South Africa in England July-Sept 2012

[Phen]

Strauss is over-rated. :P If it wasn't for his captaincy, he'd struggle to be in the side.

 

[sifter132]

Good point as well made on Tv that when games are close, what does Strauss bring? He's a great captain when he can just leave his bowlers to take 20 wickets, but you never feel his input has brought about a wicket. The fields are always rigidly set, the plans are basic. It's always as if stifling the batsman doesn't work, he has no other option. He looks to cut off runs and boundaries far too early in batsman's innings.

The thing is that these days we don't know who is running the show - they might be Andy Flower's fields and ideas. Strauss is required to show some initiative of course, but I'd love to know how much is Flower and how much is Strauss.

It is actually starting to annoy me that they keep leaving him out. He bowls as well (if not better) than most of the attack each time and keeps getting left out. He's worked on his accuracy and pace. He's gone to India and done well. He's a genuine wicket taking strike bowler.

In 2010/11 Ashes, I thought Bresnan was fantastic and Finn was crap. But since then they've swapped from what I've seen, Finn seems to able to maintain his lines better, which was his weakness 2 years ago and Bresnan just looks flat.

Just have one question - how come on day one (when England got 270 odd for 3) South Africa "didn't turn up", and on day two when we eventually "turned up" the pitch was crap, but today the pitch is beautiful??

I thought it was that Mark Boucher didn't turn up Anyone mentions Boucher again as a reason for this, that or the other and I'll hit someone...

 

[Owzat]

Just have one question - how come on day one (when England got 270 odd for 3) South Africa "didn't turn up", and on day two when we eventually "turned up" the pitch was crap, but today the pitch is beautiful??

I would take no notice of the English media in particular, they wouldn't know their ar se from their elbow half the time. The reason England collapsed so dramatically was a number of poor shots/shot selection, a drag on, nothing shot that got an edge and not getting something between ball and stumps.

Two of the balls were not brilliant deliveries, the other could and maybe should have been played better. So England added to their own woes with a poor start. England had chances to get players out, it's probably just that South Africa got things and chances going their way and England didn't quite take their's.



It is going in about level on scores, South Africa need to have and execute their plan today for winning this match. England need to knock over quick wickets this morning to avoid a big deficit, and hope they don't accelerate towards a conclusion.

I'd say South Africa need to push on, and quickly, to 200-250 without using up too much time. But is a result likely if both sides have already made 385+ and batted for 125+ overs. TMS were talking about four sessions, well 120 overs would take up four sessions so I'd say the pitch is going to have to do more for Tahir or deteriorate before we'll see a result - or England collapse.

Still backing a draw, but South Africa could apply enough pressure that England's batting is exposed. Everyone is capable of getting out cheap, some in the side seem keen to get out cheap. In retrospect I wonder if we shouldn't have gone with Finn instead of Bresnan, not on the basis of what Bresnan hasn't contributed, but just having Broad, Anderson and Bresnan seems a bit too much like it would look better with Finn in there.

If England do lose at least all things Bresnan won't be portrayed as rosy.

 

[jacobfelix]

Still there is chances of a result....provided there is no interruptions on the last 2 days....if SA can extend that lead to 270-300 by tea today...then they can fancy their chances of running through the English side in the last 4 sessions...

 

[Owzat]

Ravi is one of the worst Test middle order batsman in the top 5 teams and Strauss is still a walking wicket against any top class bowling attacks.

It may be he is another gRamps, and gRamps was keen to support Bopara's call for a Test place. Maybe we've been too wrapped up in trying to get stars of domestic cricket or other forms to perform in Tests, why should they fail and get more chances when other failures don't?

13 Tests since 2007 should really say all that needs to be. He scored three hundreds in three Tests against the West Indies and still his average is a mere 32.53

Tests 1-6 : 8 inns, 397 runs @ 49.63
Tests 7-13 : 10 inns, 156 runs @ 17.33

He has reached double figures five times in his last 10 innings which makes that average and return even poorer. Five ducks already in only 18 innings, only significant averages against West Indies and a patchwork 51 average against India made up of 7 and 44no. Now I would have thought England are committing to his inclusion for two Tests and what then? If he fails is he out for good? If he succeeds is he in until he fails again?

Shows a complete lack of foreplanning by England, he should have played against West Indies and then continued into this series. Bell helped himself to three fifties, Strauss two hundreds and KP 203 runs, none really did anything come this crunch match. Trott, Cook and Prior had modest series at best and were our main runscorers. Confidence doesn't seem to be much evident from that relatively easy series (win), I think a few more could have been rested.

----------

Still there is chances of a result....provided there is no interruptions on the last 2 days....if SA can extend that lead to 270-300 by tea today...then they can fancy their chances of running through the English side in the last 4 sessions...

I think it highly unlikely South Africa will open up and attack enough to extend the lead much beyond 250 in two sessions, they will need to grind away relatively speaking to make sure of a lead first as excessive aggression may see them lose quick wickets and much of their advantage.

England will probably apply the Vaughan legacy and have scattered the field far and wide by then in an attempt to stem the flow of runs. I wouldn't be too certain of "no interruptions" either, I think considering the amount of rain in recent days and weeks that we've been lucky to have seen nearly 800 runs in three days.

 

[barmyarmy]

I don't understand this test at all. Having picked Smith, Amla and Cook as my top 3 in the fantasy side I naturally expected them all to fail. I even went as far as to make Amla captain to make certain.

 

[Sahil 7]

first time after long time i am seeing this england bowlers struggling to pick wickets. Good batting performamce from south africans batsmen hope amla gets his double ton and kallis to get a ton here

 

[barmyarmy]

Well I picked Kallis as well...

 

[shravi]

Is there something you knew that the rest of us didn't?

 

[Ahmad94]

Well played Amla, well deserved double century and looks like Kallis has got his hundred also

 

[Satan666]

Legendary inns in the making here from Amla, he needs 9 runs to surpass Bradman as the second highest score by a visiting batsman, Smith leads with 277.

Its early but I hope we get the first triple century from a South African.

 

[barmyarmy]

I thought Kirsten had had a triple ton. Personally I'd say keep batting and go for the 400

 

[barmyarmy]

5 sessions remaining and a lead of 134. They'll want 300 I reckon which means England will only have to survive 3 sessions. Draw favourite imo.

 

[alexczarn]

Andrew Strauss Destroys Own Sunnies - YouTube

And I thought this was funny!

 

[Owzat]

5 sessions remaining and a lead of 134. They'll want 300 I reckon which means England will only have to survive 3 sessions. Draw favourite imo.

If I were Smith I'd have the batsmen accelerating throughout the afternoon session and look to declare at tea regardless of the score. They might push 250-300 if they get a move on, England could probably do with more delaying tactics. I can't believe Bopara has bowled 14 overs, or indeed Trott and Pietersen bowling overs - 19 overs for 72 runs I think, 4 an over with only occaisional threat.

If South Africa can win batting once they need to bowl England out for under 300-350 and have time to do so. Since they will use up valuable time getting that far in front I think they have to gamble they can take every chance, get everything go for them, and bowl England out for 270 or less.

Crux is they need to take 10 wickets to win, or bowl England out if someone is injured and can't bat, so need to have enough time to give them the best chance of doing so. Any batting South Africa do from here on in needs to be ODI speed. England will be as happy as they can be if still in the field post-tea, time is their potential saviour and enemy of the saffers