New Zealand in England

[Helpman]

I dunno why everyone are talking up South Africa like they're the best thing since sliced bread either. Fair enough their a class team and they'll challenge us sternly, but don't forget that the Saffies are the biggest bottlers in the world and i'm confident that not only will we beat them, but we'll beat them comfortably.

Can't wait. Can't wait to see the look on the English crowd and commentator's faces when South Africa destroy England. Its going to be a blast.

Then I'll get to hear from the Sky news team about all the technical, bla bla bla reasons as to why England are getting whipped when at the end of the day its cause they don't have what it takes...

Counting down the days

 

[Brady]

Can't wait. Can't wait to see the look on the English crowd and commentator's faces when South Africa destroy England. Its going to be a blast.

Then I'll get to hear from the Sky news team about all the technical, bla bla bla reasons as to why England are getting whipped when at the end of the day its cause they don't have what it takes...

Counting down the days

Very confident...

SA wont win the series in england... England have a pretty good record in england.. it's gonna be a good challenge..

I just dont fear the African attack anymore...

2-1 England...

 

[Leicester Fox]

Bit of a quick finish, well we did show good character to come back from being in a very bad position at OT and it's character we've been really lacking in recent times. If Colly and Bell don't perform in the ODI's then they have to go especially with Bopara playing brilliantly, if he does well in the ODI's he could force it.

Looking forward to the ODI's, think we have a chance but with no real opening partnership and Bell and Colly out of form NZ should really win this. If a sides going to come back from a test defeat to win the ODI's it will be the kiwis. I'm putting all my hopes on Bopara.

 

[evertonfan]

South Africa are born and bread bottlers. The gap between us and them in the rankings marginal and think we're actually above them come to think of it.

Either way, we'll win the series. I'm very much prepared for some egg on my face at the end of it all, but we will beat them. I think for once Anderson is going to take a level of consistency into the series and he'll again prove to be a fantastic bowler. I think we'll see the return of proper Paul Collingwood and he'll end up being one of our best batsmen and also, I think we could finally see the big man Freddie back and back to his bowling best. A bowling attack of Broad, Anderson, Flintoff, Panesar and Sidetbottom could bowl any side out.

South Africa won't beat us, they're bottlers.

 

[manee]

South Africa are born and bread bottlers. The gap between us and them in the rankings marginal and think we're actually above them come to think of it.

Defeating Australia helped you guys in the rankings infinitely though and you are a much different side since then, itbt.

 

[lancashire666]

england are now 3rd in the rankings on 110 i think and south africe 4th just behind on like 109 or somthing very close to that, india are 2nd just 1 point ahead of england

 

[evertonfan]

Defeating Australia helped you guys in the rankings infinitely though and you are a much different side since then, itbt.

The fact that we've been awful since then and still managed to maintain a healthy position in the top 4 suggests that we are still very much a good side. We'll beat South Africa. Most of the posters on here just want South Africa to win because of their inner xenophobia towards England.

 

[aussie_ben91]

South Africa is almost as good as Australia is now.

Last time South Africa toured England, Smith made 2 double centuries didn't he?

Smith, Gibbs, Kallis, de Villiers, Boucher, Ntini & Steyn.

Unless Pietersen fires and the other batsman starting contributing then watch out England.

Should be a cracker of a series.

 

[lancashire666]

i can see england doing ok in the bowing department agains South Africa, but the batting line up could be exposed against Steyn, who is the best fast bowler around at the moment

 

[The_gas]

Can't wait. Can't wait to see the look on the English crowd and commentator's faces when South Africa destroy England. Its going to be a blast.

Then I'll get to hear from the Sky news team about all the technical, bla bla bla reasons as to why England are getting whipped when at the end of the day its cause they don't have what it takes...

Counting down the days

Remember this post people, we can use this in future signatures if South Africa fail to win the series.

 

[evertonfan]

Don't worry, i've already got it bookmarked.

And comparing South Africa to Australia doesn't make me any more scared of them. The Aussies aren't too flash these days either.

As i've said, South Africa were favourites for the 2003 series when we were awful and we still drew 2-2. They were favourites again when we toured their gaffe in 04/05 and we still managed to win 2-1. They are absolute bottlers and they rararely meet their expectations. We'll win and we'll win well. We'll get hammered in the ODIs obviously, but that goes without saying.

 

[Sureshot]

I've said it before. Monty will destroy the Saffers. Our biggest problem will be our batsman. I have no worries over KP. Not sure on the rest tbh.

 

[evertonfan]

Yeah, Ian Smith made a good point on the Sky earlier with regards to us having Panesar and them only having Harris. The gap in class is large between those two. Dale Steyn is a great bowler but what is Test cricket if you don't come up against the best in the world? He isn't guaranteed to steamroller us and don't forget it'll be the first time he's played Test cricket in England. We've handled Ntini very well in the past and the bowler who caused us the msot problems in the past has been Sean Pollock and he's out of the equation with retirement.

As for batting, Gibbs blows hot and cold as does Graeme Smith. However, I do think that Smith will prosper in this series given that he won't now have to cope with Hoggard unless he gets an unlikely recall.

I think, as Sureshot said, it all boils down to the batting and I fancy that Collingwood and Bell will have an upturn in fortunes by the time this series comes along and we will cope fine with the South African attack. I'm sticking my neck out and going for a 2-0 to England. The Lords Test will mor ethan likely end in a draw as have the last 5 Tests there.

 

[shravi]

Yeah, Ian Smith made a good point on the Sky earlier with regards to us having Panesar and them only having Harris. The gap in class is large between those two. Dale Steyn is a great bowler but what is Test cricket if you don't come up against the best in the world? He isn't guaranteed to steamroller us and don't forget it'll be the first time he's played Test cricket in England. We've handled Ntini very well in the past and the bowler who caused us the msot problems in the past has been Sean Pollock and he's out of the equation with retirement.

Never heard of him.

 

[evertonfan]

He's the lesser known brother of Shaun.

What's with all the spelling and grammar correction lately?