 21.00 (0x50)

Three scores of over 45 in his first six innings, he's only passed 39 once since. Fair enough he's been victim to England's obsession with pinch-hitting, opening six times and averaging just 17.83, and at seven he averages 27.78, but that's not really good enough for someone who either needs to be a batsman or a genuine bowling threat all-rounder to get in the Test side.

 

[stefan]

With that bowling, if Steyn isn't firing, our batsman should be having a full English breakfast on them. Ntini is past it and struggled to perform for ages, Harris is just a bit "meh", and Morne Morkel seems to have gone off the boil.

If we get rid of our silly little consistencies, there's no reason why we can't take this series.

Morkel looked back to his old self in the one day series and domestic season. He did struggle vs the aussies but he seems to have found his grove again.

People always undertate harro so nothing new here, he always does his job. Ntini wiuldn't be in my side, parnel would be above him.

I dunno man, on paper I thought we would cream the English in the ODI's and look what happened...this is actually a pretty scary England team. Fair enough, with Kallis back we look better but some of the guys just arent performing up to scratch and seriously need to hit form in the tests if we want to win the series.

Odi's are different from tests. The odi side currently is pretty unsettled with lots of changes, the test side is a settled side for most part. Class is permanet and the guys will come right, you don't go from a very good side to a poor side in a few months.

 

[Owzat]

Am I kidding myself or did I see Harris in the top 10/20 bowler rankings?!? I know he's not as bad as some make out, but he's surely not top 10?!?

 

[stefan]

Am I kidding myself or did I see Harris in the top 10/20 bowler rankings?!? I know he's not as bad as some make out, but he's surely not top 10?!?

Well he did take a bag of wickets the last test he play vs aus at cape town.

Not 10 is probably stretching it but for me he is top 20/25. He always does his job.

 

[Paki007]

I Think trott should open the innings for england

 

[Ayub 95]

I Think trott should open the innings for england

By making Trott open, who you going to drop? The captain or the vice captain

 

[Valaskjalf]

Morkel looked back to his old self in the one day series and domestic season. He did struggle vs the aussies but he seems to have found his grove again.

People always undertate harro so nothing new here, he always does his job. Ntini wiuldn't be in my side, parnel would be above him.



Odi's are different from tests. The odi side currently is pretty unsettled with lots of changes, the test side is a settled side for most part. Class is permanet and the guys will come right, you don't go from a very good side to a poor side in a few months.

Well of course it different formats, but the problem is a number of the ODI guys will feature in the tests a well and they lack form. I dont doubt their ability but poor form can make the best look a little silly.

 

[pcfan123]

Sort of the same as their last tour to England, SA looked out of touch in the ODIs but perhaps that was because of their Test win. Still think we will see a different SA side come Test series

 

[mdoggie]

Well of course it different formats, but the problem is a number of the ODI guys will feature in the tests a well and they lack form. I dont doubt their ability but poor form can make the best look a little silly.

Most of the players who will play in the test team got a few runs in the limited overs matches. Smith got a 50 in the win and some rune in the T20's, Amla has gotten a few runs as has AB. It's just JP who has looked really out of place so far. Bowling wise Steyn is a problem but Morkel did look quite lethal against England beating the bat a few times. SO it shouldn't be a major problem plus some of those players will play better under test conditions.

Jp has being found out, he really needs to improve his ability against the bouncer if he wants to make it in South African cricket.

 

[MUFC1987]

Good day for the Yorkshire lot in the EPP. Wainright took 5 wickets with Gauteng's highest scorer being Andrew Gale who got 96. Another spinner out-performing Rashid.

 

[wolf]

It looks like today's match is going to be rained off and England will win the series 2-1.

 

[stefan]

It looks like today's match is going to be rained off and England will win the series 2-1.

Looks likely. Has rained all week and doesn't seem like its going to stop. Last forecast I checked has it ok from 2 pm to 5pm but then showers for the evening.

Still holding thumbs that we get a game in.

 

[Iridium]

I certainly hope they get a game in and let South Africa in with a chance to level the series. England have played very well and it would be a bit tame if they claimed the series 2-1 with the final game washed out. But I suppose they'll take the series win regardless of how it comes.

 

[stefan]

Seems the game is done. Reading cricinfo and looking at the broadcast there's no chance of play, not even a 20 over game.

Oh well, only have ourselves to blame.