England tour to South Africa December 2015/February 2016

[bigred]

I'll be surprised if England win this warm up match. Besides Ramela,Zondo and Hendricks this line up could challenge any team in world cricket (If you add Viljoen). We have the better Cook opening and the god of bowling in Dane Paterson. I'm more excited for this warm up then the actual tests!

99-6. Finn 4-29. Good luck on Boxing Day my friend.

 

[stefan]

Here is a pic from the toss. Looks like green and cloudy.

Edit:Credit to MickeyD, Sunfoil series 2015/2016 - Page 3

Not a very good weekend for SA batsman with the test coming up. The only one in the frame making runs was Cook and bavuma.[DOUBLEPOST=1450611651][/DOUBLEPOST]

De Kock confirms that he isn't ready for test cricket yet while Cook continues to prove that he is...

Not like Vilas scored more and he came in later....

 

[Markkkkk]

99-6. Finn 4-29. Good luck on Boxing Day my friend.

Well minus Ramela (who didn't do to badly), Zondo and Hendricks and it would be 60/3 which isn't terrible. Add in the 3 other batsmen and we would be 120/3 or 4 which on a wicket that is bowler friendly isn't too bad. De Kock and Vilas played bad shots so we could easily be 150/3 on another day. Still wait till our bowlers get to bowl.

 

[_Sam_]

Here comes the man fighting against the CSA to play for South Africa...[DOUBLEPOST=1450610194][/DOUBLEPOST]To be fair I've never seen a greater first ball edge like that in all my years of watching/ playing cricket. Why did he not play in India?

Just curious is it being streamed anywhere or are the highlights on the ECB page the best available?

 

[Markkkkk]

Not like Vilas scored more and he came in later....

Look I know we both have different opinions but it's pointless wanting either to do badly. I wanted Vilas to do well as it would encourage the selectors to chose Cook, Puttick, Viljoen etc. De Kock is my favourite player so of course I want him to do well and he has potential but he can't let his ODI big hitting carry him forever...[DOUBLEPOST=1450612537][/DOUBLEPOST]

Just curious is it being streamed anywhere or are the highlights on the ECB page the best available?

I'm on my phone so I haven't checked the SuperSport app but I'll guess there isn't anything better...

 

[stefan]

Just curious is it being streamed anywhere or are the highlights on the ECB page the best available?

Not being shown anywhere that I know of. Not on local tv and not found any streams.

Rather frustrating none of the 4/3 day cricket on this weekend being broadcasted.

 

[stefan]

Look I know we both have different opinions but it's pointless wanting either to do badly. I wanted Vilas to do well as it would encourage the selectors to chose Cook, Puttick, Viljoen etc. De Kock is my favourite player so of course I want him to do well and he has potential but he can't let his ODI big hitting carry him forever...[DOUBLEPOST=1450612537][/DOUBLEPOST]

Not point was merely you taking one failed innings as trying to prove he is not ready for test cricket. But the guy you want in ahead of him didn't do any better. I always want all SA players to do well when playing for SA...

 

[dp458]

I'll be surprised if England win this warm up match. Besides Ramela,Zondo and Hendricks this line up could challenge any team in world cricket (If you add Viljoen). We have the better Cook opening and the god of bowling in Dane Paterson. I'm more excited for this warm up then the actual tests!

Clearly Deluded, the england attack is good, and alastair cook, is arguably the best defensive opener in world cricket

 

[dp458]

The problem I've got with Ballance : he's a grinder with crap defensive technique, and only one test class attacking shot.

I don't care how many runs he's knocked up against county medium pacers or lacklustre Indian or WI bowling attacks. His attacking technique is so limited that there aren't actually that many locations that he can reach properly with the middle of the bat, and he doesn't have the defensive ability to make up for it.

his techincal problem is that in the crab back and across he closes off the leg side, his technique is good enough to survive, but his scoring shots are the cut (like every leftie) and the drive which is dangerous in england, i think he will be fine batting at 5, away from the new ball.

