Cricket Thread

[SelimNiai]

South Africa will be targeting Ravi Bopara as England's suspect link in the batting lineup, given his mixed history in Tests. This is a big series for Bopara, chances for a batsman for England don't come around too often, and if he fails this series he could be cast aside as simply a one day player in the future, and future chances will be given to Taylor, or Bairstow and Morgan again.

Bopara is massively overrated, he's only in this Test 'cos he had a good ODI series against Australia. I don't expect him to do well and feel sorry for Bairstow who I felt didn't get a good enough chance.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

What do you think South Africa's chances are of winning this series?

Game starts in just under an hour - I will probably watch the first session before I go to bed....

I think we are a potentially much better team (if we pitch up on the day) than England but we're also the more inconsistent team so it's impossible to call particularly with England being at home. T

hat said I for one remain confident (much like all Saffas are confident right up to the point we get knocked out of a world cup being the favorite in the match-up).

 

[SelimNiai]

For whoever is interested here is a link to an alternative radio commentary (note to mods: this, I hope, won't count against the whole posting links thing, seeing as its fully legit radio stream)

http://testmatchsofa.com/Listen/Player/

 

[Darwin]

Good first day for England - 267/3, with Cook still in on 114. I thought England might be in trouble after Strauss was out 4th ball, but from what I saw (only the first session) the English batsmen looked largely untroubled by Steyn, Morkel, and Philander (apart from by a little bit of swing in the first 30 mins or so). I didn't look like Steyn is 100%, which could be an ominous sign for the rest of the series.

South Africa did do pretty well to prevent England getting away on them, but England do have the opportunity to push on for a big score on day 2...

 

[SelimNiai]

Cook was awesome, he was in total command and didn't really give a poor SA attack a chance. I know it's a bit if a flat track but was dissapointed that none of the bowlers, save Snorkel, in that first hour, actually looked threatening.

Key first bit tomorrow, if SA can remove Cook or Bell then there's Bopara whose Test record isn't great...but then theres Prior and Broad after, sorry :lol:

 

[admartian]

Cook was awesome, he was in total command and didn't really give a poor SA attack a chance. I know it's a bit if a flat track but was dissapointed that none of the bowlers, save Snorkel, in that first hour, actually looked threatening.

Key first bit tomorrow, if SA can remove Cook or Bell then there's Bopara whose Test record isn't great...but then theres Prior and Broad after, sorry :lol:

You say poor, but that very same attack would bowl NZ out for under 180-200 runs.

 

[Darwin]

You say poor, but that very same attack would bowl NZ out for under 180-200 runs.

I'm sure he was referring to the South African bowlers' performance on the day (which was poor).

In any case bowling NZ out for less than 200 runs isn't really that much of an achievement - anyone can do that

 

[TRF_heineken]

I wouldn't say we were poor at all. The pitch is a dead pitch, from day 1 already? This test will in all likelyhood end up a draw.

England batted the entire day at less than 3 runs per over, and only when Kevin Pietersen came in, the run rate increased to over 3. to score 260, with 3 wickets down on day one with that pitch, I'd say the SA bowlers bowled very well in a disciplined manner and constricted the English attack.

Allan Donald confirmed this morning that Dale Steyn is 100% and that he doesn't have an injury, he said Steyn always gets strapped around his ankles, especially when he bowls over 15 overs in a day, of which he bowled 21 yesterday...

1 or 2 things are going to happen on day 2, England will try to up the run rate, get 500 and send SA in to bat. Or, if it's overcast conditions, the ball should swin a bit more like the first half hour yesterday, and this could cause a little collapse. Glad to see Tahir getting some spin later in the day yesterday, even though he bowled a bit too wide to my liking.

 

[Darwin]

I wouldn't say we were poor at all. The pitch is a dead pitch, from day 1 already? This test will in all likelyhood end up a draw.

England batted the entire day at less than 3 runs per over, and only when Kevin Pietersen came in, the run rate increased to over 3. to score 260, with 3 wickets down on day one with that pitch, I'd say the SA bowlers bowled very well in a disciplined manner and constricted the English attack.

