England V South Africa - battle of the giants

[mikeyboy]

Just got in from my game today so missed the test highlights. Thought Amla looked primed for a big knock after seeing him on friday. SA should post a big 1st inns. score and give England a tough last 3-4 sessions . The wicket/groundsman may be the winner in this game with wickets tough to come by . Englands game to lose , rather than SA to win . No cloud cover so no swing

 

Mikeyboy

[pointer]

What I meant was eng have the best tail,Only Anderson cannot bat.swanny,bresnan,broad can all bat

The WI after Dujon and Maco didnt bat alot,they didnt have to with the King,Greenidge and Lloyd scoring at top pace

 

Aus had Gilly(one in a million player) but he didnt have a great tail to support,Warney could bat but others were just tail enders

Brett Lee wasn't a bad bat and was clutch in pressure batting situations. Dizzy Gillespie was very hard to remove and had a test double hundred to his name. The only one who was a walking wicket was Mcgrath.

The windies after Dujon had Marshall and Holding, Roberts and Garner weren't useless. I must admit old Courtney wasn't the best with a bat but he was the most stylish leaver of a ball in world cricket.

Been some brilliant from the Saffers on a wicket that hasn't been giving much to the bowlers

[andyaus]

hmmmm what no scores after 3 days.....

 

England might be in a bit of trouble......385 vs 2/403

 

maybe it will rain for a few days

[batista275]

Smith - very underrated,but what a player to have?Has the best stats for chases

 

Amla - classic,just wonderful to watch.AB,kallis and Amla have to switch gears and bring up 550.Eng hopefully get some quick runs against Steyn and co -

 

want to see some seam and swing - I hate these bloody batsmen's games - let the bowlers have a ball

[mikeyboy]

hmmmm what no scores after 3 days.....

 

England might be in a bit of trouble......385 vs 2/403

 

maybe it will rain for a few days

 

Sorry Andyaus , scores as you mentioned Amla 183* Smith 131 Kallis 82*

 

Right that England will be under pressure 2nd time round .

 

No rain forecast , in fact not much cloud cover , so good batting conditions still .

 

Mikeyboy

[mikeyboy]

Smith - very underrated,but what a player to have?Has the best stats for chases

 

Amla - classic,just wonderful to watch.AB,kallis and Amla have to switch gears and bring up 550.Eng hopefully get some quick runs against Steyn and co -

 

want to see some seam and swing - I hate these bloody batsmen's games - let the bowlers have a ball

 

True that the tests with helpful bowling conditions make for better viewing . Think it may be difficult to up the run rate , as both sides scoring at 3 an over throughout .

 

This is exactly the type of wicket England will be playing on in India in the winter . Flat , easy paced .

 

A result is still on , but will take one side to play badly to lose it from here .

 

Mikeyboy

[batista275]

FFS Kallis and Amla up the RR - go at 6 per over now and declare

[mikeyboy]

FFS Kallis and Amla up the RR - go at 6 per over now and declare

 

Don't expect too much imagination from Smith .

 

You are right , have a dart now 250 + lead and give the SA bowlers as much time as possible to bowl England out .

 

4 sessions minimum , meaning declare at tea or before .

 

Mikeyboy

[andyaus]

How to Do a Rain Dance How To A Rain Dance

 

1. Never do a rain dance on a hill.

2. Make sure you have a lot of room so you

don't run into anything.

3. Spin around in clockwise circles.

4. Make up your own rain chant. It should be rythmical

and easy to say fast.

5. Yell your rain chant while spinning around in circles.

6. If you are trying to get rid of rain, spin in

counterclockwise circles and say your chant backwards.

 

 

 

Just trying to help

[Daveo]

Sorry I have some paint drying....LOL

[andyaus]

Don't expect too much imagination from Smith .

 

You are right , have a dart now 250 + lead and give the SA bowlers as much time as possible to bowl England out .

 

4 sessions minimum , meaning declare at tea or before .