I see the hales experiment lasting 2 tests, before compton opens and taylor goes to 3 with ballance at 5

 

[dp458]

Looks like Finn might make the Boxing Day test after all. He's bowling well in the current warmup game. Think he'll be crucial to England's chances. It'll probably mean that Footitt doesn't get his debut.

Also, what's wrong with Anderson? He only bowled 5 overs in the first match and he doesn't seem to have been picked for today's match. Should we be worried?

Anderson is getting older, and the news is that with the gap only being 2 days, he doesnt need to do unneccessary bowling. They supposedly wanted to play woakes, fottit and finn in this game, but broad asked for the game to get rythm and tbf he is a rythm bowler. Whilst Fottit has been poor in the nets supposedly so they wanted him to get game time, the current thinking is finn will play, but if not they will go with woakes, like in the windies with rashid theyve been spooked by footits lack of control

 

[bigred]

Anderson is getting older, and the news is that with the gap only being 2 days, he doesnt need to do unneccessary bowling. They supposedly wanted to play woakes, fottit and finn in this game, but broad asked for the game to get rythm and tbf he is a rythm bowler. Whilst Fottit has been poor in the nets supposedly so they wanted him to get game time, the current thinking is finn will play, but if not they will go with woakes, like in the windies with rashid theyve been spooked by footits lack of control

With Anderson and Broad in the team, I don't think we need Woakes' control. Anyway, Footitt definitely won't play it Finn is ready to go.

 

[Markkkkk]

Clearly Deluded, the england attack is good, and alastair cook, is arguably the best defensive opener in world cricket

Well nothing I said was wrong except for the Cook statement (which was just banter). This team is honestly hand in hand with the SA team bar quota. Compare them:

Cook is an upgraded on every opener he can try out while Hendricks isn't test quality.

Rossouw is arguably better then Du Plessis (Amla bats 3 but I'm swapping him and AB for Ramela and Zondo as they are quota)

De Kock and Vilas compared to Bavunma and Duminy would be close but disregard Duminy's bowling aslong as De Kock and Vilas keep their heads then they would be considered better.

Morris isn't as good as Abbott/Rabada but he is half a shade under Test match bowling and on his day can trouble the best (like his better T20 figures).

De Lange and Morkel are close but Morkel is better but De Lange is still a very good bowler (like his test record says.

Paterson isn't as good as Steyn but I promise you this lad is insane. The only bowler in the last couple of months who I have seen take apart KP.

Maharaj might not be considered international quality but is a good holding spinner but Piedt is ahead and plus his ball moving away. Tahir is in another league but cant be a holding spinner.

All in all our team here today could give any team a run for their money. Sad that Rossouw, Vilas and De Kock played bad shots and that we owe Zondo an apology but this team could easily make a close game with England. Also its a 3 day game will always produce a draw.

But for real WHY IS MORRIS OPENING? Am I the only person who thinks Paterson has any ability?

 

[Markkkkk]

Not point was merely you taking one failed innings as trying to prove he is not ready for test cricket. But the guy you want in ahead of him didn't do any better. I always want all SA players to do well when playing for SA...

Honestly Vilas isn't my first choice keeper. They both play rash shots. Id rather have Kuhn open the batting and keep. Solve two issues with opening and keeping. He scored 148 this weekend aswell.

 

[_Sam_]

Hales thankfully looking to finally get some runs under his belt.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

his techincal problem is that in the crab back and across he closes off the leg side, his technique is good enough to survive,

His technique is good enough to survive as long as nobody bowls all that well and he doesn't try to score very much. What's more his back-and-across issue is part of the reason his one decent shot - the cut - works.

He's literally moving into position to prepare the cut shot on every delivery against the quicks. If he wasn't doing that he'd lose a chunk of the utility from his one genuinely productive shot.

but his scoring shots are the cut (like every leftie) and the drive which is dangerous in england, i think he will be fine batting at 5, away from the new ball.

A grinder's job in test cricket is to block up one end and slowly accumulate when conditions are worse for batting and the strokeplayers struggle, especially against the new ball. A grinder who blocks up one end when conditions are ideal for strokeplayers but who fails against the moving ball is a fundamentally counter productive element in the batting order against a high class bowling attack.