Allan Donald confirmed this morning that Dale Steyn is 100% and that he doesn't have an injury, he said Steyn always gets strapped around his ankles, especially when he bowls over 15 overs in a day, of which he bowled 21 yesterday...

1 or 2 things are going to happen on day 2, England will try to up the run rate, get 500 and send SA in to bat. Or, if it's overcast conditions, the ball should swin a bit more like the first half hour yesterday, and this could cause a little collapse. Glad to see Tahir getting some spin later in the day yesterday, even though he bowled a bit too wide to my liking.

I don't think the South African bowlers were anywhere near their best (in the first session that I watched). Yes the pitch was very flat, but they didn't bowl well enough to earn wickets. On flat pitches you need to be very disciplined and build pressure by denying the opposition runs, but South Africa failed to do this. Far too often the South African bowlers slipped onto the pads of Cook and Trott allowing them to easily turn over the strike (this graphic illustrates this well!). It is probably is hard to tell how good (or otherwise) the South African bowlers were until the English bowlers have bowled on the pitch though

I didn't see much of Tahir (one over before lunch), but I don't think a spinning pitch is good news for South Africa - England have by far the better spinner, and South Africa need to bat last on the pitch.....

Looking forwards to day two starting in a few hours - given tomorrow is the weekend I will probably watch a bit more of this days play....

 

[Shovenose]

I was flicking through the channels and I saw this guy flinging pies at a batsman. Thought it was Pakistan A that was playing only to realize it was a SA spinner.

 

[Darwin]

I was flicking through the channels and I saw this guy flinging pies at a batsman. Thought it was Pakistan A that was playing only to realize it was a SA spinner.

You are clearly a close follower of South African cricket then....

 

[Shovenose]

You are clearly a close follower of South African cricket then....

I don't follow SA spinners. Given up on that when the policeman was chasing that kid in Barbados for the ball outside the stadium after Phil Simmons got hold of Omar Henry.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I don't think the South African bowlers were anywhere near their best (in the first session that I watched). Yes the pitch was very flat, but they didn't bowl well enough to earn wickets. On flat pitches you need to be very disciplined and build pressure by denying the opposition runs, but South Africa failed to do this. Far too often the South African bowlers slipped onto the pads of Cook and Trott allowing them to easily turn over the strike (this graphic illustrates this well!). It is probably is hard to tell how good (or otherwise) the South African bowlers were until the English bowlers have bowled on the pitch though

I didn't see much of Tahir (one over before lunch), but I don't think a spinning pitch is good news for South Africa - England have by far the better spinner, and South Africa need to bat last on the pitch.....

Looking forwards to day two starting in a few hours - given tomorrow is the weekend I will probably watch a bit more of this days play....

You should've then watched Nasser Hussain's Third Man show which was shown at drinks breaks, He said it's a good ploy to Bowl to Cook and Trott on their pads, as both of them got out that way in the previous series vs the Proteas, and also against Pakistan. And to Cook especially when it's a bouncer, as he's a bit tall. You could see at the end of the day when Morkel Bounced him once on the arm and then on the hand, that he doesn't know what to play, and what to leave.

Cook got out to Morkel 3 times in the previous test by trying to flick one and then edge it to the keeper.

 

[Shovenose]

You should've then watched Nasser Hussain's Third Man show which was shown at drinks breaks, He said it's a good ploy to Bowl to Cook and Trott on their pads, as both of them got out that way in the previous series vs the Proteas, and also against Pakistan. And to Cook especially when it's a bouncer, as he's a bit tall. You could see at the end of the day when Morkel Bounced him once on the arm and then on the hand, that he doesn't know what to play, and what to leave.

Cook got out to Morkel 3 times in the previous test by trying to flick one and then edge it to the keeper.

Test or test series?

