England tour to South Africa December 2015/February 2016

[dp458]

With Anderson confirmed out, this should be Durban lineup

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Compton
4. Root
5. Taylor
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow
8. Ali
9. Woakes
10. Broad
11. Finn

I suppose there are two positives. Finn has recovered so quickly and looked in brilliant for against South Africa A. Also, Woakes is likely to play instead of Anderson, which makes our batting depth quite incredible. I don't remember a deeper batting lineup.

35+ FC batting average all the way to 9, is just about ridiculous

 

[dp458]

I'm interested to see how woakes goes with the new ball, as a Warwickshire man, uve seen him a lot and rate him highly. This is what in all honesty the team will probably be in the post Anderson retirement, which could be in the next year or so.

 

[bigred]

35+ FC batting average all the way to 9, is just about ridiculous

And a guy with a test hundred at 10.

 

[_Sam_]

Hopefully Anderson will be back for the 2nd test but this gives Woakes a decent chance to put down his marker for a place given he may not have got one previously with Finn and Footitt both around, hopefully he takes it as his added batting is pretty valuable down the order.

Cheteshwar Pujara has said that South Africa is the most difficult place to bat .I think he is right .There is uneven bounce in the pitches.

Why do you keep liking your own posts ?

 

[Abhil]

Hopefully Anderson will be back for the 2nd test but this gives Woakes a decent chance to put down his marker for a place given he may not have got one previously with Finn and Footitt both around, hopefully he takes it as his added batting is pretty valuable down the order.



Why do you keep liking your own posts ?

To get more points but someone has done something and i have lost all my points.All my hard work went in vein.I am sad and heart broken.Someone from planet cricket betrayed me .I feel like cheated.[DOUBLEPOST=1450979913][/DOUBLEPOST]Does liking our own posts is violation of rules of this forum?

 

[bigred]

To get more points but someone has done something and i have lost all my points.All my hard work went in vein.I am sad and heart broken.Someone from planet cricket betrayed me .I feel like cheated.[DOUBLEPOST=1450979913][/DOUBLEPOST]Does liking our own posts is violation of rules of this forum?

It's a bit like laughing at your own jokes. But if you like what you write then why not?

 

[IceAgeComing]

Does liking our own posts is violation of rules of this forum?

Yes, if only because using more than one account is a violation of the forum rules, and one that we take seriously. i'd probably ban all three accounts normally, but its christmas so i'll be nice

also why do you care so much about silly points on an internet forum as to create two other accounts to like every one of your posts? it seems like a lot of work to do in order to get something so... pointless; all it does is change the phrase under your username (unless your cool like me, then it doesn't even do that). if you want to get all the points, then what you should do is make good posts that people like, and bobs yer uncle, i don't even know how many trophy points i have

 

[Abhil]

Yes, if only because using more than one account is a violation of the forum rules, and one that we take seriously. i'd probably ban all three accounts normally, but its christmas so i'll be nice

also why do you care so much about silly points on an internet forum as to create two other accounts to like every one of your posts? it seems like a lot of work to do in order to get something so... pointless; all it does is change the phrase under your username (unless your cool like me, then it doesn't even do that). if you want to get all the points, then what you should do is make good posts that people like, and bobs yer uncle, i don't even know how many trophy points i have

Where you live in Scotland

 

[Abhil]

Yes, if only because using more than one account is a violation of the forum rules, and one that we take seriously. i'd probably ban all three accounts normally, but its christmas so i'll be nice

also why do you care so much about silly points on an internet forum as to create two other accounts to like every one of your posts? it seems like a lot of work to do in order to get something so... pointless; all it does is change the phrase under your username (unless your cool like me, then it doesn't even do that). if you want to get all the points, then what you should do is make good posts that people like, and bobs yer uncle, i don't even know how many trophy points i have

I got your point.

 

[richowebbo]

Delighted Woakes is playing as I've been a fan for years, however, we will miss Anderson's experience and wicket taking balls massively.

Great bowling by Steyn for the wicket of Cook. That's why he's the best in the world. Had that ball been when Cook was on 30, he'd have dealt with it. Great start for SA.

England Test Cricket is back....wooohoo!

 

[richowebbo]

Bugger

 

[cricket_icon]

Uhm AB hasn't been having a tough time. He is the only batsman we can say goes into the series with confidence. The SA attack will be fine atleast as far as seamers are concerned. Abbot,Morkel and Steyn have shown they can do it at international level and young Radaba has sown enough at international level.

The question for SA is all about the batting. If amla and faf hit form then that all disappears thought. They had a terrible tour of India but have proven they can perform at test level.

I never said he was having a tough time, I said it would be interesting to see how SAs batsmen cope if Amla and AB have a tough time of it.

I'm not sure how good SAs bowling is right now, good start by them so far but Steyn is coming back from yet another injury and we know he can blow out at any time and Morkel isn't the true world class bowler that Steyn or Anderson are. So, this will be a close series imo.

Good start from SA though, they look disciplined if not fiery.

 

[bigred]

About as tough as it gets in test cricket. Spinning as well.

 

[MUFC1987]

Looks a pretty good pitch. Bit of turn and seam movement, although the lack of Swing is surprising. I think South Africa have bowled reasonably well, but the wickets have probably been avoidable.

 

[bigred]

Looks a pretty good pitch. Bit of turn and seam movement, although the lack of Swing is surprising. I think South Africa have bowled reasonably well, but the wickets have probably been avoidable.

Root's ball was probably the best, which is strange given the expected conditions. Will probably make Amla feel a lot better though, as he would've be so close to picking 4 seamers.

Although Nick Compton is once again proving that he's a bit limited when it comes to scoring freely, he is displaying what an excellent technique he's got. I know there's been a lot of support for him on this forum, and I must admit that I was against him playing for the same reasons as the selectors. But you can't deny that he's got a bit of fight in him.

I've been advocating Taylor batting at 3, but he's such a good player of spin. Playing Piedt really well here. Perhaps he's better at 5. The dilemma will be if Hales does really badly for 2/3 tests. Then selectors will be very tempted to get Compton up top again. If that happens, they'll probably have to bring in Ballance at 3 again, which I feel is unfair as that's not his position and never has been.

I'll say it again, Ian Bell is likely to be at 3 for first test against Pakistan.