England tour of South Africa 09/10

[stefan]

Why do we still play Harris? I know he did well against Australia, but England play spinners much better than the Aussies. Go with an all out pace attack instead, and have Duminy bowl his part timers. Harris doesn't really trouble the batsman. He doesn't have variation, and the ball doesn't turn much anyways. I'd rather have the curator make a bouncy pitch with some grass on it.

So good to see Morkel back. He has everything in him to be a star. He just needs the proper fine tuning. I have a feeling he will be very good in this series. Coming back after being dropped, and with a point to prove. Fast bowling at it's best when you have a fired up pace bowler like Morne!

Harris has earned his spot. Besides he took vital wickets on the last tour to england.

We don't play well on green seamers, that would suit england. There bowlers rely more on swing and a green seamers helps that. Hard bouncy tracks help quicker bowlers and our attack has that edge.

a Test match last 5 days you need a spinner and harris is our top spinner. He has proven this time and time again, both with his performance at franchise and international level.

 

[Fatal Shot]

We need to find a good attacking spinner, who won't fly off to England.

 

[stefan]

Pitch seems to have some green grass at the moment but Smith expect it to be cut before the game tomorrow. Had some rain yesterday but mostly we haven't had rain during cricket playing hours the last week, evening thunder storms but well past the days playing time. Forecast is for good weather.

We have a great record at test at centurion, only loss was that hansie cronje one vs the english. Don't reckon smith will be doing anything like that.

Smith unfazed by long Test hiatus | Cricket News | South Africa v England 2009/10 | Cricinfo.com

 

[stefan]

No hotspot for this series, SABC can't afford. Really super sport should take over the local broadcast and the SABC should just get their feed from SS. This is embarrasing, NZ can afford hotspot but we can't.

Captains sceptical about use of reviews | Cricket News | South Africa v England 2009/10 | Cricinfo.com

 

[mdoggie]

No hotspot for this series, SABC can't afford. Really super sport should take over the local broadcast and the SABC should just get their feed from SS. This is embarrasing, NZ can afford hotspot but we can't.

Captains sceptical about use of reviews | Cricket News | South Africa v England 2009/10 | Cricinfo.com

The Sabc should lose the right the host it, if they can't offer all required technology. I guess they need to keep that money for all their performance bonuses, after all they did plunge the sabc into 2 billion in debt.:

 

[King Pietersen]

England in picking the right XI shocker! Liking the fact we're bowling first as well, gives us chance to put them under pressure on what looks like a fairly green deck. Have to say, without Steyn this SA bowling attack looks rather weak. Ntini's looked over the hill for a while, Morkel can be inconsistent, De Wet couldn't get a game for Middlesex and Harris is just Harris, he's not going to run through sides. Kallis would have boosted the bowling, as he's been bowling well, but it's unfortunate that he's injured and can only bat. Just have to see how this pitch plays now.

 

[Fatal Shot]

flip... We need Steyn. Freidel is a good bowler and he will be used to bowling at some of the English batsman, but no one can make up for Steyn. I would have rather played someone like Tsotsobe... Morne, we need you to step up. But first our batting needs to put up a good fight. Come on lads. First test in months. You should be fired up, and ready to go. I expect a very good fight from both sides.

 

[King Pietersen]

How exactly will De Wet be used to bowling to some of the England batsmen? He didn't play a FC game in England, so the only England batsman he might have bowled to will be Strauss and that would have been in the nets.

Edit: Just been told that the reason he didn't play for Middlesex is because he didn't get a Visa. So he's only played Lancashire League cricket in England.

 

[Howsie]

Where's Wayne Parnell?

 

[Fatal Shot]

Where's Wayne Parnell?

Parnell is not ready for Test Cricket. He can't bowl at a good line and length for a consistent period of time. He good at bowling the bouncers and the yorkers, but that won't get you too far in Test Cricket. He still has to develop a lot of his skills to play in the long format of the game. He's only 19, so he has many years to hone his skills. He will get pummeled if they play him right now. Let him get more exposure in the shorter formats and then bring him up. I'm glad they are not rushing him into the side, only for him to get hit to all areas and then gain criticism. He will be a star in the future though. He has it all in him. That's for sure. One of the more brighter prospects that we have gained in a while, and to think he's only 19 as well.

At KC... I knew he was a Kolpak player, so I thought he had probably played a lot of FC Cricket in England. My bad.

 

[King Pietersen]

Nope, got a work permit rejected to play for Middlesex and has played for Lancashire 2nds and in the Lancashire League.

 

[Fatal Shot]

Not the start we needed at all. Smith has a tremendous record as England, and I expected him to score big. Oh well, here comes Amla.

 

[irottev]

Gotta hate those strangle wickets.

 

[King Pietersen]

Gotta love those Broad bowling ████ deliveries and getting wickets wickets.

 

[Howsie]

Sums up Broad that wicket.