 

Mikeyboy

 

Eng 385/10 | RSA 637/2 Kallis* 182, Amla 311 South Africa lead by 252 runs (Match State is Tea

[jocky king]

England are in Trouble... Tomorrow they have only six men to hold out for a draw, Very unlikely...South Africa to win easily tomorrow.

[mikeyboy]

England looking right down the barrel . Totally outplayed after a decent start to the test , can have no excuses . Won the toss and should have posted 450 + in first inns . Worry is that Englands strong suit , their bowling , was made to look ordinary .

The game is still savable , with Bell or Bopara ( unlikely ) playing a long innings . Runs will be a factor in the afternoon session if it goes that far . Very dissapointing for England , but well played by South Africa .

 

Mikeyboy

[andyaus]

Steyn likes these Duke balls. Gets another 5 for....

[pointer]

Saffers have been brilliant, they fought back after a tough first day and then batted england out of the game.

Followed up with another fine bowling performance in the second innings. Well Played

[jocky king]

Are England finally been exposed by the South African with a innings win today that first test. South African looked very strong on every department.. Maybe , England need that wake up call to regroup themselves ready for the next test...

[mikeyboy]

Yes , that was about as comprehesive a beating as its possible to get . Wonder when was the last time , if ever , a team won a test match only losing 2 wickets in the process .

 

England have no excuses , that was their best team playing ( excluding Bopara ) and were soundly thrashed .

 

I'll wager Andy Flower is on the phone now to the Headingley groundsman asking him to prepare a juicy green top !!

 

Mikeyboy

[mousemat]

Yes , that was about as comprehesive a beating as its possible to get . Wonder when was the last time , if ever , a team won a test match only losing 2 wickets in the process .

 

England have no excuses , that was their best team playing ( excluding Bopara ) and were soundly thrashed .

 

I'll wager Andy Flower is on the phone now to the Headingley groundsman asking him to prepare a juicy green top !!

 

Mikeyboy

 

 

There was a stat on BBC online ball by ball coverage earlier that its the 4th time a team has won a test by only losing two wickets - they did not name the teams.

[mikeyboy]

2nd test match starts tomorrow at Headingley , leeds . 3 test series , so England have to hit the ground running . My thoughts are that 5 bowlers are a must to give Strauss the best chance of 20 wickets .

 

Delay the debut of James Taylor , play the top 5 batsmen , Prior bats at 6 with Bresnan at 7 . Broad 8 , Finn the extra bowler . Let's see if De villiers , Duminy and Rudolph are in any form , as they were surplus at the Oval .

 

Mikeyboy

Edited August 3, 2012 by mikeyboy

[mikeyboy]

South Africa after being put in 262-5 Petersen 124* Hard days test cricket , with SA probably ahead in the game , although at 120-0 mid afternoon England will have been happy to get in amongst them later .

 

4 bowlers played by England , Finn replacing Swann and new boy Taylor batting at 6 . Likely to be a result at Headingley unless rain takes time out of the match .

 

Next couple of days will go a long way to deciding the series .

 

Mikeyboy

[mousemat]

With the Olmypics I totally forgot this test had started and I've missed 2 days of action.

 

I am now getting nervous about this series - we really need a big score.......

[mikeyboy]

With the Olmypics I totally forgot this test had started and I've missed 2 days of action.

 

I am now getting nervous about this series - we really need a big score.......

 

Absolutely , a first innings lead is the only way that England can get into a position to win this test , need someone to bat a long long time .

 

SA 419 (Petersen 182) Eng 48-0 close of 2nd day .

 

Mikeyboy

[mousemat]

Interesting stat from Bumble on Sky Sports:

 

KP and Trott are batting and Bumble asks "Who is the only English born person on the field?

 

Answer: The Umpire, although he now lives in Australia

[blylad]

England were given a thrashing in the first test.

 

KP has just got a century in the second test which will hopefully be the turning point.

[mousemat]

Second test is as good as a draw.

 

The third test at Lords is a massive game - at the moment I just can't see us taking 20 wickets