 

[Darwin]

You should've then watched Nasser Hussain's Third Man show which was shown at drinks breaks, He said it's a good ploy to Bowl to Cook and Trott on their pads, as both of them got out that way in the previous series vs the Proteas, and also against Pakistan. And to Cook especially when it's a bouncer, as he's a bit tall. You could see at the end of the day when Morkel Bounced him once on the arm and then on the hand, that he doesn't know what to play, and what to leave.

Cook got out to Morkel 3 times in the previous test by trying to flick one and then edge it to the keeper.

If it was a plan of attack, it certainly wasn't very successful (I didn't see the 'Third Man show' though, so can't comment on that). By bowling on the leg side they simple released any pressure they had previously built up on the English batsmen by allowing them easy runs. You can get the odd wicket by 'strangling' a batsmen down the leg-side, but it is far more effective on a bouncing wicket, where the extra bounce can cause the batsmen to get a thin edge. This is far less likely on a flat track though (and even if you get a thin edge they won't always carry down the leg side...), so if it was a deliberate tactic, I think it was flawed. I have no issue at all with bouncing Cook or Trott (even if the bouncers are on leg side), it was just he fuller balls on leg stump that I think were the issue....

To be fair though I'm really only basing my analysis on watching one session (and a couple of fancy graphic) rather than the whole days play...

 

[TRF_heineken]

If it was a plan of attack, it certainly wasn't very successful (I didn't see the 'Third Man show' though, so can't comment on that). By bowling on the leg side they simple released any pressure they had previously built up on the English batsmen by allowing them easy runs. You can get the odd wicket by 'strangling' a batsmen down the leg-side, but it is far more effective on a bouncing wicket, where the extra bounce can cause the batsmen to get a thin edge. This is far less likely on a flat track though (and even if you get a thin edge they won't always carry down the leg side...), so if it was a deliberate tactic, I think it was flawed. I have no issue at all with bouncing Cook or Trott (even if the bouncers are on leg side), it was just he fuller balls on leg stump that I think were the issue....

That's what Shaun Pollock also touched on after Nasser said that. Pollock said that the old ball wasn't aiding anyone, and by bowling leg side you could leak runs, which happened when Pietersen was in, but then he got out, by chasing a ball leg side off Kallis. Pollock said that SA were trying the leg side routine too much and it became apparent to cook, but then they showed the wagon wheel, and only 35 runs were scored from bowling that line...


EDIT:

Dale Steyn getting rid of Cook and Bopara in his first spell of the morning.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Greame Smith getting a Century in his 100th test, becoming the 7th player in history to do it.

A Dominating batting performance today with Amla and Biff steering the ship, and the Kallis also joining in and. Taking the lead.

Best part was to see that little **** Broad having taking no wickets...

 

[SelimNiai]

Its been tough watching, there aren't many uglier batsmen than Smith, then again Amla was good to watch so it balanced out a bit. This game will only be a draw or a SA win, you'd expect them to bat on 'till 4-5pm tomorrow with a lead of circa 380-400 and give us a day and a bit to bat out on a wearing pitch. Its not going to be thrilling viewing but intriguing.

 

[Darwin]

South Africa right on top after day 3. There are few batsmen in world cricket that make batting look so easy as Amla! South Africa have completely dominated the last two days - it will be interesting to see whether they are able to force a result. I think England's batting lineup (and perhaps more importantly the pitch) still means a draw is the most likely result, but a lot will depend on how Tahir performs....

 

[TRF_heineken]

South Africa right on top after day 3. There are few batsmen in world cricket that make batting look so easy as Amla! South Africa have completely dominated the last two days - it will be interesting to see whether they are able to force a result. I think England's batting lineup (and perhaps more importantly the pitch) still means a draw is the most likely result, but a lot will depend on how Tahir performs....

Definitely agree with this! I expect our Batsmen to kick on especially with De Villiers and Duminy coming up, after Kallis gets a ton and Amla a double ton. If we can be ahead with 250, then we can give Tahir enough time to try and bother the batsmen... But if its going to be cloudy, then our seam bowlers will also cause some chaos...