The way the England top order are batting and the South African attack is bowling in this series, I don't hold out much hope for the home side even if they can take the last 3 wickets quickly. And it has to be admitted that the SA side has been much the better throughout the series, not least in catching (at least 9 put down for England in the 3 games) - they deserve the no 1 ranking.
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Woo-hoo RSA 336-8 (Philander caught low down by Bairstow off an Anderson long-hop for 35
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Anderson's on now, nice & fresh - Tuffers wants two quick wickets boom boom
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Well Tuffers almost got his wish for a swift finish to the RSA's second innings.
England has a target of 346, which Michael Vaughan thinks in a "tough ask"
RSA have an hour to bowl this evening and then all day tomorrow.
I just hope that England's batsmen get a grip and knuckle down to the task in hand and make us proud of them
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indeed!!I just hope that England's batsmen get a grip and knuckle down to the task in hand and make us proud of themAccording to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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It would be the highest Test chase at Lord's and against the best current Test bowling attack - now to achieve that really would be worthy of a no 1 ranking
At least it makes it an interesting finale for the series tomorrow, unless England lose a few early wickets tonight....Comment
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...and where is KP just when you need him?According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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Cheers for that summary, aeolium - Cook goes early on!Originally posted by aeolium View PostIt would be the highest Test chase at Lord's and against the best current Test bowling attack - now to achieve that really would be worthy of a no 1 ranking
At least it makes it an interesting finale for the series tomorrow, unless England lose a few early wickets tonight....
C'mon Trott & Strauss!
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yep they came and then they went 6 for 2 already ... that is it eh?According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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Hopeless now I'm afraid - 6 for 2.
If you look at the series batting averages of the two teams, especially the first 7 batsmen, the gulf between the teams is clear. No English batsman - unless you count the combined Pietersen/Bairstow average - has averaged over 50* whereas five of the top 7 SA batsmen have done so, and one has averaged over 100.
I think they'll be dropping the ticket prices for tomorrow...
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As you ask aka , at Southampton today playing in the 40 over comp for Surrey ...... where he was bowled for a golden duck by the Hants left arm spinner ( just for a change ). Mind not on the job ....... a bit like Strauss this evening !!Originally posted by aka Calum Da Jazbo View PostComment
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Well he never did turn up at Southampton - no change there!Originally posted by AmpH View PostComment
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If it's now impossible for England to select Pietersen then they also need to look closely at themselves; there's no point picking an opening batsmen just because he's the right sort of chap to be captain (at least, not over an extended post- Brearley period). Strauss's dismissal wasn't isolated - that's happened several times, and he isn't going through a bad phase - he's a continual bad phase now. Whenever Cook faces a good opening bowler who can exploit his technical faults he fails. England and English players have gained inflated reputations against poor opposition.Originally posted by AmpH View Post
Yet another place where he isn't wanted ( again ).
The one England bowler who does what Philander does, pitch up and hit the stumps / pads at fast medium, nothing for the batsman to leave, hit the seam and get movement is Graham Onions. He doesn't play because Broad who is now a fast medium up and down line and length bowler without that remorseless skill has to play because he's Broady. At least Finn is in the side, hopefully ahead of Bressy. Sorry Bresnan.
Swann is a good off-spinner who has been worked out. He won't get hauls of wickets in the way he did: in traditional fashion he'll do a job. Against teams with more right-handed batsmen than left they should consider Panesar ahead of Swann. Though the famous team spirit seems based on Broady, Swanny, etc. And otherwise hope Scott Borthwick finally becomes the English leg spinner to fulfill his promise.
That's what I think, anyway. The England cricket team needs an attack of realism. Not more bonding.
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On the other hand Strauss has had overall a good record as England captain, not least regaining the Ashes in Australia which not many England captains have done. I agree he is coming towards the end of his career, and it might be ending sooner rather than later.
I would have had Onions in for Broad some time ago, as Broad has been underperforming (and just coming up with a notable performance as people started to criticise him) for a good while now. I'm not sure there is a better spinner in England than Swann, whatever his recent shortcomings, and I would go for Kerrigan as a left-arm spinner rather than back to Panesar who just doesn't flight it enough. The big problem is the lack of an all-rounder - a possibility would be to bring Woakes into the side as a no 7 and bat Prior at 6.
I disagree about Pietersen. It's not just a matter of having a clash of personalities in the team - it's more a matter of having someone there whom nobody else in the team trusts not to be slagging them off behind their backs, or deciding whether or not he's available for this or that form of cricket so that it can fit in with his lifestyle, his earning opportunities in the IPL or whatever. He's like the ultimate bad nightmare of a spoilt and demanding opera diva and it's no surprise that he's pissed off every team he's played for. He should go off and play golf or something which doesn't require him to be part of a team, though he'll probably just pick up a few millions in international retirement in the IPL.
That's what I think, anyway
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I haven't any sympathy for Pietersen as a human being: but I think the Pietersen ... scandal has brought the worst out in dressing room England. That doesn't make Pietersen OK, though dressing room England shouldn't fool themselves that team spirit will replace his batting.
Strauss's record as captain is as you say good, but he's not batted well at Test level for some years, with the odd notable performance punctuating that. The times I've seen Woakes he's not looked international standard to me, but the South African selectors thought that about Philander for several years before they picked him. There's Ben Stokes, who I've never seen make a run but people speak highly of, who also bowls. I haven't seen Kerrigan, that's interesting.
I feel England need to take a long hard general look and go in for a bit of good old-fashioned self-criticism and analysis.
(That's what I feel, anyway).
Trott and Bell will now put on a 250 run partnership at 5 an over.
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